John 11:13-14 · Bible study
John 11:13-14 Commentary: Jesus' Plain Words
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Jesus call Lazarus' death 'sleep' and then speak plainly? Discover the meaning behind the metaphor and the disciples' misunderstanding.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus called Lazarus' death 'sleep,' but the disciples thought he meant natural rest; so Jesus spoke plainly that Lazarus had died.
- Key words: koimēsis (rest/sleep) vs thanatos (death); parrēsia (plainly, without metaphor).
- Main debate: Whether the sleep metaphor implies temporary unconsciousness (soul sleep) or is simply a euphemism, most see it as a euphemism highlighting resurrection hope.
- Theological theme: The chasm between divine perspective and human understanding; Jesus' patient revelation of truth.
- Best use: Teaching on how God accommodates our limitations, and preparing for the resurrection of Lazarus as a sign of Christ's power over death.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
13They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus.
14So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
WEB World English Bible 2000
13Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep.
14So Jesus said to them plainly then, “Lazarus is dead.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
13Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep.
14Then Jesus therefore said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
13but Jesus had spoken about his death, but they thought that about the repose of sleep he speaketh.
14Then, therefore, Jesus said to them freely, `Lazarus hath died;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
13But Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that he spoke of the rest of sleep.
14Jesus therefore then said to them plainly, Lazarus has died.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
13But Jesus spoke of his death: and they thought that he spoke of the repose of sleep.
14Then therefore Jesus said to them plainly: Lazarus is dead.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 11:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Jesus used a common metaphor, sleep for death, which the disciples misunderstood as natural rest. Gill notes that Jesus was speaking 'under the figurative phrase of sleeping,' and the disciples took it literally as 'taking of rest in sleep.' Calvin highlights Christ's patience with their 'gross ignorance.' The disciples had heard Jesus say he would 'awake him out of sleep' (v11) and assumed Lazarus would simply recover (v12). Vincent observes that the Greek word for 'taking rest' (koimēsis) is a cognate of the verb Jesus used for 'fallen asleep' in v11. When Jesus saw their confusion, he dropped the figure. The Cambridge Bible notes that 'plainly' (parrēsia) means 'without metaphor.' J.F.B. cites Bengel's comment that 'sleep is the death of the saints, in the language of heaven,' but the disciples needed the 'more miserable style of human discourse.' The unity is the gap between divine speech and human hearing.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus used a metaphor (sleep for death); the disciples misunderstood it as natural sleep; Jesus then spoke openly that Lazarus had died.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of the metaphor 'sleep' | Jesus used 'sleep' as a euphemism for death, a common biblical figure. | Some Christians hold that this metaphor implies the dead are 'asleep' in an unconscious intermediate state until resurrection; others view it as a temporary state of rest with Christ. Both affirm resurrection but differ on the nature of the interim. |
| Why the disciples misunderstood | The disciples took Jesus' words literally because they expected recovery, not death. | Commentators differ on whether the misunderstanding was due to dull spiritual perception (Calvin) or simply to the natural assumption that sleep means physical rest (Gill). The text allows both, emphasizing that Jesus met them where they were. |
| Significance of Jesus speaking 'plainly' | Jesus' plain speech ('Lazarus is dead') clears up the confusion and prepares for the miracle. | Some see this as a model of pastoral patience (accommodating weak faith); others highlight it as a revelation of Jesus' divine knowledge of the exact moment of death. |
| Use of the term 'our friend' for Lazarus (v11) | Jesus calls Lazarus 'our friend,' showing deep personal affection. | Whether this friendship is unique to Lazarus or models Christ's relationship with all believers is interpreted differently, but most see it as an intimate bond. |
Historical & Cultural Context
In first-century Judaism, 'sleep' was a well-known euphemism for death, rooted in the Old Testament (Dan 12:2; 1 Kgs 2:10). But the disciples were not thinking of death. When Jesus said 'our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep' (v11), they responded, 'Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover' (v12). They assumed natural sleep was a sign of healing, not a reference to death. Their confusion was compounded by the context: Jesus had delayed two days (v6), and they were already nervous about returning to Judea, where Jews tried to stone him (v8). The idea that Jesus would deliberately allow his friend to die and then raise him did not fit their expectations. Jewish funeral customs of the time involved burial on the day of death, followed by a period of mourning. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been in the tomb four days (v17), making the resurrection unmistakable. The metaphor of sleep also carried forward Jesus' earlier words about walking in daylight (v9-10): the disciples were walking in their own darkness, unable to see what Jesus was really saying.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for John 11:13-14. The two verses are well-attested across the manuscript tradition. The Greek text is stable, with minor differences in particle order (e.g., tote oun in some manuscripts) that do not affect meaning.
