# John 11.11-14

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 9. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 10. <span class="rl-speech">But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.</span>
>
> **11. These things spake he: and after this he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12. The disciples therefore said unto him, Lord, if he is fallen asleep, he will recover. 13. Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep. 14. Then Jesus therefore said unto them plainly, <span class="rl-speech">Lazarus is dead.</span>**
>
> 15. <span class="rl-speech">And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.</span> 16. Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. (John 11:9-16, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 9. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">“Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world.</span> 10. <span class="rl-speech">But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.”</span>
>
> **11. He said these things, <span class="rl-speech">and after that,</span> he said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“Our friend, Lazarus, has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.”</span> 12. The disciples therefore said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13. Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep. 14. So Jesus said to them plainly then, “Lazarus is dead.**
>
> 15. I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let’s go to him.” 16. Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him.” (John 11:9-16, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 9. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">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.</span> 10. <span class="rl-speech">But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.</span>
>
> **11. These 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. 12. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.**
>
> 15. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. (John 11:9-16, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 9. Jesus answered, <span class="rl-speech">'Are there not twelve hours in the day? if any one may walk in the day, he doth not stumble, because the light of this world he doth see;</span> 10. <span class="rl-speech">and if any one may walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.'</span>
>
> **11. These things he said, and after this he saith to them, <span class="rl-speech">'Lazarus our friend hath fallen asleep, but I go on that I may awake him;'</span> 12. therefore said his disciples, 'Sir, if he hath fallen asleep, he will be saved;' 13. but Jesus had spoken about his death, but they thought that about the repose of sleep he speaketh. 14. Then, therefore, Jesus said to them freely, <span class="rl-speech">'Lazarus hath died;</span>**
>
> 15. <span class="rl-speech">and I rejoice, for your sake, (that ye may believe,) that I was not there; but we may go to him;'</span> 16. therefore said Thomas, who is called Didymus, to the fellow-disciples, 'We may go, we also, that we may die with him,' (John 11:9-16, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G2288 - thanatos](/codex/g2288-thanatos/), *thanatos* (Strong's G2288). Also appears in: [Matthew 15](/codex/matthew-15/), [Matthew 16.28](/codex/matthew-16-28/), [Matthew 26.37-40](/codex/matthew-26-37-40/).
- [G2424 - Iesous](/codex/g2424-iesous/), *Iesous* (Strong's G2424). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.1](/codex/matthew-1-1/), [Matthew 1.16](/codex/matthew-1-16/), [Matthew 1.18](/codex/matthew-1-18/).
- [G2962 - kyrios](/codex/g2962-kyrios/), *kyrios* (Strong's G2962). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.20](/codex/matthew-1-20/), [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 6.24](/codex/matthew-6-24/).
- [G4982 - sozo](/codex/g4982-sozo/), *sozo* (Strong's G4982). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.21](/codex/matthew-1-21/), [Matthew 14.22-33](/codex/matthew-14-22-33/), [Matthew 16.24-25](/codex/matthew-16-24-25/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from the Universal Burial Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-universal-burial-convergence/), via [John 11.11](/codex/john-11-11/)

**Concepts:**

- [Eschatology](/codex/eschatology/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 11](/codex/john-11/)

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