1 A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany where
Mary and her sister Martha lived. 2 Mary was the woman who put perfume
on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was the
man who was sick. 3 So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, “Lord,
your dear friend Lazarus is sick.” 4 When Jesus heard this he said, “The
end of this sickness will not be death. No, this sickness is for the
glory of God. This has happened to bring glory to the Son of God.” 5 Jesus
loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 But when he heard that Lazarus
was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. 7 Then Jesus said to
his followers, “We should go back to Judea.” 8 The followers said, “But
teacher, the Jews there tried to kill you with stones. That was only a
short time ago. Now you want to go back there?” 9 Jesus answered, “Our
friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go there to wake him.” 10 The
followers said, “But Lord, if he is only asleep, he will get well.” 11
Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead, but his followers thought he meant
sleep. 12 So Jesus said plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 13 And I am glad for
your sakes that I was not there so that you may believe. But let’s go to
him now.” 14 Then Thomas, the one called Didymus, said to the other
followers, “Let us also go so we can die with Jesus.” 15 When Jesus
arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
16 Bethany was only about two miles from Jerusalem.