John 11:1-16

Lazarus Dies

1 A man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived.

2 Mary would later pour perfume on the Lord. She would also wipe his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was sick in bed.

3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus. "Lord," they told him, "the one you love is sick."

4 When Jesus heard this, he said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory. God's Son will receive glory because of it."

5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

6 But after he heard Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days.

7 Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."

8 "But Rabbi," they said, "a short time ago the Jews tried to kill you with stones. Are you still going back there?"

9 Jesus answered, "Aren't there 12 hours of daylight? A person who walks during the day won't trip and fall. He can see because of this world's light.

10 But when he walks at night, he'll trip and fall. He has no light."

11 After he said this, Jesus went on speaking to them. "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep," he said. "But I am going there to wake him up."

12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he's sleeping, he will get better."

13 Jesus had been speaking about the death of Lazarus. But his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.

15 For your benefit, I am glad I was not there. Now you will believe. But let us go to him."

16 Then Thomas, who was called Didymus, spoke to the rest of the disciples. "Let us go also," he said. "Then we can die with Jesus."