1Havia em Betânia um homem chamado Lázaro, que vivia com suas irmãs, Maria e Marta.2Maria foi aquela que deitou o perfume muito caro sobre os pés de Jesus e os enxugou com os cabelos. Lázaro adoeceu.3E as duas irmãs mandaram recado a Jesus, dizendo: “Senhor, o nosso irmão está muito mal.”4Contudo, quando Jesus soube disso, observou: “Essa doença não é para morte, mas para a glória de Deus. Eu, o Filho de Deus, receberei glória em resultado desta enfermidade.”5Embora Jesus fosse muito amigo de Marta, de Maria e de Lázaro,6ficou onde estava durante mais dois dias, sem nada fazer para ir ter com eles.7Por fim, passados esses dois dias, disse aos discípulos: “Vamos para a Judeia!”8Mas os discípulos opuseram-se. “Mestre, ainda há uns dias atrás os judeus procuraram matar-te e queres voltar para lá?”9Jesus respondeu: “Há doze horas de luz em cada dia em que uma pessoa pode caminhar sem tropeçar.10Só de noite é que há perigo de se dar um passo em falso por causa da escuridão.”11E acrescentou: “O nosso amigo Lázaro adormeceu, mas agora vou acordá-lo!”12Os discípulos, pensando que Jesus quisesse dizer que Lázaro estava a dormir normalmente, comentaram: “Isso significa que está melhor!”13Mas o que Jesus queria dizer era que Lázaro tinha morrido.14Então disse-lhes abertamente: “Lázaro morreu!15E por vossa causa estou satisfeito, por não ter estado ali nessa altura, pois isto dar-vos-á outra oportunidade de confirmarem a vossa fé. Vamos ter com Lázaro.”16Tomé, que também era chamado o Gémeo, disse aos outros discípulos: “Vamos nós também, para morrer com Jesus.”
Jesus consola as irmãs
17Quando chegaram a Betânia, souberam que Lázaro já estava sepultado havia quatro dias.18Betânia ficava perto, a três quilómetros[1], na estrada para Jerusalém.19E muitos judeus tinham ido para consolar Marta e Maria na sua perda.20Quando Marta soube que Jesus vinha a caminho, foi ao seu encontro; mas Maria ficou em casa.21Marta disse a Jesus: “Senhor, se cá estivesses, o meu irmão não teria morrido!22Mas eu sei que mesmo agora não é tarde demais, pois tudo o que pedires a Deus ele te dará.”23Jesus respondeu-lhe: “O teu irmão ressuscitará.”24“Sim”, tornou Marta, “quando toda a gente ressuscitar no dia da ressurreição.”25Jesus disse-lhe: “Eu sou a ressurreição e a vida! Quem crer em mim viverá, mesmo que morra!26É-lhe dada a vida eterna por crer em mim e nunca mais morrerá. Crês nisto, Marta?”27“Sim, Mestre. Creio que és o Cristo, o Filho de Deus, aquele que há tanto tempo esperávamos.”28Então ela retirou-se e foi chamar Maria: “O Mestre já chegou e quer ver-te.”29Esta foi logo ter com ele.30Ora, Jesus parara fora da aldeia, no local onde Marta se encontrara com ele.31Quando os judeus que estavam na casa, para confortar Maria, a viram sair tão apressadamente, pensaram que fosse ao túmulo de Lázaro para chorar e seguiram-na.32Chegada ao sítio onde Jesus se encontrava, Maria caiu a seus pés, dizendo: “Senhor, se tivesses estado aqui, o meu irmão não teria morrido!”33Ao vê-la chorar acompanhada no seu pranto pelas pessoas da terra, Jesus comoveu-se e sentiu forte emoção:34“Onde está ele sepultado?”, perguntou-lhes. “Vem ver!”, disseram-lhe.35E Jesus chorou.36“Vejam como era amigo de Lázaro!”, comentaram as pessoas.37Mas outros disseram: “Se pôde curar cegos, porque não evitou a morte de Lázaro?”
Jesus ressuscita Lázaro
38Jesus comoveu-se muito outra vez. Entretanto, chegaram ao sepulcro. Era uma gruta com uma pesada pedra a tapar a entrada.39“Retirem a pedra!”, ordenou Jesus. Mas Marta, irmã de Lázaro, observou: “Já deve cheirar muito mal, porque há quatro dias que morreu.”40Jesus respondeu: “Não te disse que, se creres, verás a glória de Deus?”41Rolaram pois a pedra. Jesus ergueu o olhar para o céu e disse: “Pai, graças te dou por me ouvires.42Tu ouves-me sempre, mas digo isto por causa de toda a gente que aqui está, para que creiam que me enviaste.”43Então Jesus ordenou, em voz muito forte: “Lázaro, sai!”44Lázaro surgiu, ainda todo envolvido em panos e o rosto tapado com uma toalha. Jesus ordenou-lhes: “Desliguem-no e deixem-no ir!”45E foi assim que muitos judeus que se encontravam com Maria, e viram isto acontecer, creram nele.
