John 11:1-57

John tells the Good News about Jesus

Gospel of John

Marion Adams

Chapter 11

Lazarus dies 11:1-16

v1-2 A man called Lazarus was ill. He lived in Bethany. He had two sisters, Mary and Martha. (Mary was the woman who poured expensive *perfume on the *Lord’s feet. Then she wiped them with her hair.) v3 The two sisters sent a message to Jesus. The message was, ‘*Lord, our brother is your friend. But he is very ill.’

v4 Jesus listened to the message. He said, ‘In the end, this illness will not cause Lazarus’s death. But it will bring *glory to God and to his Son.’

v5 Mary, Martha and Lazarus were Jesus’ special friends. v6 But Jesus did not go to them immediately when he heard about Lazarus’s illness. Instead, he stayed where he was during the next two days. v7 Then he said to his *disciples, ‘Now we will go back to *Judea.’

v8 His *disciples said, ‘Teacher, only a short time ago the people in *Judea wanted to kill you! They tried to throw stones at you. But you want to go back there!’

v9 Jesus said, ‘There are 12 hours of daylight every day. During the day, you can walk safely. You will not trip. You can see because there is light from the sun. v10 But if you walk by night, you will trip. You will trip because there is no light.’

v11 After he had said these things, he told them, ‘Our friend Lazarus is asleep. But I am going there to waken him.’

v12 The *disciples answered, ‘*Lord, if he is sleeping, he will recover from his illness.’

v13 Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead. But the *disciples thought that Jesus was referring to rest and sleep.

v14 So Jesus told them clearly, ‘Lazarus is dead! v15 I am glad that I was not there with him. I am glad because now you will have an opportunity to *believe in me. Let us go to him.’

v16 Thomas, who was called the Twin (a person who is born at the same time as a brother or sister) said to the other *disciples, ‘Let us all go, so that we can die with Jesus!’

Verse 1 Bethany was a small town to the east of *Jerusalem. The name ‘Bethany’ meant ‘the house of poor people’. Probably, it was a place where poor or ill people could come for help. Jesus had been there several times. He had special friends there: Lazarus, Mary and Martha.

Verse 2 This verse refers to an incident that John described later in his *Gospel (see John 12:1-8).

Verses 3-4 Mary and Martha knew that Jesus could help their ill brother. They had seen the *miracles that Jesus had done. But Jesus did not do what they expected. He did not go to them immediately.

Sometimes, when we pray, God seems to do nothing. It may even seem that he has not heard our prayer. But God always answers our prayers. When we ask him, he can make good things happen, even in a bad situation. But he does not always do this immediately. God always knows when it is the right time for him to act. This brings *glory to him.

Verses 5-6 Lazarus and his sisters were very special to Jesus. Jesus had stayed at their house, probably several times. He knew them well and he loved them. He knew that they were suffering. Lazarus’s illness would cause great strain to his sisters. So it may seem strange to us that Jesus did not go to them immediately. But, because he was God’s Son, he knew the right time to go.

Verses 7-8 Jesus waited two days before he returned to *Judea. He knew that Lazarus would be dead. And he knew that he would make Lazarus become alive again. So it was time to go and to do this great *miracle.

Jesus told his *disciples that he intended to return to *Judea. But he did not give a reason immediately. The *disciples were surprised because the *Jewish leaders in *Judea wanted to kill him.

Verses 9-10 But Jesus knew *exactly what God wanted him to do. So he would not be in danger at that time. It would be like someone who is walking in daylight. When we are following God’s instructions, our decisions are wise. It is as if we ‘walk in daylight’, too. But we may take risks without God’s instructions. That is like someone who is walking in darkness. It is dangerous!

Verses 11-14 The *disciples did not understand what Jesus really meant. When Jesus referred to sleep (verse 11), he actually meant death. But the *disciples thought that he was referring to natural sleep. So Jesus told them plainly.

Verse 15 If Jesus had been with Lazarus, Jesus could have cured him. But instead, Jesus stayed away until Lazarus was dead. This was so that Jesus could show his power and authority over death. Jesus became alive again after his own death. And Jesus also had the power to make other people become alive again after death.

Verse 16 People usually think of Thomas as the *disciple who doubted Jesus’ *resurrection (John 20:24-29). But, in this situation, Thomas showed that he was a brave and loyal *disciple. All the *disciples knew that it was dangerous to return to *Judea. They had tried to persuade Jesus to stay away. But Jesus had decided to go anyhow. So Thomas urged them all to go with Jesus, even if they had to die with him.

Jesus talks to Martha 11:17-27

v17 Jesus arrived in Bethany. He heard that Lazarus’s body had already been in the grave for 4 days. v18 Bethany was less than 3 kilometres (2 miles) from *Jerusalem. v19 Many people had come from the city to comfort Mary and Martha about their brother’s death. v20 Martha heard that Jesus was coming. So she went to meet him. But Mary stayed at home.

v21 Martha said to Jesus, ‘*Lord! If you had been here, my brother would not have died. v22 But, even now, God will do anything that you ask. I know this.’

v23 Jesus told her, ‘Your brother will live again.’

v24 Martha answered, ‘I know that he will live again on the last day [see note at John 6:39]. That is when all dead people will become alive again.’

v25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the giver of life. I make dead people live again. Everyone who *believes in me will live again. Although they will die, still they will live again! v26 They will live because they *believe in me. So they will never die. Martha, do you believe this?’

v27 Martha answered, ‘Yes, *Lord! I believe that you are the *Messiah, God’s Son. God has now sent you into the world.’

