The Death of Lazarus
1 A man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived. ( 2 This Mary was the one who poured the perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was sick.) 3 The sisters sent Jesus a message: “Lord, your dear friend is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard it, he said, “The final result of this sickness will not be the death of Lazarus; this has happened in order to bring glory to God, and it will be the means by which the Son of God will receive glory.”
5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he received the news that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. 7 Then he said to the disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 “Teacher,” the disciples answered, “just a short time ago the people there wanted to stone you; and are you planning to go back?”
9 Jesus said, “A day has twelve hours, doesn't it? So those who walk in broad daylight do not stumble, for they see the light of this world. 10 But if they walk during the night they stumble, because they have no light.” 11 Jesus said this and then added, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up.”
12 The disciples answered, “If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well.”
13 Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but they thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 but for your sake I am glad that I was not with him, so that you will believe. Let us go to him.”
16 Thomas (called the Twin) said to his fellow disciples, “Let us all go along with the Teacher, so that we may die with him!”
Jesus the Resurrection and the Life
17 When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried four days before. 18 Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Judeans had come to see Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother's death.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died! 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for.”
23 “Your brother will rise to life,” Jesus told her.
24 “I know,” she replied, “that he will rise to life on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; 26 and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord!” she answered. “I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
Jesus Weeps
28 After Martha said this, she went back and called her sister Mary privately. “The Teacher is here,” she told her, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up and hurried out to meet him. ( 30 Jesus had not yet arrived in the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.) 31 The people who were in the house with Mary comforting her followed her when they saw her get up and hurry out. They thought that she was going to the grave to weep there.
32 Mary arrived where Jesus was, and as soon as she saw him, she fell at his feet. “Lord,” she said, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died!”
33 Jesus saw her weeping, and he saw how the people with her were weeping also; his heart was touched, and he was deeply moved. 34 “Where have you buried him?” he asked them.
“Come and see, Lord,” they answered.
35 Jesus wept. 36 “See how much he loved him!” the people said.
37 But some of them said, “He gave sight to the blind man, didn't he? Could he not have kept Lazarus from dying?”
Lazarus Is Brought to Life
38 Deeply moved once more, Jesus went to the tomb, which was a cave with a stone placed at the entrance. 39 “Take the stone away!” Jesus ordered.
Martha, the dead man's sister, answered, “There will be a bad smell, Lord. He has been buried four days!”
40 Jesus said to her, “Didn't I tell you that you would see God's glory if you believed?” 41 They took the stone away. Jesus looked up and said, “I thank you, Father, that you listen to me. 42 I know that you always listen to me, but I say this for the sake of the people here, so that they will believe that you sent me.” 43 After he had said this, he called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 He came out, his hands and feet wrapped in grave cloths, and with a cloth around his face. “Untie him,” Jesus told them, “and let him go.”
The Plot against Jesus
(Matthew 26.1-5Mark 14.1Mark 2Luke 22.1Luke 2)45 Many of the people who had come to visit Mary saw what Jesus did, and they believed in him. 46 But some of them returned to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the Pharisees and the chief priests met with the Council and said, “What shall we do? Look at all the miracles this man is performing! 48 If we let him go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Roman authorities will take action and destroy our Temple and our nation!”
49 One of them, named Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, said, “What fools you are! 50 Don't you realize that it is better for you to have one man die for the people, instead of having the whole nation destroyed?” 51 Actually, he did not say this of his own accord; rather, as he was High Priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish people, 52 and not only for them, but also to bring together into one body all the scattered people of God.
53 From that day on the Jewish authorities made plans to kill Jesus. 54 So Jesus did not travel openly in Judea, but left and went to a place near the desert, to a town named Ephraim, where he stayed with the disciples.
55 The time for the Passover Festival was near, and many people went up from the country to Jerusalem to perform the ritual of purification before the festival. 56 They were looking for Jesus, and as they gathered in the Temple, they asked one another, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?” 57 The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he must report it, so that they could arrest him.
