Johannes 11

1 In Betanië, so drie kilometer van Jerusalem af, het Lasarus met sy twee susters, Marta en Maria, gebly. Dit was dieselfde2 Maria wat die duur olie oor Jesus uitgegooi en toe Jesus se voete met haar hare afgedroog het. Jesus het baie van hulle almal gehou.3-5 Hy het 'n baie spesiale plekkie vir hulle gehad. Lasarus word toe baie siek. Sy susters het Jesus dadelik daarvan laat weet. Toe Jesus die nuus hoor, sê Hy: "Hierdie siekte beteken nie Lasarus se einde nie. Dit beteken wel dat mense sal kan sien hoe sterk God regtig is. En as mense dit sien, sal hulle sommer ook besef hoe belangrik die Seun van God is."6 Daarom het Jesus besluit om eers twee dae later Betanië toe te gaan.7 Na 'n paar dae sê Hy vir sy volgelinge: "Kom, ons gaan na Lasarus-hulle toe."
8 Sy dissipels het dadelik vasgeskop, want dit was naby Jerusalem. "U kan dit nie doen nie! Het U so gou vergeet dat die Jode U nog 'n paar dae gelede met klippe wou doodgooi? Wat wil U nou weer daar gaan soek?"
9 Jesus maak hulle toe stil. "Daar is twaalf ure lig per dag. En dit moet 'n mens gebruik. Terwyl dit lig is, kan jy sien wat jy doen. Jy sal nie oor goed loop en val of rondstrompel nie. Maar in die nag is dit heeltemal anders.10 As dit donker is, val jy oor alles. In die donker kan jy mos nie sien wat jy doen nie. Dus: terwyl die kans daar is, moet 'n mens doen wat gedoen moet word.11 Nou ja, om terug te kom na ons vriend Lasarus toe," gaan Jesus verder, "hy slaap. Ek moet hom gaan wakker maak."12-13 Dit was maar net 'n ander manier om te sê dat Lasarus dood was. Sy dissipels het gedink Jesus bedoel dat Lasarus regtig slaap. "Los vir Lasarus, Here. As hy slaap, kan hy mos self wakker word," stel hulle voor.14 Toe praat Jesus sommer reguit met hulle: "Lasarus is nie meer met ons nie, hy's dood. Maar dit is nie slegte nuus nie.15 Ek is bly Ek was nie daar toe dit gebeur het nie. En weet julle hoekom? As ons nou gaan, gaan dit vir julle baie beteken. Kom, laat ons loop."
16 Tomas, vir wie party mense "Tweeling" genoem het, sê toe vir die ander dissipels: "Kom, laat ons maar saam met Hom in die kake van die dood instap."
17-18  Toe Jesus-hulle in Betanië aankom, hoor Hy dat Lasarus al vier dae tevore begrawe is.19 Daar was nog 'n klomp mense by Marta en Maria se huis om hulle te troos.20 Toe die mense vir Marta kom sê dat Jesus op pad is, is sy dadelik uit na Hom toe. Maria het in die huis bly sit.
21 "Here," begin Marta sommer dadelik toe sy Hom sien. "Waar was U al die tyd? As U betyds hier was, kon U nog my broer gesond gemaak het. Dan het hy nou nog geleef.22 Tog het ek al die tyd aan een ding bly vashou: ek weet God sal na U luister as U Hom iets vra."
23 Jesus stel haar toe gerus: "Moenie bekommerd wees nie. Jou broer sal weer lewendig word."
24 "Ek weet dit," sê Marta. "Met die finale oordeel sal God ons almal mos weer lewendig maak."
25 "Dit is nie wat Ek bedoel nie," sê Jesus. "Ek is die Een wat mense laat opstaan uit die dood en aan hulle die lewe gee wat nooit ophou nie.
"As iemand waarlik 'n Christen is, kan hy mos nooit geestelik doodgaan nie. Al sterf sy liggaam, het hy nog die ewige lewe.26 Wie op My vertrou en die ewige lewe het, gaan nooit regtig dood nie. Aanvaar jy dit wat Ek vir jou sê, Marta?"
27 "Natuurlik, Here," sê sy dadelik. "Ek twyfel nie een oomblik dat U die Seun van God is nie. U is die Een vir wie God spesiaal aangestel het om die mense te kom red."
28 Marta is toe daar weg. Sy het stilletjies vir Maria gaan roep. "Die Here wag vir jou. Hy wil graag met jou praat."29 Toe Maria dit hoor, spring sy op en loop haastig na Jesus toe.
30 Jesus het buite die dorp vir haar gewag. Dit was op dieselfde plek waar Hy met Marta gepraat het.31 Die Jode in die huis het nie geweet waarom Maria so vinnig daar weg is nie. Hulle is toe agterna om haar te troos. Hulle het gedink sy voel hartseer en is daarom graf toe om daar te gaan huil.
32 Toe Maria Jesus kry, gryp sy net sy voete vas. "Here," stamel sy, "as U betyds hier was, sou my broer vandag nog geleef het."
33 Toe Jesus haar snikke hoor en ook hoor hoe die Jode huil wat saam met haar was, het Hy 'n knop in sy keel gekry. Hy het baie hartseer gevoel.34 "Waar is hy begrawe?" vra Jesus.
"Kom saam, Here, ons gaan wys U," sê hulle.35 Jesus kon sy trane nie meer keer nie. Hy het gehuil.
36 "Kyk net! Hy moes Lasarus darem baie liefgehad het!" sê party Jode toe, terwyl ander sê:37 "Ons wonder darem. Julle weet, Hy het mos 'n blinde laat sien. Kon Hy nie dalk iets gedoen het sodat Lasarus nie doodgegaan het nie?"
38  Jesus was nog steeds baie hartseer toe Hy by die graf kom. Lasarus se lyk was in 'n soort grot begrawe. Die ingang was met 'n groot rots toegemaak.
39 "Vat weg die rots," sê Jesus. Marta probeer nog keer: "Asseblief, Here! Hy lê al dae daar. 'n Mens kan al die liggaam ruik."
40 "Marta, Marta!" sê Jesus vir haar. "Vergeet jy so gou? Ek het netnou nog vir jou gesê dat as jy My vertrou, jy sal sien wat God regtig kan doen."
41 Hulle vat toe die rots weg. Jesus maak sy oë toe en bid: "Vader, dankie dat U altyd luister as Ek iets vra.42 Hier staan baie mense rond. Ter wille van hulle praat Ek so. Wanneer hulle My hoor bid en sien wat gebeur, sal hulle begin besef dat Ek van U af kom."43 Toe roep Jesus hard uit: "Lasarus, kom uit!"44 Daar verskyn Lasarus toe in die ingang van die graf. Oomblikke tevore was hy nog dood. Nou staan hy daar, lewendig! Hy was van kop tot tone in linnelappe toegedraai. Selfs die lap wat oor sy gesig gesit is, was nog daar.
Jesus sê toe: "Haal die lappe van hom af, sodat hy self hier kan wegstap."
45 Die Jode wat saam met Maria gekom het, het nog daar gestaan. Hulle het alles gesien wat Jesus gedoen het. Baie van hulle het daar en dan sy volgelinge geword.46 'n Klompie het egter by die Fariseërs gaan nuus aandra. Hulle het hulle alles vertel wat Jesus gedoen het.
47  Die leiers vra toe dat die Joodse Raad bymekaar moes kom. Die Raad was eintlik die godsdienstige parlement van die Jode. "Wat gaan ons nou doen?" vra hulle raadop. "Kyk net wat vang hierdie man alles aan. Kyk al die wonders!48 As ons hom toelaat om so aan te gaan, stroom al die mense netnou agter hom aan. En daarvan gaan die Romeine niks hou nie. Hulle sal weer dink dit is die een of ander opstand. Dan gaan hulle kom en alles met die grond gelykmaak - ons en al die ander mense inkluis."
49 Kajafas kry toe kans om iets te sê. Hy was nie net 'n lid van die Joodse Raad nie, maar ook daardie jaar die voorsitter daarvan. Hy begin toe so: "Van dié soort dinge weet julle net mooi niks. Maar luister, ek het 'n plan. Dink net hoe goed dit vir ons en die volk kan wees om van hierdie man ontslae te raak. Maak hom dood en dan sal die Romeine tevrede wees.50 So sal die hele volk nie hoef te sterf nie, maar net hierdie een man. Laat hy in plaas van hulle doodgemaak word."51 Hoewel hy hierdie woorde gesê het, was dit eintlik nie regtig hy wat gepraat het nie. Onthou, hy was daardie jaar die voorsitter van die Joodse Raad, ja, hoëpriester! Dit was God wat deur hom gepraat het. Hy was eintlik 'n boodskapper van God toe hy gesê het dat Jesus moes sterf sodat die volk kon bly leef.52 En dit was nie net bedoel vir die klompie Jode wat in Jerusalem gebly het nie. Nee, dit was bedoel vir al God se kinders, waar hulle ook al in hierdie wêreld mag wees. Jesus het gesterf, sodat hulle ook die ewige lewe kan kry en so aan die een gesin van God kan behoort.53 Sommer op daardie vergadering het die Raad besluit om Jesus dood te maak.
54 Jesus het toe besluit om maar vir eers weg te bly van daardie Jode af. Daarom het Hy koers gekies die droë platteland in. Hy is saam met sy dissipels na die plek met die naam Efraim toe, 'n dorpie aan die rand van die woestyn.
55 Dit was ook weer tyd vir die paasfees. Die mense het van oral uit die platteland na Jerusalem gestroom. Hulle wou betyds daar kom om alles vir die feesvierings reg te kry. Jesus was die groot onderwerp van bespreking.56 Terwyl die mense in die tempel rondgestaan het, het hulle by mekaar probeer uitvis: "Wat dink julle? Gaan hy sy gesig hier by die fees wys?"57 Jesus was ook druk onder bespreking by die Fariseërs en die leiers van die priesters. Hulle het die mense gevra om op die uitkyk te wees vir Hom. As iemand Hom gewaar, moes hy hulle dadelik laat weet. Hulle sou dan die polisie stuur om Hom te gaan vang.

