1 NOW a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judæa again.
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
55 And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?
57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

1Now a certaine man was sicke, named Lazarus of Bethanie, the towne of Mary, and her sister Martha.

2(It was that Mary which anoynted the Lord with oyntment, and wiped his feete with her haire, whose brother Lazarus was sicke.)

3Therefore his sister sent vnto him, saying, Lord, behold, hee whom thou louest, is sicke.

4When Iesus heard that, hee said, This sicknesse is not vnto death, but for the glory of God, that the Sonne of God might be glorified thereby.

5Now Iesus loued Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6When he had heard therefore that he was sicke, he abode two dayes still in the same place where he was.

7Then after that, saith hee to his disciples, Let vs go into Iudea againe.

8His disciples say vnto him, Master, the Iewes of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither againe?

9Iesus answered, Are there not twelue houres in the day? If any man walke in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10But if a man walke in the night, hee stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

11These things said hee, and after that, hee saith vnto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I goe, that I may awake him out of sleepe.

12Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleepe, he shall doe well.

13Howbeit Iesus spake of his death: but they thought that hee had spoken of taking of rest in sleepe.

14Then saide Iesus vnto them plainly, Lazarus is dead:

15And I am glad for your sakes, that I was not there (to the intent yee may beleeue:) Neuerthelesse, let vs goe vnto him.

16Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, vnto his fellow disciples, Let vs also goe, that we may die with him.

17Then when Iesus came, hee found that hee had lien in the graue foure dayes already.

18(Now Bethanie was nigh vnto Hierusalem, about fifteene furlongs off:)

19And many of the Iewes came to Martha, and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20Then Martha, as soone as shee heard that Iesus was comming, went and met him: but Mary sate still in the house.

21Then saide Martha vnto Iesus, Lord, if thou hadst bene here, my brother had not died.

22But I know, that euen now, whatsoeuer thou wilt aske of God, God will giue it thee.

23Iesus saith vnto her, Thy brother shall rise againe.

24Martha sayeth vnto him, I know that he shall rise againe in the resurrection at the last day.

25Iesus said vnto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: hee that beleeueth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he liue.

26And whosoeuer liueth, and beleeueth in mee, shall neuer die. Beleeuest thou this?

27She saith vnto him, Yea Lord, I beleeue that thou art the Christ the Sonne of God, which should come into the world.

28And when shee had so said, shee went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29Assoone as she heard that, she arose quickely, and came vnto him.

30Now Iesus was not yet come into the towne, but was in that place where Martha met him.

31The Iewes then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose vp hastily, and went out, followed her, saying, Shee goeth vnto the graue, to weepe there.

32Then when Mary was come where Iesus was, and saw him, shee fell downe at his feete, saying vnto him, Lord, if thou hadst beene here, my brother had not dyed.

33When Iesus therefore sawe her weeping, and the Iewes also weeping which came with her, hee groned in the Spirit, and was troubled,

34And said, Where haue ye laid him? They say vnto him, Lord, come, & see.

35Iesus wept.

36Then said the Iewes, Behold, how he loued him.

37And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blinde, haue caused that euen this man should not haue died?

38Iesus therefore againe groning in himselfe, commeth to the graue. It was a caue, and a stone lay vpon it.

39Iesus said, Take yee away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, sayth vnto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath beene dead foure dayes.

40Iesus saith vnto her, Said I not vnto thee, that if thou wouldst beleeue, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41Then they tooke away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Iesus lift vp his eyes, and said, Father, I thanke thee, that thou hast heard me.

42And I knewe that thou hearest me alwayes: but because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may beleeue that thou hast sent me.

43And when hee thus had spoken, he cryed with a loude voice, Lazarus, come foorth.

44And he that was dead, came forth, bound hand & foot with graue-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Iesus saith vnto them, Loose him, and let him goe.

45Then many of the Iewes which came to Mary, and had seene the things which Iesus did, beleeued on him.

46But some of them went their wayes to the Pharises, and tolde them what things Iesus had done.

47 Then gathered þe chiefe Priests and the Pharises a councell, and said, What doe wee? for this man doeth many miracles.

48If we let him thus alone, all men will beleeue on him, and the Romanes shall come, and take away both our place and nation.

49And one of them named Caiaphas, being the high Priest that same yeere, said vnto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50Nor consider that it is expedient for vs, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

51And this spake he not of himselfe: but being high Priest that yeere, he prophecied that Iesus should die for that nation:

52And not for that nation only, but that also hee should gather together in one, the children of God that were scattered abroad.

53Then from that day foorth, they tooke counsell together for to put him to death.

54Iesus therefore walked no more openly among the Iewes: but went thence vnto a countrey neere to the wildernesse, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

55 And the Iewes Passeouer was nigh at hand, and many went out of the countrey vp to Hierusalem before the Passeouer to purifie themselues.

56Then sought they for Iesus, and spake among themselues, as they stood in the Temple, What thinke ye, that he will not come to the feast?