Lācara nāve
1 Bija kāds nevesels – Lācars no Bētanijas, no ciema, kur dzīvoja Marija un viņas māsa Marta. 2 Marija bija tā, kas Kungu bija svaidījusi ar smaržīgām eļļām un viņa kājas ar saviem matiem žāvējusi. Tās brālis Lācars bija saslimis. 3 Tad māsas lika nodot Jēzum ziņu, sacīdamas: “Kungs, redzi, tas, ko tu mīli, ir slims.” 4 Jēzus, to dzirdējis, teica: “Šī slimība nav uz nāvi, bet Dievam par godu, lai Dieva Dēls caur to tiktu pagodināts.” 5 Jēzus mīlēja Martu, tās māsu un Lācaru. 6 Kad nu viņš dzirdēja, ka Lācars ir sasirdzis, tad viņš vēl divas dienas uzkavējās tajā vietā, kur bija. 7 Pēc tam viņš sacīja mācekļiem: “Iesim atkal uz Jūdeju!” 8 Mācekļi viņam sacīja: “Rabi, jūdi nupat vēl gribēja tevi nomētāt akmeņiem, un tu atkal ej turp!” 9 Jēzus atbildēja: “Vai tad nav divpadsmit stundu dienai? Ja kāds staigā dienā, tas neklūp, jo tas redz šīs pasaules gaismu. 10 Bet, ja kāds staigā naktī, tas klūp, jo viņā nav gaismas.” 11 To pateicis, viņš tiem sacīja tālāk: “Lācars, mūsu draugs, ir iemidzis, un es dodos, lai viņu pamodinātu.” 12 Viņa mācekļi tam sacīja: “Kungs, ja viņš ir iemidzis, viņš kļūs vesels.” 13 Jēzus gan bija runājis par viņa nāvi, bet tie domāja, ka viņš runā par gulēšanu miegā. 14 Tad Jēzus viņiem sacīja tieši: “Lācars ir nomiris! 15 Es priecājos jūsu dēļ, ka manis tur nebija, lai jūs ticētu. Bet iesim pie viņa!” 16 Tad Toms, saukts Dvīnis, sacīja pārējiem mācekļiem: “Ejam arī mēs, lai mirtu kopā ar viņu!”
Kristus ir augšāmcelšanās un dzīvība
17 Nogājis Jēzus atrod Lācaru jau četras dienas guļam kapā. 18 Bet Bētanija bija tuvu pie Jeruzālemes – apmēram piecpadsmit stadiju . 19 Daudzi jūdi bija nākuši pie Martas un Marijas mierināt tās brāļa dēļ. 20 Kad Marta dzirdēja, ka Jēzus nāk, tā izgāja viņam pretī, bet Marija palika sēžam mājās. 21 Marta sacīja Jēzum: “Kungs, ja tu būtu bijis šeit, mans brālis nebūtu nomiris. 22 Bet arī tagad es zinu: lai ko tu lūgtu no Dieva, Dievs tev dos.” 23 Jēzus viņai sacīja: “Tavs brālis augšāmcelsies!” 24 Marta sacīja: “Zinu, ka viņš augšāmcelsies, kad būs augšāmcelšanās pastarā dienā.” 25 Tad Jēzus viņai sacīja: “ES ESMU augšāmcelšanās un dzīvība. Kas tic uz mani, tas dzīvos, kaut arī viņš mirtu! 26 Un katrs, kas dzīvo un tic man, nemirs nemūžam! Vai tu tici tam?” 27 Viņa sacīja: “Jā, Kungs, es ticu, ka tu esi Kristus, Dieva Dēls, kas nāk pasaulē.”
