39
Jesus said, "Take the stone away." Martha, the dead man's sister, told Jesus, "Lord, there must already be a stench. He's been dead for four days."
40
Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believe, you would see God's glory?"
41
So the stone was moved away from the entrance of the tomb. Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you for hearing me.
42
I've known that you always hear me. However, I've said this so that the crowd standing around me will believe that you sent me."
43
After Jesus had said this, he shouted as loudly as he could, "Lazarus, come out!"
44
The dead man came out. Strips of cloth were wound around his feet and hands, and his face was wrapped with a handkerchief. Jesus told them, "Free Lazarus, and let him go."
45
Many Jews who had visited Mary and had seen what Jesus had done believed 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 called a meeting of the council. They asked, "What are we doing? This man is performing a lot of miracles.
48
If we let him continue what he's doing, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will take away our position and our nation."
49
One of them, Caiaphas, who was chief priest that year, told them, "You people don't know anything.