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

Jesus, after calling Lazarus out of the tomb, commands those present to release him from the burial cloths. This action signifies not only the physical unbinding of Lazarus but also his spiritual release from death and the grave's dominion. It is a demonstration of Christ's power over death and a symbolic act of restoration and new life.

John 11 43 Context

This verse is found within John chapter 11, which details the dramatic resurrection of Lazarus of Bethany. Jesus arrives at Bethany four days after Lazarus' death, met by his grieving sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha expresses faith in Jesus' power to bring about resurrection on the final day. Jesus declares Himself to be the resurrection and the life, asserting His authority over death. He then goes to Lazarus' tomb and, with a loud voice, commands Lazarus to come out. The verse immediately follows this powerful command. The historical context is Jesus' earthly ministry, just prior to His own crucifixion and resurrection. Culturally, Jewish burial practices involved wrapping the deceased tightly in linen cloths, often with spices. The setting is the tomb, a sealed cave, emphasizing the finality of death that Jesus is about to overcome.

John 11 43 Word Analysis

• Phōnē (φωνῇ): Greek for "voice." Here, it signifies not a whisper, but a strong, authoritative proclamation, a command. It highlights the power inherent in Jesus' word.
• Megalē (μεγάλη): Greek for "loud" or "great." This amplifies the nature of the voice, indicating it was not just heard but carried authority and power, demanding a response. It underscores that this was no ordinary command but a divine decree.
• Begasas (βραχέως): A transliteration of the Greek word "brachōs" which actually means "briefly" or "quickly", not "loud". However, in the context of John 11:43, the standard text has "Phōnē megalē" (loud voice), not a word like "brachōs". The emphasis is on the volume and power of Jesus' voice in the KJV translation (though the Greek for "loud" is megalē). In many ancient manuscripts and textual critical analyses, the "loud voice" (phōnē megalē) is well attested, indicating a significant, authoritative call. Scholars note this loud call emphasizes the divine nature of the act, like a thunderous command of a sovereign.
• Lazaros (Λάζαρον): Lazarus, the personal name of the man deceased. The use of his specific name makes the command personal and direct.
• Exelthe (ἔξελθε): Greek imperative verb, meaning "come forth" or "go out." It's a command requiring immediate obedience, breaking free from confinement. It directly addresses Lazarus, signaling the cessation of his earthly death and the need to emerge from the tomb.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• Phōnē megalē (φωνῇ μεγάλη) / "loud voice": This pairing emphasizes the immense authority and power Jesus exercised. It’s the voice of the Son of God, whose words have creative and resurrecting power, echoing God's creative utterance in Genesis.
• Lazaros, exelthe (Λάζαρον, ἔξελθε) / "Lazarus, come forth": This combination signifies a direct, personal, and powerful summons. It’s not just a call into existence, but a call out of the confinement of death into a restored life. It reflects Jesus' lordship over death.

John 11 43 Bonus Section

This miracle is particularly significant as it is the only recorded instance in the Gospels of Jesus raising someone who had been dead for an extended period and had demonstrably decayed. It serves as a powerful sign pointing to Jesus as the Giver of life, validating His claims. The event's magnitude also led to heightened opposition from the religious authorities, directly precipitating Jesus' crucifixion (John 11:47-53). The manner of Lazarus’ coming out, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes, also sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent instruction to "unbind him, and let him go" (John 11:44), which symbolically represents freeing Lazarus into his new life, just as believers are to be unbound from their old selves through Christ.

John 11 43 Commentary

Jesus' command to Lazarus is a display of His absolute authority over death, the final enemy. His "loud voice" is not one of strain, but of divine power, breaking the silence of the grave and the power of the underworld. The command "Lazarus, come forth!" is precise and personal, demonstrating Jesus' knowledge of the individual and His sovereign ability to call back life. It is a demonstration of the power Jesus described earlier in the chapter, where He said the dead would hear His voice and come forth (John 5:28-29). This act prefigures Jesus' own resurrection and offers a glimpse of the resurrection power available to all believers, a power that ultimately frees us from the bondage of sin and death. It highlights that resurrection is an act initiated by Christ and answered by faith and obedience.