John 11:1-14

1A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha.

2This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.

3So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”

4But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”

5So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,

6he stayed where he was for the next two days.

7Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.”

8But his disciples objected. “Rabbi,” they said, “only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”

9Jesus replied, “There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world.

10But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.”

11Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.”

12The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!”

13They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

14So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.