O plano para matar Jesus
46Alguns, porém, foram ter com os fariseus e contaram-lhes o sucedido.47Os principais sacerdotes e os fariseus convocaram o conselho para discutir o caso. “Que vamos fazer?”, perguntavam-se uns aos outros. “Não há dúvida de que este homem faz grandes sinais.48Se não interviermos, toda a gente crerá nele, e o exército romano virá e destruirá tanto o nosso templo como a nossa nação.”49Um deles, Caifás, que naquele ano era sumo sacerdote, disse: “Vocês não percebem nada.50Nem entendem que vos é preferível que morra um único homem pelo povo. Porque é que se há de perder toda a nação?”51Esta revelação de que Jesus deveria morrer por todo o povo veio da boca de Caifás, no seu cargo de sumo sacerdote; não foi coisa que tivesse pensado por si próprio, mas foi uma profecia.52Era uma predição de que a morte de Jesus não seria só por Israel, mas para reunir todos os filhos de Deus espalhados pelo mundo.53A partir daí, começaram a planear a morte de Jesus.54Jesus já não andava manifestamente em público. Saindo de Jerusalém, dirigiu-se para a proximidade do deserto, para a localidade de Efraim, onde ficou com os discípulos.55A Páscoa dos judeus estava próxima e muitos daquela província entraram em Jerusalém, antes da data para poderem proceder à cerimónia da purificação.56Queriam ver Jesus e enquanto estavam no templo perguntavam uns aos outros: “O que é que acham? Virá ele à festa da Páscoa?”57Entretanto, os principais sacerdotes e fariseus tinham anunciado publicamente que, se alguém visse Jesus, devia participar imediatamente o facto para que o pudessem prender.
1Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (Lc 10:38)2It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. (Jo 12:3)3So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” (Jo 11:5; Jo 11:11; Jo 11:36)4But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (Mt 9:24; Jo 9:3; Jo 11:11; Jo 11:40; Jo 13:31)5Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (Jo 11:3)6So, when he heard that Lazarus[1] was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. (Jo 2:4; Jo 7:6; Jo 7:8)7Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” (Jo 10:40)8The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” (Jo 1:38; Jo 8:59; Jo 10:31)9Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. (Lc 13:33; Jo 9:4; 1 Jo 2:10)10But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” (Jr 13:16)11After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” (Mt 27:52)12The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”13Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.14Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died,15and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”16So Thomas, called the Twin,[2] said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (Mt 10:3; Mc 3:18; Lc 6:15; Jo 13:37; Jo 14:5; Jo 20:24; Jo 20:26; Jo 21:2; At 1:13)
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
17Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. (Jo 11:39)18Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles[3] off,19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. (Jó 2:11; Jo 11:31)20So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. (Lc 10:38)21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. (Jo 11:32; Jo 11:37)22But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” (Jo 9:31; Jo 11:42)23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” (Lc 14:14; Jo 5:29; Jo 6:39; Jo 11:39)25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[4] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, (Jo 1:4; Jo 3:36; Jo 5:21; Jo 6:40; Jo 6:44; Jo 6:57; Jo 12:25; Jo 14:6; 1 Co 15:21; Cl 3:4)26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (Jo 6:50; Jo 8:51)27She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” (Mt 11:3; Mt 16:16; Jo 6:14; Jo 6:69; Jo 8:24; Jo 13:19; Jo 20:31; 1 Jo 4:16; 1 Jo 5:1; 1 Jo 5:5)
Jesus Weeps
28When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” (Mt 26:18; Mc 14:14; Lc 22:11; Jo 13:13)29And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.30Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.31When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. (Jo 11:19)32Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (Jo 11:21)33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved[5] in his spirit and greatly troubled. (Mc 14:5; Jo 11:38; Jo 12:27; Jo 13:21)34And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”35Jesus wept. (Lc 19:41)36So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (Jo 11:3)37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” (Jo 9:6; Jo 11:21; Jo 11:32)
Jesus Raises Lazarus
38Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. (Is 22:16; Mt 27:60; Mc 15:46; Lc 24:2; Jo 11:33; Jo 20:1)39Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” (Jo 11:17)40Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” (Jo 11:4; Jo 11:25; Rm 6:4)41So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. (Jo 17:1)42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” (Mt 26:53; Jo 3:17; Jo 11:22; Jo 12:29; Jo 17:8; Jo 17:21)43When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”44The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (Jo 5:28; Jo 19:40; Jo 20:7)
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, (Jo 2:23; Jo 11:19; Jo 12:11; At 9:42)46but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.47So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. (Mt 5:22; Mt 26:3; Jo 12:19; At 4:16)48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” (Jo 6:15; Jo 18:36; At 21:28)49But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. (Mt 26:3; Jo 11:51; Jo 18:13)50Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” (Jo 18:14)51He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, (Ex 28:30; Nm 27:21; 1 Sm 23:9; 1 Sm 30:7; Ed 2:63; Ne 7:65; Jo 11:49)52and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. (Is 49:6; Jo 10:16; 1 Jo 2:2)53So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. (Jo 7:1)54Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. (Jo 7:1; Jo 7:4)55Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. (2 Cr 30:17; Lc 2:42; Jo 6:4; Jo 18:28; At 21:24)56They were looking for[6] Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” (Jo 7:11)57Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.