John 11:4

John 11:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
• New King James Version (NKJV)When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Context of John 11:4

2It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, he [our brother and Your friend] whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness will not end in death; but [on the contrary it is] for the glory and honor of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” 5Now Jesus loved and was concerned about Martha and her sister and Lazarus [and considered them dear friends]. 6So [even] when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed in the same place two more days.

John 11:4 word by word

Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· αὕτη ἡ ἀσθένεια οὐκ ἔστιν πρὸς θάνατον ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ δι᾽ αὐτῆς.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Whenδέde · thenG1161
• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• sicknessἀσθένειαastheneia · weakness: illG769
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• notοὐou · noG3756
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• forὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• the gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• might be glorifiedδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
• therebyδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• ·αὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for John 11:4

• John 9:3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed and illustrated in him.
• Mark 5:39When He had gone in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is sleeping.”
• Romans 11:11So I say, have they stumbled so as to fall [to spiritual ruin]? Certainly not! But by their transgression [their rejection of the Messiah] salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make Israel jealous [when they realize what they have forfeited].
• John 11:40Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe [in Me], you will see the glory of God [the expression of His excellence]?”
• John 9:24So a second time they called the man who had been [born] blind, and said to him, “Give God glory and praise [for your sight]! We know this Man [Jesus] is a sinner [separated from God].”
• John 12:28[Rather, I will say,] ‘Father, glorify (honor, extol) Your name!’ ” Then a voice came from heaven saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
• John 13:31So when Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now is [the time for] the Son of Man [to be] glorified, and God is glorified in Him;
• Philippians 1:11filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God [so that His glory may be both revealed and recognized].
• 1 Peter 4:11Whoever speaks [to the congregation], is to do so as one who speaks the oracles (utterances, the very words) of God. Whoever serves [the congregation] is to do so as one who serves by the strength which God [abundantly] supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified [honored and magnified] through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
• John 2:11This, the first of His signs (attesting miracles), Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory [displaying His deity and His great power openly], and His disciples believed [confidently] in Him [as the Messiah—they adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him].
• John 5:23so that all will give honor (reverence, homage) to the Son just as they give honor to the Father. [In fact] the one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who has sent Him.
• John 8:54Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is [worth] nothing. It is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
• John 17:1When Jesus had spoken these things, He raised His eyes to heaven [in prayer] and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, so that Your Son may glorify You.
• Philippians 1:20It is my own eager expectation and hope, that [looking toward the future] I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with courage and the utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be magnified and exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
• 1 Peter 1:21and through Him you believe [confidently] in God [the heavenly Father], who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are [centered and rest] in God.

Commentaries on John 11:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4This sickness is not unto death - Not to final privation of life at this time; but a temporary death shall be now permitted, that the glory of God may appear in the miracle of his resurrection. It is very likely that this verse contains the message which Christ sent back, by the person whom the afflicted sisters had sent to him; and this, no doubt, served much to strengthen their confidence, though their faith must have been greatly exercised by the death…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4This sickness is not unto death - The word “death” here is equivalent to remaining under death, Romans 6:23. “The wages of sin is death” - permanent or unchanging death, opposed to eternal life. Jesus evidently did not intend to deny that he would die. The words which he immediately adds show that he would expire, and that he would raise him up to show forth the power and glory of God. Compare John 11:11. Those words cannot be understood on any other…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Jesus responded with words that were similar to his words about the man born blind (9:1–5). Jesus already knew Lazarus was dead (11:14). He was talking about Lazarus's resurrection, which would bring glory to God (11:43).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-53-5. his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick--a most womanly appeal, yet how reverential, to the known affection of her Lord for the patient. (See Joh 11:5, 11). "Those whom Christ loves are no more exempt than others from their share of earthly trouble and anguish: rather are they bound over to it more surely" [Trench].Read the comment

Topics related to John 11:4

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Family
• Friendship
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Lazarus
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Son of God
• Awake
• Lazarus
• Martha
• Mourn
• Bethany

Commentaries on John 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings