John 11:4

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

2And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not meant for death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” 5(Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.) 6So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.

John 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

• But when JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• heardἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
• He saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• “Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• sicknessἀσθένειαastheneia · weakness: illG769
• meantπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
• the gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• soἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• may beδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392

Cross-references for John 11:4

• John 9:3Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
• Mark 5:39And after entering, He said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child has not died, but is asleep.”
• Romans 11:11I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? Far from it! But by their wrongdoing salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.
• John 11:40Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
• John 9:24So for a second time they summoned 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 out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
• John 13:31Therefore when he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him;
• Philippians 1:11having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.
• 1 Peter 4:11Whoever speaks is to do so as one who is speaking actual words of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
• John 2:11This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
• John 5:23so that all will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who 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 17:1Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You,
• Philippians 1:20according to my eager expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted 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

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Family
• Friendship
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Lazarus
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Son of God
• Awake
• Lazarus
• Martha
• Mourn
• Bethany

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