JESUS RAISES LAZARUS
[Sidenote: St. John 11]
NOW a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary
and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with
ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was
sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he
whom thou lovest is sick. 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. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and
Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two
days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to
his disciples, Let us go into Judæa again. His disciples say unto him,
Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither
again? 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. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there
is no light in him. 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. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do
well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had
spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly,
Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to
the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said
Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also
go, that we may die with him. Then when Jesus came, he found that he
had lain in the grave four days already.
[Sidenote: St. John 11]
Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: and
many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning
their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was
coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said
Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had
not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of
God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall
rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again
in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the
resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me
shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord:
I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come
into the world. 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. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where
Martha met him. 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.
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. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews
also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was
troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord,
come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
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? Jesus
therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave,
and a stone lay upon it. 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. Jesus saith unto her, Said I
not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the
glory of God? 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. 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. And when he thus had spoken, he cried
with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
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.
Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which
Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the
Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the
chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for
this man doeth many miracles. 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. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that
same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that
it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and
that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself:
but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die
for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also he should
gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him
to death. 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. And the Jews' passover
was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem
before the passover, to purify themselves. 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? 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.