Miracles of Jesus

Jesus Raises Lazarus

Jesus' dear friend Lazarus dies and is buried for four days. At the tomb, Jesus commands him to come out—and death itself obeys.

John 11:1-44

ResurrectionLife and deathFaithGriefJesus weepsGod's glory

The Story

A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. The sisters sent word to Jesus: 'Lord, the one you love is sick.'

When Jesus heard this, He said, 'This sickness will not end in death. It is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it.' Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when He heard Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days.

Then He said to His disciples, 'Let us go back to Judea. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; I am going there to wake him up.'

The disciples misunderstood. 'Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.'

Jesus told them plainly, 'Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.'

When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Martha came out to meet Him. 'Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.'

Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.'

'I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day,' Martha answered.

Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'

'Yes, Lord,' she replied. 'I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God.'

Mary came out next, weeping. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.

'Where have you laid him?' He asked.

'Come and see, Lord,' they replied.

Jesus wept.

The people said, 'See how He loved him!'

Jesus came to the tomb, a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 'Take away the stone,' He said.

'But, Lord,' Martha protested, 'by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.'

Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'

They took away the stone. Jesus looked up and prayed, 'Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.'

Then Jesus called in a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out!'

The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, 'Take off the grave clothes and let him go.'

The One who is the resurrection and the life stood at a tomb and summoned a dead man back to living. Lazarus walked out. Many of the Jews who had seen what Jesus did believed in Him. The greatest sign yet pointed to an even greater resurrection to come.

Jesus Brings Lazarus Back!

Kids Version

Jesus had good friends named Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. They were like family to Him.

One day Lazarus got very, very sick. His sisters sent a message to Jesus: 'Please come! Lazarus is sick!'

But Jesus waited. And sad to say, Lazarus died.

When Jesus finally came, Martha ran to meet Him. She was crying. 'If you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died!'

Jesus said something very important: 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even if they die. Do you believe this?'

'Yes, Lord!' Martha said.

Mary came out crying too. So many people were crying. And guess what? Jesus cried too. He was sad because His friends were sad. Jesus FEELS our sadness with us.

They went to the tomb—a cave with a big stone in front. 'Move the stone,' Jesus said.

'But Jesus,' Martha said, 'he's been dead four days!'

Jesus said, 'Didn't I tell you that if you believe, you'll see something amazing?'

They moved the stone. Jesus prayed to God. Then He shouted in a loud voice:

'LAZARUS, COME OUT!'

And... Lazarus came walking out! He was ALIVE! Still wrapped up in his burial cloths, but ALIVE!

'Unwrap him!' Jesus said. And there was Lazarus, back from the dead!

Everyone was amazed. Jesus is so powerful that even DEATH has to obey Him! Because Jesus is the resurrection and the life, everyone who believes in Him will live forever!

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Scripture — John 11:1-44 (KJV)

1Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby .

5Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

7Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

8His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

9Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

11These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

16Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

17Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

18Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: about: that is, about two miles

19And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary , to comfort them concerning their brother.

20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

28And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

30Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

31The Jews 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.

32Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled , was troubled: Gr. he troubled himself

34And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35Jesus wept.

36Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

37And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Memory Verse

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

John 11:1 (KJV)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the story of “Jesus Raises Lazarus” in the Bible?

Jesus' dear friend Lazarus dies and is buried for four days. At the tomb, Jesus commands him to come out—and death itself obeys. This story is found in John 11:1-44.

Where is “Jesus Raises Lazarus” found in the Bible?

Jesus Raises Lazarus” is found in John 11:1-44, in the book of John.

What can children learn from “Jesus Raises Lazarus”?

This story teaches children about Resurrection, Life and death, Faith, Grief, Jesus weeps, God's glory. Jesus' friend Lazarus got sick and died. His sisters were SO sad. But Jesus came and did something AMAZING—He brought Lazarus back to life!

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