Lazarus Dies
1A man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived. 2Mary would later pour perfume on the Lord. She would also wipe Jesus’ feet with her hair. It was her brother Lazarus who was sick in bed. 3So the sisters sent a message to Jesus. “Lord,” they told him, “the one you love is sick.”
4When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory. God’s Son will receive glory because of it.” 5Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6So after he heard Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. 7And then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short time ago the Jews there tried to kill you with stones. Are you still going back?”
9Jesus answered, “Aren’t there 12 hours of daylight? Anyone who walks during the day won’t trip and fall. They can see because of this world’s light. 10But when they walk at night, they’ll trip and fall. They have no light.”
11After he said this, Jesus went on speaking to them. “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,” he said. “But I am going there to wake him up.”
12His disciples replied, “Lord, if he’s sleeping, he will get better.” 13Jesus had been speaking about the death of Lazarus. But his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15For your benefit, I am glad I was not there. Now you will believe. But let us go to him.”
16Then Thomas, who was also called Didymus, spoke to the rest of the disciples. “Let us go also,” he said. “Then we can die with Jesus.”
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
17When Jesus arrived, he found out that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem. 19Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary. They had come to comfort them because their brother was dead. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him. But Mary stayed at home.
21“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “I wish you had been here! Then my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you anything you ask for.”
23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24Martha answered, “I know he will rise again. This will happen when people are raised from the dead on the last day.”
25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if they die. 26And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27“Yes, Lord,” she replied. “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God. I believe that you are the one who is supposed to come into the world.”
28After she said this, she went back home. She called her sister Mary to one side to talk to her. “The Teacher is here,” Martha said. “He is asking for you.” 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Jesus had not yet entered the village. He was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31Some Jews had been comforting Mary in the house. They noticed how quickly she got up and went out. So they followed her. They thought she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32Mary reached the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she fell at his feet. She said, “Lord, I wish you had been here! Then my brother would not have died.”
33Jesus saw her crying. He saw that the Jews who had come along with her were crying also. His spirit became very sad, and he was troubled. 34“Where have you put him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35Jesus wept.
36Then the Jews said, “See how much he loved him!”
37But some of them said, “He opened the eyes of the blind man. Couldn’t he have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38Once more Jesus felt very sad. He came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone in front of the entrance. 39“Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad smell. Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days.”
40Then Jesus said, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you will see God’s glory?”
41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up. He said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. 42I know that you always hear me. But I said this for the benefit of the people standing here. I said it so they will believe that you sent me.”
43Then Jesus called in a loud voice. He said, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out. His hands and feet were wrapped with strips of linen. A cloth was around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the clothes he was buried in and let him go.”
The Plan to Kill Jesus
45Many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary saw what Jesus did. So they believed in him. 46But some of them went to the Pharisees. They told the Pharisees what Jesus had done. 47Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What can we do?” they asked. “This man is performing many signs. 48If we let him keep on doing this, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come. They will take away our temple and our nation.”
49One of the Jewish leaders spoke up. His name was Caiaphas. He was high priest at that time. He said, “You don’t know anything at all! 50You don’t realize what is good for you. It is better if one man dies for the people than if the whole nation is destroyed.”
51He did not say this on his own because he was high priest at that time. He prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation. 52He also prophesied that Jesus would die for God’s children scattered everywhere. He would die to bring them together and make them one. 53So from that day on, the Jewish rulers planned to kill Jesus.
54Jesus no longer moved around openly among the people of Judea. Instead, he went away to an area near the desert. He went to a village called Ephraim. There he stayed with his disciples.
55It was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast. Many people went up from the country to Jerusalem. They went there for the special washing that would make them pure before the Passover Feast. 56They kept looking for Jesus as they stood in the temple courtyard. They asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the feast at all?” 57But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders. They had commanded anyone who found out where Jesus was staying to report it. Then they could arrest him.
Kifo Cha Lazaro
111:1 Mt 21:17; Lk 10:38Basi mtu mmoja jina lake Lazaro alikuwa mgonjwa. Yeye alikuwa akiishi Bethania kijiji cha Maria na Martha dada zake. 211:2 Mk 14:3; Lk 7:38Huyu Maria, ambaye Lazaro kaka yake alikuwa mgonjwa, ndiye yule ambaye alimpaka Bwana mafuta na kuifuta miguu yake kwa nywele zake. 311:3 Yn 11:5, 36Hivyo hawa dada wawili walituma ujumbe kwa Yesu kumwambia, “Bwana, yule umpendaye ni mgonjwa.”
411:4 Yn 11:40Lakini Yesu aliposikia hayo, akasema, “Ugonjwa huu hautaleta mauti bali umetokea ili kudhihirisha utukufu wa Mungu, ili Mwana wa Mungu apate kutukuzwa kutokana na ugonjwa huu.” 5Pamoja na hivyo, ingawa Yesu aliwapenda Martha, Maria na Lazaro ndugu yao, 611:6 Yn 10:40baada ya kusikia kwamba Lazaro ni mgonjwa, aliendelea kukawia huko alikokuwa kwa siku mbili zaidi.