Reception History
Early church fathers such as Augustine used these verses to discuss Christ's divine knowledge, he knew Lazarus was dead before any messenger arrived, yet described it as sleep. Throughout church history, the passage has been read as a model of how God's language often exceeds human categories. Medieval commentators (e.g., Thomas Aquinas) highlighted the pedagogical patience of Jesus: he first uses metaphor, then plain speech. Reformation exegetes like Calvin and Luther saw in the disciples' dullness a mirror of our own need for the Spirit's illumination. In modern times, the passage is frequently preached at funerals as a comfort, death is sleep from which Christ will awaken us. The contrast between heavenly and earthly speech remains a touchstone for understanding Johannine irony.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The metaphor that divided heaven and earth. Jesus calls death 'sleep', the language of hope, while the disciples hear only 'rest', the language of recovery. The same word can carry two worlds of meaning.
- Patient correction. Instead of rebuking their dullness, Jesus simply speaks plainly: 'Lazarus is dead.' He meets them where they are and steps down from metaphor to fact.
- The plain truth that opens faith. After Jesus speaks plainly, Thomas leads the group with 'Let us also go, that we may die with him' (v16). The hard truth of death becomes the ground for deeper discipleship.
Five-point outline
- Jesus uses the language of heaven, death is sleep for the believer (v11).
- The disciples interpret by earthly logic, sleep means recovery (v12).
- The narrator clarifies the gap (v13): Jesus spoke of death; they thought of sleep.
- Jesus abandons the figure and speaks plainly (v14).
- The plain word prepares for the greatest sign: the raising of Lazarus.
Illustration hooks
- A doctor telling a family their loved one has 'passed' versus saying 'he has died', the same fact, different registers of speech, different readiness to receive it.
- A parent explaining death to a child using 'sleep', the child might then expect waking up the next morning. The metaphor helps, but eventually the child must know the reality.
- Misunderstanding instructions because you and the speaker are thinking of two different things, the classic 'lost in translation' moment that requires someone to say it plainly.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did Jesus wait until Lazarus had been dead four days if he loved him? (v6, v17)
- How is death like sleep for a believer? Is it conscious waiting?
- What does this story teach about how God communicates with us when we don't understand?
Leading a Discussion
This brief passage sits at the hinge of the Lazarus story. Jesus has said something true in a beautiful metaphor, but the disciples completely miss it. Their misunderstanding is not stupid, it's human. We too hear God's promises through our own assumptions. As you work through these questions, notice where you might be hearing what you expect rather than what Jesus is saying.
Discussion questions
- Read John 11:11-14 aloud. What do you think the disciples were picturing when they heard 'fallen asleep'?
- Why might the disciples have assumed that sleep meant recovery (v12)? What does that tell you about their expectations of Jesus?
- In verse 13, the narrator steps in to explain the misunderstanding. Why do you think John includes this clarification for his readers?
- Jesus's shift from metaphor to plain speech (v14) is a form of patience. Have you experienced a time when God had to 'say it plainly' for you to finally understand?
- The Greek word for 'plainly' (parrēsia) can mean 'frankly, without concealment.' Where else in John's Gospel does Jesus speak this way (see 10:24; 16:25)?
- How does the disciples' misunderstanding make the raising of Lazarus more powerful when it happens?
- What does this passage teach about the gap between God's perspective and our limited perception? How can we grow in hearing what Jesus actually says?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 9:24 | he said to them, “Make room, because the girl isn’t dead, but sleeping.” They were ridiculing him. |
| John 10:24 | The Jews therefore came around him and said to him, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” |
| John 16:25 | “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. |
| John 16:29 | His disciples said to him, “Behold, now you are speaking plainly, and using no figures of speech. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible draws attention to specific Greek words: the term for "taking of rest" in sleep is the same root as "sleep" used elsewhere in the story, linking the verses. It also notes that "Then" in verse 14 combines a temporal and a consequential conjunction, better rendered "Then therefore." The word "plainly" is explained as meaning without metaphor.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the disciples' misunderstanding: they took Jesus' metaphor of sleep literally, thinking Lazarus would simply wake up. Jesus therefore had to speak plainly and directly, removing all ambiguity, to make them understand that Lazarus had actually died.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the disciples failed to grasp Jesus' common metaphor of sleep for death, their minds being unusually dull. Without any reproach, Jesus then spoke plainly and directly: Lazarus was truly dead. The point is the disciples' density and Christ's patient clarity.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the phrase "our friend Lazarus" as a remarkable declaration of mutual affection between Christ and Lazarus. He notes that the New Testament invests the symbol of sleep for death with a deeper meaning for believers, so that awakening from this sleep means far more than simply coming back to life.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the raising of Lazarus not only as Christ's greatest miracle but also as the event that directly triggered His own crucifixion. The two-day delay and journey to Bethany are part of a divine plan where love works through apparent hesitation to bring about the most glorious outcome, foreshadowing Christ's own resurrection.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek word translated "rest" is closely related to the verb for "sleep" used earlier in the passage. By citing Wycliffe's rendering as "the sleeping of sleep" and Tyndale's "natural sleep," he stresses that the term carries the ordinary, bodily meaning of sleep rather than a spiritual metaphor.