English Standard Version
John 11:4
4But 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."
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.”
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”
Context of John 11:4
2It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." 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." 5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.
Read all of John 11John 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, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.
- Mark 5:39And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but sleeping."
- Romans 11:11So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.
- John 11:40Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"
- John 9:24So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner."
- John 12:28Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."
- John 13:31When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
- Philippians 1:11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
- 1 Peter 4:11whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- John 2:11This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
- John 5:23that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
- John 8:54Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'
- John 17:1When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
- Philippians 1:20as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
- 1 Peter 1:21who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are 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
In the dictionaries
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
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