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

JOHN 11:1KJV
Know the Bible

John 11:1 (KJV)

What does John 11:1 mean?

John 11:1 introduces a man named Lazarus who is sick and living in Bethany, a village associated with Mary and her sister Martha. This verse sets the scene for the story that follows, identifying the key people and their location.

John, the writer, is telling his readers about a specific event involving Lazarus, who is part of a family well-known to Jesus. The mention of Bethany and the sisters helps readers recognize the family and understand their importance in the coming story, which will focus on Lazarus’s illness and what happens as a result.

The Greek behind John 11:1

  • The word for "certain" (τις, tis) signals that Lazarus is not just any man, but a particular individual known to the audience or to Jesus.
  • The name "Bethany" (Βηθανία, Bēthania) is specified with two Greek words (G963, G1537), emphasizing the exact location, which is important for the story’s setting.
  • The word for "town" (κώμη, kōmē) means a small village, not a large city, highlighting the humble setting where these events take place.

Why John 11:1 matters

  • John 11:1 makes it clear that Lazarus is a real, specific person, not a symbolic or generic figure, which grounds the story in actual history.
  • By linking Lazarus with Mary and Martha, John prepares the reader for the personal and emotional connections that will shape the events to come.
  • Naming Bethany as the location ties this story to other moments in the Gospels where Jesus visits this family, helping readers see the continuity and relationships in Jesus’s ministry.

Where else these words appear

“Bethany” Greek G963 · used in 11 verses

  • Matthew 21:17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
  • Mark 11:11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
  • Luke 19:29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

“Martha” Greek G3136 · used in 12 verses

  • Luke 10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
  • John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
  • John 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

“Lazarus” Greek G2976 · used in 15 verses

  • Luke 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
  • John 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
  • John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

“sister” Greek G79 · used in 24 verses

  • Matthew 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
  • Luke 10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
  • Acts 23:16 And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.