57Now both the chiefe Priests and the Pharises had giuen a commandement, that if any man knew where hee were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

 

1 Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. 3 So the sisters sent word to him, saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." 4 When Jesus heard this he said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea." 8 The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" 9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." 11 He said this, and then told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him." 12 So the disciples said to him, "Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved." 13 But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep. 14 So then Jesus said to them clearly, "Lazarus has died. 15 And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him." 16 So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go to die with him." 17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home. 21 Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 (But) even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise." 24 Martha said to him, "I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day." 25 Jesus told her, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world." 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, "The teacher is here and is asking for you." 29 As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. 31 So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." 33 When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, 34 and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Sir, come and see." 35 And Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." 37 But some of them said, "Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?" 38 So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the dead man's sister, said to him, "Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus raised his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me. 42 I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." 43 And when he had said this, he cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. So Jesus said to them, "Untie him and let him go." 45 Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, "What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation." 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing, 50 nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish." 51 He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52 and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. 53 So from that day on they planned to kill him. 54 So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples. 55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves. 56 They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?" 57 For the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should inform them, so that they might arrest him.

v 1,2. Don’t confuse the Lazarus of this family with the beggar in Lk. 16. This one is only in this and chapter 12, which refers back to this account. 
v 3. Because of close friendship, they expected Jesus to come at once.
v 4. This did not result in permanent death, but in glorification of Christ and Father. 
v 5,6. Lazarus would have been dead when Jesus got the message, but in spite of His love for the family, He delayed for the timing to glorify the Father.
v 7-10. The disciples knew going into Judea could mean death, but Jesus gave hint that anytime we labor in God’s will, “day”, we are safe until His time is decreed. 
v 11,12. Disciples thought Lazarus was sleeping in recovery, not sleep of death.
v 13-15. Plainly, Lazarus was dead, so they and all readers later could believe.
v 16. Thomas’ great commitment can be sin in his willingness to die with Christ.
v 17. Due to rapid decomposition there, burial was usually done the day of death.
v 18.19. Being less than two miles from Jerusalem, there were many consoling.
v 20-22. The words of energetic Martha were a confession of faith, not a criticism. Had her faith been greater she might have believed He would have healed from away.  Also, she had not faith to ask, though there was some realization of what He could do.
v 23,24. Martha was not thinking of an immediate resurrection.
v 25,26. . A believer will never die spiritually.
v 27. She  did not understand the nature of the Rapture, but she believed Jesus is: 1 the Christ:;  2 The Son of God;  and 3 The one who would come into the world.
v 28-30. Contemplative Mary came quickly at the call of the Teacher.
v 31,32. Mourners also followed, so Mary did not have a private conversation. As before, she knelt at His feet, but with the identical comment and faith as Martha.
v 33-37. Groan came from a word meaning anger, but it is not that word, as some would have us believe. (The theory is that He was angry that marred His creation.) It is better to interpret, He powerfully contained His emotions. The context is natural. Seeing others weeping brought sorrow to Him, just as we are touched by others who weep around us. Certainly, He could be angry at Satan causing death, or the unbelief of the people, but he was experiencing compassion in human relationship to us, which false gods can not do. Isa. 53:4; Ps. 103:13. He was not tragically wailing as others, but quiet emotion. The crowd interpreted this as helplessness in the situation. Wept here is translated, shed tears quietly, compare Lk. 19<41 where he wept audibly as a child would cry.
v 38-39. Exercising great emotional control at them for that, He asked to be taken to the tomb, but Martha was concerned about the decomposition odors when the stone was moved. There was also the defilement of anyone coming near a tomb. Also, Jews thought the spirit hovered near the body for three days, so on the fourth there could be no possibility of resurrection.
v 40. The sisters did not know what to expect, but even before His reminder, they showed faith by permitting the stone to be removed. 
v 41,42. By thanking the Father before the miracle was done and stating why He was doing it, was sufficient that people should have believed Him to be God’s Son.
v 43,44. He had to call Lazarus by name or other dead would have risen. The cloth strip under his chin would not allow Lazarus to speak. Strips of grave cloth were wrapped around him with arms and legs wrapped individually, but the legs were tied together so he could not have even shuffles out. It took special power of God. We will not walk out of confinements on our own at resurrections, but we will be called out.  Jesus required that people roll away the stone and people unwrap the body.
v 45,46. This was witnessed by many people. Seeing this miracle, some trusted, others were confused or hardened. The latter group went to tell the Pharisees.
v 47, 48. The religious leaders were perplexed what to do. They had to admit that miracles were being done, but if things got out of hand and everyone believed Jesus, He would take over and Rome would deprive them their lucrative positions and power.
v 49,50. Instead of lifetime as high priest, Rome made annual appointments, to better control them. Caiaphas thought Jesus should be sacrificed  for favor from Rome.
v 51-53. He had no idea his selfish proclamation was a prophecy that sacrificing this one man was not just for Israel, but for all nations of the world. God would make from all of them, one people, the Church. So they determined to kill Jesus.
Compare 1 Sam. 10:3,6,10  where evil Saul prophesied.
v 54. Under constant threat of death, Jesus went about 15-20 miles northeast of Jerusalem to a somewhat isolated area to the town of Ephraim. He probably taught the disciples much of the time, as there is no record of things done there.
v 55-47. As the Passover approached, Jews began to arrive so they could be ceremonially cleansed, and with the hope of seeing Jesus. He had previously done miracles and taught in the temple during this time. but they may have wondered if He would show up, knowing the Jewish leaders had a contract out on Him.