God’s Word Translation
John 11:12
12His disciples said to him, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he’ll get well.”
John 11:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
- New International Version (NIV)His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.”
Context of John 11:12
10However, those who walk at night stumble because they have no light in themselves.” 11After Jesus said this, he told his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, and I’m going to Bethany to wake him.” His disciples said to him, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he’ll get well.” 13Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead, but the disciples thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was only sleeping. 14Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died,
Read all of John 11John 11:12 word by word
εἶπαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ κεκοίμηται, σωθήσεται.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Commentaries on John 11:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12If he sleep, he shall do well - That is, if he sleep only, etc. Though the word sleep frequently meant death, (see Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 15:18, 1 Corinthians 15:20;), yet, as it was an ambiguous term, the disciples appear here to have mistaken its meaning. Because, in certain acute disorders, the composing the patient to rest was a favorable sign; therefore the words, If he sleep, he shall do well, or recover, became a proverbial…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12If the sleep, he shall do well - Sleep was regarded by the Jews, in sickness, as a favorable symptom; hence it was said among them, “Sleep in sickness is a sign of recovery, because it shows that the violence of the disease has abated” (Lightfoot). This seems to have been the meaning of the disciples. They intimated that if he had this symptom, there was no need of his going into Judea to restore him.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-16Verses 11-16 Since we are sure to rise again at the last, why should not the believing hope of that resurrection to eternal life, make it as easy for us to put off the body and die, as it is to put off our clothes and go to sleep? A true Christian, when he dies, does but sleep; he rests from the labours of the past day. Nay, herein death is better than sleep, that sleep is only a short rest, but death is the end of earthly cares and toils. The disciples…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-57The resurrection of Lazarus points to the future death and resurrection of Jesus. The description of Lazarus’s tomb is similar to the description of the tomb Jesus was placed in after he died (11:38, 44; 20:1, 7). Both accounts mention a cave and burial cloths. These details connect the two events and help us see that Lazarus’s story is a sign. Soon after Lazarus was raised, a woman anointed Jesus for burial (12:3). This act prepared him for his coming…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-1611-16. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may wake him out of sleep--Illustrious title! "Our friend Lazarus." To Abraham only is it accorded in the Old Testament, and not till after his death, (2Ch 20:7; Is 41:8), to which our attention is called in the New Testament (Jas 2:23). When Jesus came in the flesh, His forerunner applied this name, in a certain sense, to himself (Joh 3:29); and into the same fellowship the Lord's chosen disciples are…Read the comment
Topics related to John 11:12
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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