711:7 Yn 10:40Ndipo akawaambia wanafunzi wake, “Haya, turudi Uyahudi.”
811:8 Mt 23:7; Yn 8:59; 10:31Wanafunzi wake wakamwambia, “Rabi, Wayahudi walikuwa wanataka kukupiga mawe, nawe unataka kurudi huko?”
911:9 Yn 9:4; 12:35Yesu akawajibu, “Si kuna saa kumi na mbili za mchana katika siku moja? Wala watembeao mchana hawawezi kujikwaa kwa maana wanaona nuru ya ulimwengu huu. 1011:10 Yn 12:35Lakini wale watembeao usiku hujikwaa kwa sababu hakuna nuru ndani yao.”
1111:11 Mt 9:24; Lk 8:52Baada ya kusema haya, Yesu akawaambia, “Rafiki yetu Lazaro amelala, lakini naenda kumwamsha.”
12Wanafunzi wakamwambia, “Bwana, kama amelala usingizi ataamka.” 1311:13 Mt 9:24Hata hivyo, Yesu alikuwa anazungumzia kuwa Lazaro amekufa, lakini wanafunzi wake hawakuelewa, walidhani kwamba anasema Lazaro amelala usingizi tu.
14Kwa hiyo Yesu akawaambia waziwazi, “Lazaro amekufa. 15Hata hivyo nafurahi kwa kuwa sikuwepo huko kabla ya Lazaro kufa, ili mpate kuamini. Lakini sasa twendeni kwake.”
1611:16 Mt 10:3; Mdo 1:13Tomaso aliyeitwa Pacha akawaambia wanafunzi wenzake, “Sisi nasi twendeni tukafe pamoja naye.”
Yesu Ndiye Ufufuo Na Uzima
1711:17 Yn 11:6, 39Yesu alipowasili huko alikuta Lazaro amekuwa kaburini siku nne. 1811:18 Yn 11:1; Mt 21:17Basi Bethania ulikuwa karibu na Yerusalemu umbali wa karibu maili mbili,11:18 Maili mbili ni kama kilomita tatu. 1911:19 Yn 11:31; Ay 2:11na Wayahudi wengi walikuwa wamekuja kuwafariji Martha na Maria kwa ajili ya kufiwa na ndugu yao. 2011:20 Lk 10:38-42Martha aliposikia kwamba Yesu anakuja, alitoka kwenda kumlaki, ila Maria alibaki nyumbani.
2111:21 Yn 11:32, 37Martha akamwambia Yesu, “Bwana, kama ungalikuwa hapa, ndugu yangu hangalikufa. 2211:22 Yn 11:41, 42Lakini sasa ninajua kuwa chochote utakachomwomba Mungu, atakupa.”
23Yesu akamwambia, “Ndugu yako atafufuka.”
2411:24 Dan 12:2; Mdo 24:15Martha akamjibu, “Ninajua ya kuwa atafufuka wakati wa ufufuo wa wafu siku ya mwisho.”
2511:25 Yn 1:4Yesu akamwambia, “Mimi ndiye huo ufufuo na uzima. Yeye aniaminiye mimi, hata akifa atakuwa anaishi 2611:26 Yn 3:15; Mt 25:46na yeyote aishiye na kuniamini hatakufa kabisa hata milele. Je, unasadiki haya?”
2711:27 Lk 2:11; Mt 4:3; 16:16; Yn 6:14Martha akamwambia, “Ndiyo Bwana, ninaamini ya kuwa wewe ndiwe Kristo,11:27 Kristo maana yake ni Masiya, yaani Aliyetiwa mafuta. Mwana wa Mungu, yeye ajaye ulimwenguni.”
Yesu Alia
2811:28 Mt 26:18; Yn 13:13Baada ya kusema haya Martha alikwenda, akamwita Maria dada yake faraghani na kumwambia, “Mwalimu yuko hapa anakuita.” 29Maria aliposikia hivyo, akaondoka upesi akaenda mpaka alipokuwa Yesu. 3011:30 Yn 11:20; 13:13Yesu alikuwa hajaingia kijijini, bali alikuwa bado yuko mahali pale alipokutana na Martha. 3111:31 Yn 11:19; 8:59Wale Wayahudi waliokuwa pamoja na Maria nyumbani wakimfariji walipoona ameondoka haraka na kutoka nje, walimfuata wakidhani ya kwamba alikuwa anakwenda kule kaburini kulilia huko.
3211:32 Yn 11:21; 5:18Maria alipofika mahali pale Yesu alipokuwa, alipiga magoti miguuni Pake na kusema, “Bwana, kama ungalikuwa hapa, ndugu yangu hangalikufa.”
3311:33 Yn 11:38; 12:27; 13:21Yesu alipomwona Maria akilia na wale Wayahudi waliokuja pamoja naye pia wakilia, Yesu alisikia uchungu moyoni, akafadhaika sana. 34Akauliza, “Mmemweka wapi?”
