Daily Reader's Bible - Flipbook - Page 30
believe me unless I carry out
my Father’s work. But if I do his
work, believe in the evidence
of the miraculous works I have
done, even if you don’t believe
me. Then you will know and
understand that the Father is
in me, and I am in the Father.”
Once again they tried to
arrest him, but he got away
and left them. He went beyond
the Jordan River near the place
where John was first baptizing
and stayed there awhile. And
many followed him. “John
didn’t perform miraculous
signs,” they remarked to one
another, “but everything he
said about this man has come
true.” And many who were
there believed in Jesus.
has fallen asleep, but now I
will go and wake him up.”
The disciples said, “Lord,
if he is sleeping, he will soon
get better!” They thought
Jesus meant Lazarus was
simply sleeping, but Jesus
meant Lazarus had died.
So he told them plainly,
“Lazarus is dead. And for your
sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there,
for now you will really believe.
Come, let’s go see him.”
Thomas, nicknamed the Twin,
said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s
go, too—and die with Jesus.”
When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus
had already been in his grave for
four days. Bethany was only a
few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people
A man named Lazarus was sick. had come to console Martha and
He lived in Bethany with his
Mary in their loss. When Martha
sisters, Mary and Martha. This
got word that Jesus was coming,
is the Mary who later poured
she went to meet him. But Mary
the expensive perfume on the
stayed in the house. Martha
Lord’s feet and wiped them
said to Jesus, “Lord, if only
with her hair. Her brother,
you had been here, my brother would not have died. But
Lazarus, was sick. So the two
even now I know that God will
sisters sent a message to
give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus telling him, “Lord, your
Jesus told her, “Your
dear friend is very sick.”
But when Jesus heard about brother will rise again.”
“Yes,” Martha said, “he
it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness
will rise when everyone else
will not end in death. No, it
happened for the glory of God so rises, at the last day.”
Jesus told her, “I am the
that the Son of God will receive
resurrection and the life. Anyone
glory from this.” So although
who believes in me will live,
Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and
even after dying. Everyone
Lazarus, he stayed where he
who lives in me and believes
was for the next two days. Finally, he said to his disciples,
in me will never ever die. Do
“Let’s go back to Judea.”
you believe this, Martha?”
But his disciples objected.
“Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I
“Rabbi,” they said, “only a few
have always believed you are
days ago the people in Judea
the Messiah, the Son of God,
were trying to stone you. Are
the one who has come into the
you going there again?”
world from God.” Then she
Jesus replied, “There are
returned to Mary. She called
twelve hours of daylight every
Mary aside from the mourners
day. During the day people
and told her, “The Teacher is
can walk safely. They can see
here and wants to see you.” So
because they have the light of
Mary immediately went to him.
this world. But at night there is
Jesus had stayed outside
danger of stumbling because
the village, at the place where
they have no light.” Then
Martha met him. When the
he said, “Our friend Lazarus
people who were at the house
11
consoling Mary saw her leave
so hastily, they assumed she
was going to Lazarus’s grave
to weep. So they followed her
there. When Mary arrived
and saw Jesus, she fell at his
feet and said, “Lord, if only
you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
When Jesus saw her
weeping and saw the other
people wailing with her, a
deep anger welled up within
him, and he was deeply
troubled. “Where have you
put him?” he asked them.
They told him, “Lord,
come and see.” Then Jesus
wept. The people who were
standing nearby said, “See
how much he loved him!” But
some said, “This man healed
a blind man. Couldn’t he have
kept Lazarus from dying?”
Jesus was still angry as he
arrived at the tomb, a cave
with a stone rolled across
its entrance. “Roll the stone
aside,” Jesus told them.
But Martha, the dead man’s
sister, protested, “Lord, he
has been dead for four days.
The smell will be terrible.”
Jesus responded, “Didn’t
I tell you that you would see
God’s glory if you believe?” So
they rolled the stone aside.
Then Jesus looked up to heaven
and said, “Father, thank you
for hearing me. You always
hear me, but I said it out loud
for the sake of all these people
standing here, so that they will
believe you sent me.” Then
Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come
out!” And the dead man came
out, his hands and feet bound in
graveclothes, his face wrapped
in a headcloth. Jesus told them,
“Unwrap him and let him go!”
Many of the people who were
with Mary believed in Jesus
when they saw this happen. But
some went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had
done. Then the leading priests
and Pharisees called the high
25