John 11:1-43

Devotionals, Articles, and Bible Study Resources on John 11:1-43

1At this time a man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2(Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was to anoint the Lord with perfume and wipe His feet with her hair.)
3So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.”
4When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6So on hearing that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was for two days,
7and then He said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8“Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”
9Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? If anyone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees by the light of this world.
10But if anyone walks at night, he will stumble, because he has no light.”
11After He had said this, He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”
12His disciples replied, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get better.”
13They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus.
14So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
15and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
17When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already spent four days in the tomb.
18Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, a little less than two miles away,
19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.
20So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him; but Mary stayed at home.
21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22But even now I know that God will give You whatever You ask of Him.”
23“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her.
24Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
26And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27“Yes, Lord,” she answered, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
28After Martha had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside to tell her, “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.”
29And when Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him.
30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him.
31When the Jews who were in the house consoling Mary saw how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32When Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
34“Where have you put him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they answered.
35Jesus wept.
36Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
37But some of them asked, “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind also have kept Lazarus from dying?”
38Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
39“Take away the stone,” Jesus said. “Lord, by now he stinks,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man. “It has already been four days.”
40Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
42I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”
43After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
— John 11:1-43

Related Resources from Heartlight

Removing the Stench of Death
Illustration of John 11:38-40 NLT

Illustration of John 11:38-40 NLT -- Jesus was still angry as he arrived at [Lazarus'] tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. "Roll the stone aside," Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man's sister, protested, "Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible." Jesus responded, "Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believe?"

Discounted Love
Illustration of John 11:36-37 NLT

Illustration of John 11:36-37 NLT -- The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much [Jesus] loved [Lazarus]!" But some said, "This man healed a blind man. Couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?"

Do you believe?
Illustration of John 11:25-26

Inspirational illustration of John 11:25-26 -- Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Resurrection Day!
Illustration of John 11:23-24 NLT

Illustration of John 11:23-24 NLT -- Jesus told [Martha], "Your brother will rise again." "Yes," Martha said, "he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day."

The Father Hears the Son!
Illustration of John 11:41-42 NLT

Illustration of John 11:41-42 NLT -- So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me."

Untouchable Life!
Illustration of John 11:25-26 NLT

Illustration of John 11:25-26 NLT -- Jesus told [Martha], "I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?"

"Lord," Martha said to Jesus,...
Illustration of John 11:21

Illustration of John 11:21 -- "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

"Whoever lives and believes in me...
Illustration of John 11:26

Illustration of John 11:26 -- "Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Do you believe this?
Illustration of John 11:25

Inspirational illustration of John 11:25 -- [Jesus said,] I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?

If Only
Illustration of John 11:21

Inspirational illustration of John 11:21 -- "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

What do you believe?
Illustration of John 11:26

Inspirational illustration of John 11:26 -- Jesus said, 'Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?'

Let Him Go!
Illustration of John 11:43-44 NLT

Illustration of John 11:43-44 NLT -- Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him go!"

Cross References for John 11:1-43

Cross References Provided by Open Bible

The Berean Standard Bible

The Berean Standard Bible (BSB) is a modern, clear, and faithful translation based on the best available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Ideal for reading, study, and sharing, it entered the public domain in 2023. For more information, visit berean.bible.