John 11:11
New International Version
After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

New Living Translation
Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

English Standard Version
After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”

Berean Standard Bible
After He had said this, He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.”

Berean Literal Bible
He said these things, and after this He says to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go that I may awaken him."

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

New American Standard Bible
This He said, and after this He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going so that I may awaken him from sleep.”

NASB 1995
This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

NASB 1977
This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

Legacy Standard Bible
He said these things, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him.”

Amplified Bible
He said this, and after that said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him.”

Christian Standard Bible
He said this, and then he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on my way to wake him up.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He said this, and then He told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m on My way to wake him up.”

American Standard Version
These things spake he: and after this he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Contemporary English Version
Then he told them, "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, and I am going there to wake him up."

English Revised Version
These things spake he: and after this he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
After Jesus said this, he told his disciples, "Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, and I'm going to Bethany to wake him."

Good News Translation
Jesus said this and then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up."

International Standard Version
These were the things he said. Then after this, he told them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I'm leaving to wake him up."

Majority Standard Bible
After He had said this, He told them, ?Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up.?

NET Bible
After he said this, he added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. But I am going there to awaken him."

New Heart English Bible
He said these things, and after that, he said to them, "Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep."

Webster's Bible Translation
These things he said: and after that he saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.

Weymouth New Testament
He said this, and afterwards He added, "Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I will go and wake him."

World English Bible
He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
He said these things, and after this He says to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go on that I may awake him”;

Berean Literal Bible
He said these things, and after this He says to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go that I may awaken him."

Young's Literal Translation
These things he said, and after this he saith to them, 'Lazarus our friend hath fallen asleep, but I go on that I may awake him;'

Smith's Literal Translation
These things said he: and after this he says to them, Lazarus our friend has been set to sleep; but I go, that I might waken him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
These things he said; and after that he said to them: Lazarus our friend sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.

Catholic Public Domain Version
He said these things, and after this, he said to them: “Lazarus our friend is sleeping. But I am going, so that I may awaken him from sleep.”

New American Bible
He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.”

New Revised Standard Version
After saying this, he told them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Jesus said these things; and after that he said to them, Our friend Lazarus is asleep; but I am going to awake him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
These things Yeshua said and afterwards he said to them, “Lazar our friend is resting; I am going that I may awaken him.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Thus spoke he; and after this he said to them: Our friend Lazarus sleeps; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.

Godbey New Testament
He spoke these things: and after this He says to them, Our friend Lazarus is asleep; and I go that I may awaken him.

Haweis New Testament
These things said he: and after that he saith to them, Our friend Lazarus is asleep; but I go to waken him up.

Mace New Testament
thus he entertain'd them: and after that, he said to them, our friend Lazarus is asleep; but I am going to awake him.

Weymouth New Testament
He said this, and afterwards He added, "Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I will go and wake him."

Worrell New Testament
These things He spake; and after this He saith to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going to awake him out of sleep."

Worsley New Testament
Having thus answered them, He afterwards saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is asleep; but I am going to awake him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Death of Lazarus
10But if anyone walks at night, he will stumble, because he has no light.” 11 After 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.”…

Cross References
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. / And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

John 5:28-29
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice / and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

John 14:2-3
In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? / And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. / For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

Matthew 9:24
“Go away,” He told them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” And they laughed at Him.

Mark 5:39
He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.”

Luke 8:52
Meanwhile, everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, “Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep.”

1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— / in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Acts 7:60
Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Daniel 12:2
And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, but others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Isaiah 26:19
Your dead will live; their bodies will rise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust! For your dew is like the dew of the morning, and the earth will bring forth her dead.

Job 14:12
so a man lies down and does not rise. Until the heavens are no more, he will not be awakened or roused from sleep.

Psalm 17:15
As for me, I will behold Your face in righteousness; when I awake, I will be satisfied in Your presence.

Psalm 49:15
But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah


Treasury of Scripture

These things said he: and after that he said to them, Our friend Lazarus sleeps; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

he saith.

John 3:29
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

John 15:13-15
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends…

Exodus 33:11
And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

sleepeth.

John 11:13
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Deuteronomy 31:16
And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

Daniel 12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

awake.

John 11:43,44
And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth…

John 5:25-29
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live…

Daniel 12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Jump to Previous
Added Afterwards Asleep Awake Awaken Fallen Friend Lazarus Rest Sleep Sleepeth Sleeping Wake
Jump to Next
Added Afterwards Asleep Awake Awaken Fallen Friend Lazarus Rest Sleep Sleepeth Sleeping Wake
John 11
1. Jesus raises Lazarus, four days buried.
45. Many Jews believe.
47. The high priests and Pharisees gather a council against Jesus.
49. Caiaphas prophesies.
54. Jesus hides himself.
55. At the Passover they enquire after him, and lay wait for him.














After He had said this
This phrase refers to the preceding conversation Jesus had with His disciples. In the context of John 11, Jesus had been informed of Lazarus's illness and deliberately delayed His visit to Bethany. This delay was purposeful, as Jesus intended to demonstrate His power over death, foreshadowing His own resurrection. The statement follows Jesus' declaration that He is the light of the world, emphasizing His divine authority and mission.

He told them
Jesus is addressing His disciples, who often struggled to understand His teachings and actions. This moment is a teaching opportunity, as Jesus prepares them for the miracle they are about to witness. The disciples' understanding of Jesus' mission and identity is gradually being revealed through His words and actions.

Our friend Lazarus
Lazarus is identified as a friend, indicating a personal relationship between him and Jesus. This personal connection highlights Jesus' humanity and His capacity for friendship and love. Lazarus, along with his sisters Mary and Martha, were known to be close to Jesus, as seen in other Gospel accounts. This relationship sets the stage for the emotional depth of the miracle that follows.

has fallen asleep
The use of "fallen asleep" is a euphemism for death, common in both Jewish and early Christian contexts. This metaphor reflects the belief in the temporary nature of death for believers, as sleep implies an eventual awakening. This language is consistent with other scriptural references, such as 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, where Paul uses similar terminology to describe the death of believers.

but I am going there
Jesus' decision to go to Bethany, despite the danger posed by the Jewish leaders, underscores His commitment to His mission and His love for Lazarus. This journey is significant, as it takes place shortly before His final entry into Jerusalem, marking the beginning of the events leading to His crucifixion. Jesus' willingness to face danger for the sake of His friend foreshadows His ultimate sacrifice for humanity.

to wake him up
This phrase indicates Jesus' intention to raise Lazarus from the dead, demonstrating His power over life and death. The act of "waking up" Lazarus serves as a powerful sign of Jesus' divine authority and prefigures His own resurrection. This miracle is a pivotal moment in the Gospel of John, as it leads to increased belief among some and heightened opposition from others, ultimately contributing to the decision to arrest and crucify Jesus.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus
The central figure in this passage, Jesus is the one who speaks about Lazarus. He is the Son of God, performing miracles and teaching His disciples.

2. Lazarus
A friend of Jesus who has "fallen asleep," which is a euphemism for death. Lazarus lives in Bethany and is the brother of Mary and Martha.

3. Disciples
The followers of Jesus who are with Him when He makes this statement. They often struggle to understand the deeper meanings of Jesus' words.

4. Bethany
The village where Lazarus, Mary, and Martha live. It is located near Jerusalem and is the setting for the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead.

5. The Event of Lazarus' Death and Resurrection
This event is a significant miracle that demonstrates Jesus' power over death and foreshadows His own resurrection.
Teaching Points
Understanding Death from a Christian Perspective
Death is not the end for believers; it is likened to sleep, indicating a temporary state before the resurrection.

Jesus' Authority Over Life and Death
Jesus demonstrates His divine authority by raising Lazarus, showing that He has power over death itself.

The Importance of Faith in Jesus' Words
The disciples' misunderstanding highlights the need for faith and spiritual insight to grasp the deeper meanings of Jesus' teachings.

Hope in the Resurrection
Believers can find comfort in the promise of resurrection, as demonstrated by Jesus' actions and teachings.

