38Jesus therefore, being deeply moved within himself again, comes to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. [11:39] Jesus says: "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the one who had died, says to him: "Lord, by now he stinks — for it has been four days." [11:40] Jesus says to her: "Did I not say to you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?" [11:41] So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes upward and said: "Father, I give you thanks that you heard me. [11:42] And I knew that you always hear me, but on account of the crowd standing around I said this, so that they may believe that you sent me." [11:43] And having said these things, he cried out in a great voice: "Lazarus, come out!" [11:44] The one who had died came out, bound at the hands and feet with burial strips, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus says to them: "Unbind him and let him go."
JHN 11:38-44
Jesus Raises Lazarus
In the world it was spoken into
In first-century Judea, burial practices were deeply tied to Jewish purity laws and communal identity. Bodies were typically buried on the day of death to avoid ritual impurity, as decomposition began quickly in the Mediterranean climate. Tombs were often caves sealed with stones, and the dead were wrapped in grave clothes with spices to mitigate odor. Martha’s statement that Lazarus “stinks” underscores the cultural assumption that decomposition after four days was irreversible, making Jesus’ action not merely miraculous but also a direct challenge to natural and ritual boundaries. Jesus’ emotional intensity reflects a profound disturbance, possibly at the power of death itself or the grief surrounding it. His loud cry to Lazarus would have been seen as a public, authoritative act, evoking prophetic traditions where God’s word brings life. For Jewish listeners, this event would resonate with Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones, affirming Jesus’ claim to embody God’s life-giving power.
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How other translations render this
JHN 11:38
- KJV
- Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
- BSB
- Jesus, once again deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
- Koinōnos
- Jesus therefore, being deeply moved within himself again, comes to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
JHN 11:39
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- “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.”
- Koinōnos
- Jesus says: "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the one who had died, says to him: "Lord, by now he stinks — for it has been four days.
JHN 11:40
- KJV
- Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
- BSB
- Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
- Koinōnos
- Jesus says to her: "Did I not say to you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?
JHN 11:41
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- So they took away the stone. Then Jesus lifted His eyes upward and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
- Koinōnos
- So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes upward and said: "Father, I give you thanks that you heard me.
JHN 11:42
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- I 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.”
- Koinōnos
- And I knew that you always hear me, but on account of the crowd standing around I said this, so that they may believe that you sent me.
JHN 11:43
- KJV
- And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
- BSB
- After Jesus had said this, He called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
- Koinōnos
- And having said these things, he cried out in a great voice: "Lazarus, come out!
JHN 11:44
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. “Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.
- Koinōnos
- The one who had died came out, bound at the hands and feet with burial strips, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus says to them: "Unbind him and let him go.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
JHN 11:38
- being deeply moved:The word translated 'being deeply moved' suggests a strong, almost indignant emotion, like a snorting horse. It implies a powerful inner agitation, not just simple sadness.
JHN 11:39
- he stinks;:The word translated 'he stinks' is a very direct and blunt term for a foul odor, emphasizing the undeniable reality of decomposition.
JHN 11:43
- in a voice:The word translated 'in a voice' refers to a loud, distinct sound, often associated with a human voice, but can also describe any clear, audible sound.
JHN 11:44
- hands:The word translated 'hands' here refers specifically to the strips of cloth used to bind a body for burial, often called grave clothes or winding sheets, not just the hands themselves.