God’s Word Translation
John 11:4
4When Jesus heard the message, he said, “His sickness won’t result in death. Instead, this sickness will bring glory to God so that the Son of God will receive glory 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.”
- 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
2(Mary was the woman who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. Her brother Lazarus was the one who was sick.) 3So the sisters sent a messenger to tell Jesus, “Lord, your close friend is sick.” When Jesus heard the message, he said, “His sickness won’t result in death. Instead, this sickness will bring glory to God so that the Son of God will receive glory through it.” 5Jesus loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus. 6Yet, when Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days.
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, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. Instead, he was born blind so that God could show what he can do for him.
- Mark 5:39When he came into the house, he asked them, “Why are you making so much noise and crying? The child isn’t dead. She’s just sleeping.”
- Romans 11:11So I ask, “Has Israel stumbled so badly that it can’t get up again?” That’s unthinkable! By Israel’s failure, salvation has come to people who are not Jewish to make the Jewish people jealous.
- John 11:40Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see God’s glory?”
- John 9:24So once again the Jews called the man who had been blind. They told him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man who gave you sight is a sinner.”
- John 12:28Father, give glory to your name.” A voice from heaven said, “I have given it glory, and I will give it glory again.”
- John 13:31When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “The Son of Man is now glorified, and because of him God is glorified.
- Philippians 1:11Jesus Christ will fill your lives with everything that God’s approval produces. Your lives will then bring glory and praise to God.
- 1 Peter 4:11Whoever speaks must speak God’s words. Whoever serves must serve with the strength God supplies so that in every way God receives glory through Jesus Christ. Glory and power belong to Jesus Christ forever and ever! Amen.
- John 2:11Cana in Galilee was the place where Jesus began to perform miracles. He made his glory public there, and his disciples believed in him.
- John 5:23so that everyone will honor the Son as they honor the Father. Whoever doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him.
- John 8:54Jesus said, “If I bring glory to myself, my glory is nothing. My Father is the one who gives me glory, and you say that he is your God.
- John 17:1After saying this, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time is here. Give your Son glory so that your Son can give you glory.
- Philippians 1:20I eagerly expect and hope that I will have nothing to be ashamed of. I will speak very boldly and honor Christ in my body, now as always, whether I live or die.
- 1 Peter 1:21Through him you believe in God who brought Christ back to life and gave him glory. So your faith and confidence 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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