John 11

The Death of Lazarus

1 Now a certain man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived.t2 (Now it was Mary who anointed the Lord with perfumed oilt and wiped his feet dry with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)s3 So the sisters sent a messaget to Jesus,t “Lord, look, the one you love is sick.”4 When Jesus heard this, he said, “This sickness will not lead to death,ts but to God’s glory,t so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”s

5 (Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.)s
6 So when he heard that Lazarust was sick, he remained in the place where he was for two more days.7 Then after this, he said to his disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”s8 The disciples replied,t “Rabbi, the Jewish leaderst were just now tryingt to stone you to death! Aret you going there again?”9 Jesus replied,t “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks around in the daytime, he does not stumble,t because he sees the light of this world.s

10 But if anyone walks around at night,t he stumbles,t because the light is not in him.”
11 After he said this, he added,t “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep.t But I am going there to awaken him.”12 Then the disciples replied,t “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”

13 (Now Jesus had been talking aboutt his death, but theyt thought he had been talking about real sleep.)ts
14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died,15 and I am gladt for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe.s But let us go to him.”

16 So Thomas (called Didymuss)s said to his fellow disciples, “Let us go too, so that we may die with him.”s

Speaking with Martha and Mary

17 Whent Jesus arrived,t he found that Lazarust had been in the tomb four days already.ts18 (Now Bethany was less than two milest from Jerusalem,s19 so many of the Jewish people of the regiont had come to Martha and Mary to console themt over the loss of their brother.)ts20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house.s21 Marthat said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will grantt you.”s
23 Jesus replied,t “Your brother will come back to life again.”ts24 Martha said,t “I know that he will come back to life againt in the resurrection at the last day.”25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will livet even if he dies,26 and the one who lives and believes in me will never die.t Do you believe this?”

27 She replied,t “Yes, Lord, I believet that you are the Christ,ts the Son of God who comes into the world.”t
28 And when she had said this, Marthat went and called her sister Mary, saying privately,t “The Teacher is here and is asking for you.”t29 So when Maryt heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.30 (Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still in the place where Martha had come out to meet him.)

31 Then the peoplet who were with Maryt in the house consoling her saw hert get up quickly and go out. They followed her, because they thought she was going to the tomb to weept there.
32 Now when Mary came to the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the peoplet who had come with her weeping, he was intensely movedt in spirit and greatly distressed.t34 He asked,t “Where have you laid him?”t They replied,t “Lord, come and see.”35 Jesus wept.s36 Thus the people who had come to mournt said, “Look how much he loved him!”

37 But some of them said, “This is the man who caused the blind man to see!t Couldn’t he have done something to keep Lazarust from dying?”

Lazarus Raised from the Dead

38 Jesus, intensely movedt again, came to the tomb. (Now it was a cave, and a stone was placed across it.)s39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”t Martha, the sister of the deceased,t replied, “Lord, by this time the body will have a bad smell,t because he has been buriedt four days.”s40 Jesus responded,t “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?”41 So they took awayt the stone. Jesus looked upwardt and said, “Father, I thank you that you have listened to me.t42 I knew that you always listen to me,t but I said thist for the sake of the crowd standing around here, that they may believe that you sent me.”43 Whent he had said this, he shouted in a loud voice,s “Lazarus, come out!”

44 The one who had died came out, his feet and hands tied up with strips of cloth,s and a cloth wrapped around his face.t Jesus said to them, “Unwrap himt and let him go.”

The Response of the Jewish Leaders

45 Then many of the people,t who had come with Mary and had seen the things Jesust did, believed in him.46 But some of them went to the Phariseess and reported to themt what Jesus had done.47 So the chief priests and the Phariseest called the councilt together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs.

48 If we allow him to go on in this way,t everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuaryt and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said,t “You know nothing at all!50 You do not realizet that it is more to your advantage to have one mant die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.”s51 (Now he did not say this on his own,t but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation,t52 and not for the Jewish nationt only,s but to gather togethert into one the children of God who are scattered.)s

53 So from that day they planned together to kill him.
54 Thus Jesus no longer wentt around publiclyt among the Judeans,t but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim,t and stayed there with his disciples.55 Now the Jewish feast of Passovert was near, and many people went up to Jerusalems from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually.t56 Thus they were looking for Jesus,t and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts,t “What do you think? That he won’t come to the feast?”

57 (Now the chief priests and the Phariseest had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesust was should report it, so that they could arrestt him.)s