John 11 43

John 11:43 kjv

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

John 11:43 nkjv

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

John 11:43 niv

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"

John 11:43 esv

When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out."

John 11:43 nlt

Then Jesus shouted, "Lazarus, come out!"

John 11 verses

John 11 43 Meaning

John 11:43 records Jesus' authoritative command that raises Lazarus from the dead, thereby demonstrating His divine power over death and confirming His identity as the Resurrection and the Life. This pivotal act serves as a public validation of His claims and glorifies God. It signals that all creation, even death itself, is subject to His direct and potent word.

John 11 43 Context

John chapter 11 narrates the dramatic event of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, which is the culminating "sign" in John's Gospel before Jesus' passion week. Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany, had fallen ill, and Jesus, intentionally delaying His arrival, allowed him to die and be entombed for four days. This was done to reveal the greater glory of God and solidify belief in Jesus as the Son of God. The immediate context of verse 43 follows Jesus' profound demonstration of humanity (His weeping) and divinity (His prayer to the Father, affirming His mission), and His command to remove the tombstone, despite Martha's protest concerning the decay. Verse 43 marks the apex of this narrative, where Jesus directly confronts death, manifesting His absolute, life-giving authority.

John 11 43 Word analysis

• And: (Greek: Kai) Serves as a connector, linking Jesus' potent command directly to His preceding public prayer to the Father, indicating immediate divine efficacy and fulfillment.
• when he had thus spoken,: (Greek: tauta eipōn - "having spoken these things") Refers directly to Jesus' prayer in John 11:41-42. It emphasizes that His command to Lazarus is not impulsive, but proceeds from a perfect communion and prior affirmation with the Father.
• he cried: (Greek: ekraugasen) This is an aorist indicative verb meaning "he shouted out" or "he yelled." It signifies a strong, immediate, and forceful declaration, indicating urgency and a clear demonstration of authority rather than a whisper or plea.
• with a loud voice,: (Greek: phōnē megalē) This phrase underscores the power, authority, and public nature of the command. It was a voice intended to be heard by all present, both physically and spiritually, testifying to the undeniable work of God through Jesus. This echo's God's powerful creative commands.
• Lazarus,: (Greek: Lazare) The direct, personal address is crucial. Jesus specifically calls Lazarus by name, demonstrating sovereign, particular, and intentional power. This avoids a general resurrection of all the dead nearby and highlights His intimate knowledge and call to His own.
• come forth.: (Greek: deuro exō) This is a clear, immediate, and powerful imperative command: "come here outside" or "come out." It is an order, not a request, revealing Jesus' absolute dominion over the powers of death and His ability to compel obedience even from the grave. The "forth" emphasizes exit from the confining tomb.

Words-group analysis

• And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice,: This phrase bridges Jesus' public prayer of thanksgiving (affirming His divine unity and mission) to His subsequent action. The emphasis on a "loud voice" highlights that this was a public, undeniable demonstration of authority, intended for all witnesses, alive and dead, to hear the compelling power of God in Christ.
• Lazarus, come forth.: This concise, direct command encapsulates Jesus' absolute power over death. By individually naming Lazarus, Jesus shows His specific, sovereign intention, distinct from any general resurrection. The imperative "come forth" illustrates His unchallengeable authority; death must release its captive at His word. It powerfully prefigures the final resurrection when all in the tombs will hear His voice.

John 11 43 Bonus section

The resurrection of Lazarus, four days after his death and amidst the presence of many witnesses (including hostile observers), strategically removed all doubt regarding its miraculous nature, precluding any claim of unconsciousness or mistaken death. This event served as the critical turning point that led the Sanhedrin, recognizing the shift in public opinion toward Jesus, to accelerate their plot to have Him killed (Jn 11:47-53). It was a powerful challenge to the Sadducees, who denied any future resurrection, as well as to general human assumptions about the finality of death. Jesus' capacity to recall a named individual from death demonstrates His unique power, often connected by scholars to God's creative "voice" in Genesis. The miracle cemented the theological understanding that spiritual and physical life flow directly from Christ.

John 11 43 Commentary

John 11:43 marks the pinnacle of Jesus' ministry of signs, publicly displaying His identity as "the resurrection and the life." Following a prayer confirming His divine connection, Jesus issues a direct, loud, and authoritative command, demonstrating absolute power over death and decay. This specific call to "Lazarus" prevents any mass resurrection, underlining Jesus' personal and intentional sovereignty. The command "come forth" is not a request, but a potent, effective order, compelling immediate life from the grave. This miracle serves as undeniable proof for the crowds and an unshakeable testimony to the truth of Christ's claims, sealing the glory of God. It is also a profound foreshadowing of both His own impending resurrection and the future general resurrection of all who will hear His voice.