And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

JOHN 11:44KJV
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John 11:44 (KJV)

What does John 11:44 mean?

John 11:44 describes how Lazarus, who had died, came out of his tomb still wrapped in burial cloths after Jesus called him back to life. Jesus then told the people nearby to untie Lazarus and let him go free.

In this scene, Jesus is speaking to the crowd gathered at Lazarus’s tomb after raising him from the dead. The verse paints a vivid picture: Lazarus emerges still bound hand and foot with strips of cloth used for burial, and his face is covered with a cloth. Jesus’s instruction to “Loose him, and let him go” shows both the reality of Lazarus’s return to life and the need for others to help him fully rejoin the living.

The Greek behind John 11:44

  • The word for “bound” (δέω, deō) means to tie or fasten, emphasizing that Lazarus was still physically restricted by the graveclothes, unable to free himself.
  • “Graveclothes” (ὀθόνιον, othonion) refers to the strips of linen used in Jewish burial customs, highlighting the reality of Lazarus’s death and the miracle of his return.
  • “Loose” (λύω, lyō) means to untie or release, showing that Jesus’s command was practical—Lazarus needed help to be fully restored to normal life.
  • “Go” (ὑπάγω, hypagō) often means to depart or move on, underlining that Lazarus was not just alive but free to return to his everyday life.

Why John 11:44 matters

  • This verse clears up any doubt about whether Lazarus was truly dead by describing the burial wrappings and the need for others to free him.
  • The details about the graveclothes and Jesus’s command emphasize the physical reality of the miracle, not just a spiritual or symbolic event.
  • John 11:44 connects to the larger story by showing Jesus’s authority over death and his compassion, involving the community in Lazarus’s restoration.

Where else these words appear

“face” Greek G3799 · used in 3 verses

  • John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
  • Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

“napkin” Greek G4676 · used in 4 verses

  • Luke 19:20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
  • John 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
  • Acts 19:12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

“dead” Greek G2348 · used in 13 verses

  • Matthew 2:20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
  • John 11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
  • John 19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

“Loose” Greek G3089 · used in 40 verses

  • Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
  • Luke 19:31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
  • Acts 27:41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.