John 11:39

John 11:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
• New International Version (NIV)“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

Context of John 11:39

37But some of the Jews asked, “Couldn’t this man who gave a blind man sight keep Lazarus from dying?” 38Deeply moved again, Jesus went to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone covering the entrance. Jesus said, “Take the stone away.” Martha, the dead man’s sister, told Jesus, “Lord, there must already be a stench. He’s been dead for four days.” 40Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see God’s glory?” 41So the stone was moved away from the entrance of the tomb. Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me.

John 11:39 word by word

λέγει ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἄρατε τὸν λίθον. λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ ἀδελφὴ τοῦ τετελευτηκότος Μάρθα· κύριε, ἤδη ὄζει· τεταρταῖος γάρ ἐστιν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• Take ye awayαἴρωairō · to take upG142
• the stoneλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
• MarthaΜάρθαMartha · MarthaG3136
• the sisterἀδελφήadelphē · sisterG79
• of him that was deadθνῄσκωthnēskō · to die/be deadG2348
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• by this timeἤδηēdē · alreadyG2235
• he stinkethὄζωozō · to stinkG3605
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• he hath beenεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• four daysτεταρταῖοςtetartaios · fourthG5066

Cross-references for John 11:39

• Mark 16:3They said to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”
• John 11:17When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days.
• Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow, you will produce food to eat until you return to the ground, because you were taken from it. You are dust, and you will return to dust.”
• Genesis 23:4“I’m a stranger with no permanent home. Let me have some of your property for a tomb so that I can bury my dead wife.”
• Psalms 49:7No one can ever buy back another person or pay God a ransom for his life.
• Acts 2:27because you do not abandon my soul to the grave or allow your holy one to decay.
• Acts 13:36After doing God’s will by serving the people of his time, David died. He was laid to rest with his ancestors, but his body decayed.
• Philippians 3:21Through his power to bring everything under his authority, he will change our humble bodies and make them like his glorified body.

Commentaries on John 11:39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39Take ye away the stone - He desired to convince all those who were at the place, and especially those who took away the stone, that Lazarus was not only dead, but that putrescency had already taken place, that it might not be afterwards said that Lazarus had only fallen into a lethargy; but that the greatness of the miracle might be fully evinced. He stinketh - The body is in a state of putrefaction. The Greek word signifies simply to smell, whether the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 39Four days - This proves that there could be no deception, for it could not have been a case of suspended animation. All these circumstances are mentioned to show that there was no imposture. Impostors do not mention minute circumstances like these. They deal in generals only. Every part of this narrative bears the marks of truth.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 33-46Verses 33-46 Christ's tender sympathy with these afflicted friends, appeared by the troubles of his spirit. In all the afflictions of believers he is afflicted. His concern for them was shown by his kind inquiry after the remains of his deceased friend. Being found in fashion as a man, he acts in the way and manner of the sons of men. It was shown by his tears. He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Tears of compassion resemble those of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 39Lazarus was buried in a tomb cut from the rocky hillside; such tombs were common. The tomb was closed and opened for further burials with a rolling stone that covered the entrance. A central door led to a cave room where burial benches were carved in stone along the inner wall. Horizontal burial chambers were cut along the top edge of the benches.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 39-4439-44. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone--spoken to the attendants of Martha and Mary; for it was a work of no little labor [Grotius]. According to the Talmudists, it was forbidden to open a grave after the stone was placed upon it. Besides other dangers, they were apprehensive of legal impurity by contact with the dead. Hence they avoided coming nearer a grave than four cubits [Maimonides in Lampe]. But He who touched the leper, and the bier of the…Read the comment

Topics related to John 11:39

• Friendship
• Jesus, the Christ
• Lazarus
• Miracles
• Readings, Select
• Sorrow

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Martha
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Awake
• Lazarus
• Mourn
• Tombs
• Bethany
• Dead
• Decay

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