John 11:18

John 11:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
• New International Version (NIV)Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away.

Context of John 11:18

16Thomas, who was called Didymus, said to the rest of the disciples, “Let’s go so that we, too, can die with Jesus.” 17When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. (Bethany was near Jerusalem, not quite two miles away.) 19Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. Mary stayed at home.

John 11:18 word by word

ἦν δὲ ἡ Βηθανία ἐγγὺς τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ὡς ἀπὸ σταδίων δεκαπέντε.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Nowδέde · thenG1161
• Bethanyὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• BethanyΒηθανίαBēthania · BethanyG963
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• nigh untoἐγγύςeggus · nearG1451
• JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
• aboutὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• fifteenδεκαπέντεdekapente · fifteenG1178
• furlongsστάδιοςstadion · stadiumG4712
• offἀπόapo · away fromG575

Cross-references for John 11:18

• John 6:19After they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was coming near the boat, and they became terrified.
• Luke 24:13On the same day, two of Jesus’ disciples were going to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
• Revelation 14:20The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city. Blood flowed out of the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle for 1,600 stadia.
• Revelation 21:16The city was square. It was as wide as it was long. He measured the city with the stick. It was 12,000 stadia long. Its length, width, and height were the same.

Commentaries on John 11:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Fifteen furlongs - About two miles: for the Jewish miles contained about seven furlongs and a half. So Lightfoot, and the margin.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18Nigh unto Jerusalem - This is added to show that it was easy for many of the Jews to come to the place. The news that Jesus was there, and the account of the miracle, would also be easily carried to the Sanhedrin. Fifteen furlongs - Nearly two miles. It was directly east from Jerusalem. Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book, vol. ii. p. 599) says of Bethany: “It took half an hour to walk over Olivet to Bethany this morning, and the distance from the city…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-32Verses 17-32 Here was a house where the fear of God was, and on which his blessing rested; yet it was made a house of mourning. Grace will keep sorrow from the heart, but not from the house. When God, by his grace and providence, is coming towards us in ways of mercy and comfort, we should, like Martha, go forth by faith, hope, and prayer, to meet him. When Martha went to meet Jesus, Mary sat still in the house; this temper formerly had been an advantage…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. 17-1917-19. when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days--If he died on the day the tidings came of his illness--and was, according to the Jewish custom, buried the same day (see Jahn's Archæology, and Joh 11:39; Ac 5:5, 6, 10)--and if Jesus, after two days' further stay in Perea, set out on the day following for Bethany, some ten hours' journey, that would make out the four days; the first and last being incomplete [Meyer].Read the comment

Topics related to John 11:18

• Bethany
• Friendship
• Furlong
• Jesus, the Christ
• Miracles
• Readings, Select

In the dictionaries

• Bethany
• Jerusalem
• Awake
• Furlong
• Lazarus
• Martha
• Mourn
• Dead
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of

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