Wakamwambia, “Bwana, njoo upaone.”
3511:35 Lk 19:41Yesu akalia machozi.
3611:36 Yn 11:3Ndipo Wayahudi wakasema, “Tazama jinsi alivyompenda Lazaro!”
3711:37 Yn 9:6, 7; 11:21, 32Lakini wengine wakasema, “Je, yule aliyefungua macho ya kipofu, hakuweza kumfanya na huyu asife?”
Yesu Amfufua Lazaro
3811:38 Yn 11:33; Mt 27:60; Lk 24:2; Yn 20:1Yesu kwa mara nyingine akiwa amefadhaika sana, akafika penye kaburi. Hilo kaburi lilikuwa pango ambalo jiwe lilikuwa limewekwa kwenye ingilio lake. 3911:39 Yn 11:17Yesu akasema, “Liondoeni hilo jiwe.”
Martha ndugu yake yule aliyekuwa amekufa akasema, “Lakini Bwana, wakati huu atakuwa ananuka kwani amekwisha kuwa kaburini siku nne.”
4011:40 Yn 11:23-25Yesu akamwambia, “Sikukuambia kwamba kama ukiamini utauona utukufu wa Mungu?”
4111:41 Yn 17:1; Mt 11:25Kwa hiyo wakaliondoa lile jiwe kutoka kaburini. Yesu akainua macho yake juu akasema, “Baba, ninakushukuru kwa kuwa wanisikia. 4211:42 Yn 12:30; 3:17Ninajua ya kuwa wewe hunisikia siku zote, lakini nimesema haya kwa ajili ya umati huu uliosimama hapa, ili wapate kuamini ya kuwa wewe umenituma.”
4311:43 Lk 7:14Baada ya kusema haya, Yesu akapaza sauti yake akaita, “Lazaro, njoo huku!” 4411:44 Yn 19:40; 20:7Yule aliyekuwa amekufa akatoka nje, mikono yake na miguu yake ikiwa imeviringishiwa vitambaa vya kitani na leso usoni pake.
Yesu akawaambia, “Mfungueni, mwacheni aende zake.”
Shauri La Kumuua Yesu
(Mathayo 26:1-5; Marko 14:1-2; Luka 22:1-2)
4511:45 Yn 11:19; 2:23; 14Hivyo Wayahudi wengi waliokuwa wamekuja kumfariji Maria, walipoona yale Yesu aliyoyatenda wakamwamini. 46Lakini baadhi yao wakaenda kwa Mafarisayo na kuwaambia mambo Yesu aliyoyafanya. 4711:47 Yn 2:11Kwa hiyo viongozi wa makuhani na Mafarisayo wakaita mkutano wa baraza.
Wakaulizana, “Tufanyeje? Huyu mtu anafanya ishara nyingi. 48Kama tukimwacha aendelee hivi, kila mtu atamwamini, nao Warumi watakuja na kupaharibu mahali petu patakatifu na taifa letu.”
4911:49 Lk 3:2; Yn 18:14; Mdo 4:6Mmoja wao aliyeitwa Kayafa, ambaye alikuwa kuhani mkuu mwaka huo, akasema, “Ninyi hamjui kitu chochote! 5011:50 Yn 18:14Hamjui kwamba ni afadhali mtu mmoja afe kwa ajili ya watu, kuliko taifa lote liangamie?”
5111:51 Mwa 50:20; Kut 28:30; Hes 27:21Hakusema haya kutokana na mawazo yake mwenyewe bali kama kuhani mkuu mwaka huo, alitabiri kuwa Yesu angelikufa kwa ajili ya taifa la Wayahudi, 5211:52 Isa 49:6; Yn 10:16wala si kwa ajili ya taifa hilo pekee, bali pia kwa ajili ya watoto wa Mungu waliotawanyika, ili kuwaleta pamoja na kuwafanya wawe wamoja. 5311:53 Mt 12:14Hivyo tangu siku hiyo wakawa wanafanya mipango ili wamuue Yesu.
5411:54 Yn 7:1Kwa hiyo Yesu akawa hatembei hadharani miongoni mwa Wayahudi, bali alijitenga akaenda sehemu iliyo karibu na jangwa kwenye kijiji kiitwacho Efraimu. Akakaa huko na wanafunzi wake.
5511:55 Kut 12:13, 23, 27; Mk 14:1; 2Nya 30:17-18Basi Pasaka ya Wayahudi ilipokuwa imekaribia, watu wengi walitoka vijijini wakaenda Yerusalemu kabla ya Pasaka ili wakajitakase. 5611:56 Yn 7:11; 17:7Watu wakawa wanamtafuta Yesu, nao waliposimama kwenye eneo la Hekalu waliulizana, Je, mtu huyu hatakuja kamwe kwenye Sikukuu? 57Viongozi wa makuhani na Mafarisayo walikuwa wametoa amri kuwa yeyote atakayejua mahali Yesu aliko, lazima atoe taarifa ili wapate kumkamata.