The Role of Miracles in Revealing Jesus' Identity
Miracles like the raising of Lazarus serve to reveal Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God, strengthening the faith of His followers.(11) Our friend Lazarus sleepeth.--Better, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep. They had probably understood the words of John 11:4 to express that the illness was not mortal, and that Lazarus would recover. They have seen, therefore, no reason for facing the danger of Judaea (John 11:7-8). He now supplies that reason, and for the first time speaks of going to the family at Bethany.

His words "our friend" gently remind them that Lazarus was their friend as well as His, for they as well as He had probably been welcome guests in the well-known house.

The fact of our Lord's knowledge of the death of Lazarus is stated by St. John without any explanation. Prom his point of view it could need none. He who needed not that any should testify of man, because of His own self-knowledge of what was in man (John 2:25), needed not that any should testify of what had passed in the chamber of His friend.

For the idea of sleep as the image of death, comp. Notes on John 8:51, Matthew 9:24, and 1Thessalonians 4:14. It is not unfrequent in other passages of both the Old and New Testaments, and, from the time of Homer downwards, poets have spoken of sleep and death as twin-sisters. . . .

Verse 11. - These things spake he, and probably many more words expository of the vast principle of service which he here propounded; and after this (for μετὰ τοῦτο implies a break, during which the disciples pondered his words) he saith, Our friend Lazarus; implying that Lazarus was well known to the disciples, and that the Lord classes himself here, in wondrous condescension, with them. He elsewhere speaks of the twelve as his "friends" (John 15:14, 15, where he made it a higher designation than δοῦλοι; see also Luke 12:4). John the Baptist also calls himself "the Bridegroom's friend" (John 3:29). Though Lazarus had passed into the region of the unknown and unseen, he was still" our friend." Hath fallen asleep. Meyer says that Jesus knew this by "spiritual far-seeing;" and Godet thinks that he knew it by supernatural process, and had known it all along. It does not require much beyond what we know to have occurred in thousands of instances, for our Lord to have perceived that his friend had died - had, as he said, "fallen asleep," in that new sense in which Jesus was teaching men to look on death. But I go, that I may awake him out of sleep (ἐξυπνίσω is a late Greek word; cf. Acts 16:27). Wunsche says the Talmud often speaks of a rabbi's death under the form of" sleep" ('Moed. K.,' fol. 28, a; cf. Matthew 9:24; 1 Thessalonians 4:14). Homer spoke of death and sleep as "twin sisters," Christ's power and consciousness of power to awake Lazarus from sleep gives, however, to his use of the image a new meaning. It is not the eternal sleep of the Greek and Roman poets.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
After
μετὰ (meta)
Preposition
Strong's 3326: (a) gen: with, in company with, (b) acc: (1) behind, beyond, after, of place, (2) after, of time, with nouns, neut. of adjectives.

He had said
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

this,
Ταῦτα (Tauta)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

He told
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

them,
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

“Our
ἡμῶν (hēmōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

friend
φίλος (philos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5384: Friendly; subst: a friend, an associate. Properly, dear, i.e. A friend; actively, fond, i.e. Friendly.

Lazarus
Λάζαρος (Lazaros)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2976: Probably of Hebrew origin; Lazarus, the name of two Israelites.

has fallen asleep,
κεκοίμηται (kekoimētai)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2837: From keimai; to put to sleep, i.e. to slumber; figuratively, to decease.

but
ἀλλὰ (alla)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.

I am going [there]
πορεύομαι (poreuomai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 4198: To travel, journey, go, die.

to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

wake him up.”
ἐξυπνίσω (exypnisō)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 1852: To wake out of sleep. From exupnos; to waken.


Links
John 11:11 NIV
John 11:11 NLT
John 11:11 ESV
John 11:11 NASB
John 11:11 KJV

John 11:11 BibleApps.com
John 11:11 Biblia Paralela
John 11:11 Chinese Bible
John 11:11 French Bible
John 11:11 Catholic Bible

NT Gospels: John 11:11 He said these things and after that (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 11:10
Top of Page
Top of Page