¶ A certain man was sick, named Lazarus of Bethania the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary which anointed Iesus with ointment, and wept his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick, and his sister sent unto him saying: Lord behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Iesus that heard he said: this infirmity is not unto death: But for the laud of God, that the son of God might be praised by the reason of it. Iesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus. After he heard that he was sick, then abode he two days still in the same place where he was.
¶ Then after that said he to his disciples: let us go into jewry again. His disciples said unto him: Master, the jewes lately sought means to stone thee, and wilt thou go thither again? Iesus answered: are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. If a man walk in the night he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. This said he. And after that he said unto them: our friend Lazarus sleepeth, but I go to wake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples: Lord if he sleep, then shall he do well enough. Iesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of the natural sleep. Then said Iesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes, that I was not there, because ye may believe. Nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas (which is called Didymus,) unto the disciples: let us also go, that we may die with him.
¶ Then went Iesus, and found, that he had lain in his grave four days already. Bethanie was nye unto Ierusalem, about xv. furlongs off, And many of the jewes came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them over their brother. Martha as soon as she heard that Iesus was coming, went and met him. Mary sat still at home.
¶ Then said Martha unto Iesus: Lord if thou hadst been here, my brother had not been dead: but nevertheless, I know that whatsoever thou askest of God, God will give it thee. Iesus said unto her: Thy brother shall rise again. Martha said unto him: I know well, he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Iesus said unto her: I am the resurrection and the life. Whosoever believeth on me, Yea though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth, and believeth on me, shall never die. Believest thou this? She said unto him: yea Lord: I believe that thou art Christ the son of God, which shall come into the world. And as soon as she had so said she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly saying: The master is come and calleth for thee. She as soon as she heard that, arose quickly, and came unto him. Iesus was not yet come into the town: but was in the place where Martha met him. The jewes then which were with her in the house, and comforted her (when they saw Mary that she rose up hastily, and went out) followed her saying: She goeth unto the grave, to weep there. Then when Mary was come, where Iesus was and saw him she fell down at his feet, saying unto him: Lord if thou hadst been here, my brother had not been dead. When Iesus saw her weep, and the jewes also weep, which came with her. He groaned in the spirit, and vexed himself and said: Where have ye laid him? They said unto him: Lord come and see. And Iesus wept. Then said the jewes: Behold how he loved him. Some of them said: Could not he which opened the eyes of the blind, have made also, that this man should not have died? Iesus again groaned in himself came to the grave, it was a cave, and a stone laid on it.
¶ Iesus said: Take ye away the stone. Martha (the sister of him that was dead) said unto him: Lord by this time he stinketh. For he hath been dead four days. Iesus said unto her: Said I not unto thee, that if thou didst believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God. Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. Iesus lift up his eyes and said: Father I give thee thanks because that thou hast heard me, I knew well that thou hearest me always: but because of the people that stand by I said it, that they might believe, that thou hast sent me.
¶ And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus come forth, and he that was dead, came forth bound hand and foot, with bonds after the manner as they were wonte to bind their dead with all. And his face was bound with a napkin. Iesus said unto them: loose him, and let him go. Then many of the jewes which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Iesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the pharises, and told them what Iesus had done.
¶ Then gathered the high priests and the pharises a council and said: what do we? This man doeth many miracles. If we let him scape thus all men will believe on him. And the romaynes shall come and take away our country and people. And one of them named Caiphas: which was the high priest that same year, said unto them: Ye perceive nothing at all nor yet consider that it is expedient for us, that one man die for the people, and not that all the people perish. This spake he not of himself: but being high priest that same year, prophesied he that Iesus should die for the people, and not for the people only: but that he should gather together in one the children of God which were scattered abroad. From that day kept they a counsel together for to put him to death.
¶ Iesus therefore walked no more openly among the jewes: but went his way thence unto a country nye to a wilderness into a city called Ephraim, and there haunted with his disciples. The jewes' ester was nye at hand, and many went out of the country up to Ierusalem before the ester to purify themselves. Then sought they for Iesus, and spake between themselves as they stood in the temple: What think ye, seeing he cometh not to the feast. The high priests and pharises had given a commandment that if any man knew where he were, he should shew it that they might take him.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1526