Jēzus raud pie Lācara kapa
28 To pateikusi, viņa aizgāja, pasauca savu māsu Mariju un tai slepus sacīja: “Skolotājs ir klāt un sauc tevi!” 29 Viņa, to dzirdējusi, tūlīt piecēlās un gāja pie viņa. 30 Jēzus vēl nebija ienācis ciemā, bet kavējās tanī vietā, kur Marta viņu bija satikusi. 31 Tad nu jūdi, kas bija namā un mierināja Mariju, redzēdami, ka viņa ātri pieceļas un iziet, sekoja viņai, domādami, ka viņa iet uz kapu, lai tur raudātu. 32 Kad Marija nonāca tur, kur bija Jēzus, un viņu ieraudzīja, tā krita viņam pie kājām, sacīdama: “Kungs, ja tu būtu bijis šeit, tad mans brālis nebūtu nomiris.” 33 Kad Jēzus redzēja raudam viņu un arī tos jūdus, kas bija atnākuši līdz ar viņu, viņš, garā aizgrābts, satraukti teica: 34 “Kur jūs viņu esat nolikuši?” Tie viņam atbildēja: “Kungs, nāc un skaties!” 35 Jēzus raudāja. 36 Tad jūdi sacīja: “Redzi, kā viņš to mīlēja!” 37 Daži no viņiem teica: “Vai viņš, kurš aklajam atdarīja acis, nevarēja izdarīt tā, lai arī šis nenomirtu?”
Lācara atdzīvināšana
38 Tad Jēzus, vēl aizvien aizgrābts, nāk uz kapu. Tā bija ala, kurai priekšā bija nolikts akmens. 39 Jēzus sacīja: “Noceliet akmeni!” Marta, mirušā māsa, viņam sacīja: “Kungs, viņš jau ož, jo ir jau ceturtā diena.” 40 Jēzus viņai sacīja: “Vai es neteicu tev: ja tu ticēsi, tu redzēsi Dieva godību?” 41 Tad tie nocēla akmeni. Un Jēzus, pacēlis acis augšup, teica: “Tēvs, pateicos tev, ka tu mani uzklausīji! 42 Es zināju, ka tu mani vienmēr uzklausi, bet to es sacīju šī ļaužu pūļa dēļ, kas visapkārt, – lai viņi ticētu, ka tu mani esi sūtījis.” 43 To teicis, viņš varenā balsī sauca: “Lācar, nāc ārā!” 44 Un mirušais iznāca – kājas un rokas tam bija saistītas saitēm un seja aptīta ar sviedrautu. Tad Jēzus ļaudīm sacīja: “Atraisiet viņu un ļaujiet viņam iet!”
Jūdu lēmums nogalināt Jēzu
45 Daudzi jūdi, kas bija atnākuši pie Marijas, ieraudzījuši, ko viņš ir izdarījis, sāka viņam ticēt. 46 Bet daži no viņiem nogāja pie farizejiem un izstāstīja, ko Jēzus bija darījis. 47 Tad virspriesteri un farizeji sasauca sinedriju un sprieda: “Ko lai darām? Šis cilvēks dara daudzas zīmes. 48 Ja mēs viņam tā ļausim, tad visi ticēs viņam, un atnāks romieši un atņems mums gan šo vietu, gan tautu.” 49 Viens no viņiem – Kajafa, tā gada augstais priesteris – tiem sacīja: “Jūs nekā nezināt, 50 un jūs nesaprotat, ka ir labāk, ja viens cilvēks mirst par daudziem, nekā visa tauta iet bojā.” 51 To viņš nesacīja no sevis, bet, būdams tā gada augstais priesteris, pravietoja, ka Jēzum būs jāmirst par tautu. 52 Un ne vien par šo tautu, bet arī tādēļ, lai izklīdinātos Dieva bērnus savāktu vienkop. 53 Tad nu no šīs dienas tie nosprieda viņu nokaut. 54 Jēzus vairs atklāti nestaigāja starp jūdiem, bet aizgāja no turienes uz vietu netālu no tuksneša, uz pilsētu, vārdā Efraima, un palika tur kopā ar mācekļiem. 55 Jūdu Pashas svētki bija tuvu, un daudzi no laukiem ieradās Jeruzālemē pirms svētkiem, lai šķīstītos. 56 Tie meklēja Jēzu un, templī stāvēdami, runāja savā starpā: “Kā jūs domājat? Vai tad viņš tiešām neatnāks uz svētkiem?” 57 Bet virspriesteri un farizeji bija izdevuši pavēli, lai katrs, kas zina, kur viņš ir, viņu uzrāda, lai varētu viņu apcietināt.
