Worship With Us Sunday School10 AM Sunday Morning11 AM Sunday Evening4 PM Thursday Night7 PM
1377 S 20th St, Louisville, KY 40210 Contact
True Words Baptist Church — Revelation 21:5
BOOK 43 OF 66 · GOSPELS · KING JAMES BIBLE

John 11

John book home•Chapter 11 of 21•57 verses
Search John
Aa  Reading settings
Text size
Reading width
Track chapter:
Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study
REVIEWED OVERVIEW

John 11 Overview

Lazarus of Bethany becomes sick and dies while Jesus deliberately delays. Jesus tells Martha, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life,’ and asks whether she believes. He weeps with the mourners, then commands the stone removed and calls Lazarus from the grave. The sign causes many to believe but also pushes the council toward a settled plan to kill Jesus.

JohnBook
11Chapter
57Verses
GospelsDivision

Before you read John 11

Coming from

John 10 presented Jesus as the Shepherd who gives eternal life and cannot lose His sheep. John 11 displays His authority over physical death itself.

In this chapter

The chapter combines grief, faith, divine purpose, and resurrection power, then shows that the greatest sign yet produces both belief and hardened opposition.

Leads into

John 12 moves into the final public phase before the passion: Mary anoints Jesus, He enters Jerusalem as King, Greeks seek Him, and He announces that His hour has come and that He will be lifted up.

Key understandingExplore deeper

Jesus’ delay is not indifference. The narrative explicitly frames it within love and the purpose of revealing God’s glory, even though the delay causes real sorrow to Martha, Mary, and others.

John 11:25–26 distinguishes resurrection hope and present eternal life in Christ. Jesus directs Martha from an abstract future event to Himself as the resurrection and life.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Jesus is not merely a giver of resurrection; He is the resurrection and the life

The promise centers on His person.

Belief in Christ answers death with hope

Jesus asks Martha directly whether she believes His claim.

God’s sovereignty does not make grief unreal

Jesus knows resurrection is moments away and still weeps.

Signs force a decision

The raising of Lazarus deepens belief for some and hostility for others.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Daniel 12:2

Martha’s belief in resurrection at the last day rests in Old Testament hope.

John 5:25–29

Jesus had already claimed authority to call the dead from graves; Lazarus becomes a sign of that authority.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

Paul later grounds Christian comfort in resurrection rather than denial of grief.

Romans 6:9

Christ’s own resurrection will differ from Lazarus’s temporary return because Christ rises never to die again.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not say Martha or Mary lack faith simply because they grieve or struggle with timing

Both confess significant faith while experiencing real sorrow.

Do not use Lazarus as proof that every believer will be physically healed before death

This sign uniquely reveals Jesus’ glory and points toward resurrection authority.

Do not read Caiaphas’s statement as conscious Christian prophecy

John explains that God sovereignly uses the high priest’s words beyond his own intention.

Do not turn belief in resurrection doctrine into a substitute for believing in Christ Himself

Jesus directs Martha to His own person.

Read John 11 watching for…

Jesus’ stated reason for delaying.

The conversations with Martha and Mary.

The shortest verse and what surrounds Jesus’ weeping.

Jesus’ prayer before calling Lazarus.

The different reactions to the sign.

Caiaphas’s unintended prophetic statement.

TWBC REVIEW STANDARD

Plain language. Scripture first. Fact distinguished from inference. No filler. No fake certainty. Designed to help you read the Bible itself.

Chapter outline5 sections
1-16Lazarus is sick and dies while Jesus delays before going to Judea17-27Jesus tells Martha that he is the resurrection and the life28-37Mary comes weeping, and Jesus weeps at Lazarus’ tomb38-44Jesus calls Lazarus from the grave45-57Many believe, while the council plots Jesus’ death
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 Judaea 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.

STUDY THIS VERSE

John 11:20

Back to verse ↑

Cross References

Cross-reference storage is active. This passage does not yet have curated references loaded.

Related TWBC Resources

The Scripture resource graph is active. Sermons, Bible Overviews, courses, questions, and studies can attach here without changing the Bible text.

My Note

Sign in to keep private notes and personal verse tags.

Sign in →