SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY (JOHN 11: 1-44: THE DEATH OF LAZARUS)

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.

4. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not 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 stumpleth 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 of 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 for 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 to 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, thought 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 say 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 store 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 grave-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them. Loose him, and let him go.

NOTE: This verse is from the King James Holy Bible.

A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha.
This is the Mary who poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wipe them with her hair. * Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.
So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, the one you love is very sick.”
But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory from this.”
Although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,
He stayed where he was for the next two days and did not go to them.
Finally after two days, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.”
But his disciples objected. “Teacher,” they said, “only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill you. Are you going there again?
Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. As long as it is light, people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world.
Only at night is there danger of stumbling because there is no light.
Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and awake him up.”
The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, that means he is getting better!”
They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was having a good night’s rest, but Jesus meant Lazarus was having a good night’s rest, but Jesus meant Lazarus has died.
Then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.
And for your sake, I am glad I wasn’t there, because this will give you another opportunity to believe in me. Come, let’s go see him.”
Thomas, nicknamed the Twin,* said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too-and die with Jesus.”
When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave four days.
Bethany was only a few miles* down the road from Jerusalem,
And many of the people* had come to pay their respects and console Martha and Mary on their loss.
When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at home.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
“Yes,” Martha said, “when everyone else rise, on resurrection day.”
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.* Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.
They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish. Do you believe this, Martha?”
‘Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God,
Then she left him and returned to Mary, She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.”
So Mary immediately went to him.
Now Jesus had stayed outside the village, at the place where Martha met him.
When the people who were at the house trying to console Mary saw her leave so hastily, they assumed she was going to Lazarus’s grave to weep. So they followed her there.
When Mary arrived and saw Jesus, she fell down at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, he was moved with indignation and was deeply troubled.
“Where have you put him, “Lord, come and see.”
Then Jesus wept.
The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him,”
But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?”
And again Jesus was deeply troubled. Then they came to the grave It was a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.
“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them, But Martha, the dead man’s sister, said, “Lord, by now the smell will be terrible because he has been dead for four days.”
Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you will see God’s glory if you believe?”
So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, than you for hearing me.
You always hear me. but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me.”
Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”
And Lazarus came out, bound in grave-clothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth, Jesus told them. “Unwrap him and let him go!”