Elsewhere, Luke wrote about Mary and Martha in his *Gospel. He described a time when Jesus was a guest at their house. Martha was very busy. She was working hard in order to make everything ready for him. Mary was just sitting and listening to Jesus. Martha was angry because Mary was not helping her. But Jesus praised Mary because she chose to listen to him instead. The most important thing that we can ever do is to listen to Jesus. (Luke 10:38-42.)

However, in this passage in John’s *Gospel, Martha shows that she has a very strong *faith in Jesus, too.

Verses 17-22 Martha heard that Jesus was coming. So immediately, she went out to meet him. As Luke described, she did not want merely to wait. She preferred to do something.

Probably, it upset her very much that Jesus had not come sooner. She had *faith in his power to do *miracles. If he had come earlier, he could have cured Lazarus. She told this to Jesus. But she also believed that God could do anything. And he would do anything that Jesus asked.

Verses 23-24 Jesus promised to her that Lazarus would live again. But she thought that he was just reminding her about a common *Jewish belief about *resurrection (see, for example, Daniel 12:2-3). Most *Jews believed that, in the future, all dead people would become alive again. The *prophet Isaiah wrote about a time when God would make a new world (Isaiah Chapter s 65 and 66). God would give new bodies to all his people, past and present.

So Martha agreed. But it still upset her that this *resurrection would happen just in the future. It would not happen at that time in the present.

Verses 25-26 But Jesus was talking about both the future and the present. He said this because he had power over death. And everyone who *believes in Jesus receives *eternal life. Therefore, *Christians have *life that death cannot take away from them. Our physical bodies die, but our spirits have *eternal life. And in the future, we will have new bodies, too (1 Corinthians 15:35-58).

Verse 27 Martha’s *faith was strong and sincere. The words that she spoke about Jesus were simple and true. We should have this strong and sincere *faith in Jesus, too.

Jesus weeps 11:28-37

v28 After Martha had said this, she went to her sister Mary. She spoke to Mary in private.

Martha said, ‘The Teacher is here. He is asking to see you.’

v29 When Mary heard this, she got up immediately. She went out to meet Jesus.

v30 Jesus had not entered the village yet. He was still at the place where Martha met him.

v31 There were people in the house. They had been comforting Mary. They saw how she rushed out of the house. So they followed her. They thought that she was going to Lazarus’s grave, to weep.

v32 Mary reached the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she fell down to the ground by his feet.

She said, ‘*Lord! If you had been here, my brother would not have died.’

v33 She was weeping. The people who had come with her were crying, too. When Jesus saw this, it upset him very much.

v34 He asked, ‘Where have you put Lazarus’s body?’

They answered, ‘Come with us, *Lord. And then you will see.’

v35 Jesus wept.

v36 The people said, ‘Look! He loved Lazarus very much!’

v37 However, some of them said, ‘Jesus cured the blind man. But he did not prevent Lazarus’s death.’

Verses 28-32 Jesus waited for Mary outside the village. When she met him, she was very sad. These events had upset her greatly. She said the same words that her sister Martha had said. She was not afraid to show Jesus how she felt. She did not hide her emotions. She was very honest about her feelings.

We, too, must not try to hide our emotions when we talk to Jesus in our prayers. He knows how we are feeling, anyhow. He wants us to be honest about this.

Verse 33 Jesus did not hide his emotions. He saw the people crying. And this ‘upset him very much’. The *Greek words for ‘upset’ are very difficult to translate here. The words describe strong emotions that include anger. John does not explain why Jesus felt like this. Perhaps he felt angry about the sadness (sad feelings) that death causes. He felt this way because of what he would do. He knew that soon he would defeat death. Perhaps he was angry that people did not believe in his power over death. Or perhaps he felt that some people were not genuinely sad. It was the custom for people to cry loudly at a grave anyhow. Sometimes, the relatives of the dead person paid people to do this!

Verses 34-35 When Jesus wept, however, it was genuine. The *Greek word for ‘wept’ is not the same as the *Greek word for ‘crying’ in verse 33. Probably, some of the people were crying just because that was the custom. But Jesus wept real tears because he felt genuinely sad.

Verses 36-37 The people knew that Jesus had loved Lazarus very much. He was one of Jesus’ special friends. But, like Mary and Martha, the people could not understand why Jesus had not cured Lazarus. They did not believe that Jesus could do anything after Lazarus’s death. They knew that Jesus did *miracles. But they did not even imagine that he could make Lazarus become alive again.

Jesus makes Lazarus become alive again 11:38-44

v38 Again, this matter upset Jesus greatly as he arrived at the grave. It was a cave. People had placed a stone across the entrance.

v39 Jesus said, ‘Push away the stone.’

Martha was the sister of the dead man. She said, ‘*Lord, there will be a bad smell. Lazarus has been dead for 4 days.’

v40 Jesus answered, ‘Remember my words! I told you that you would see God’s *glory. But you must *believe!’

v41 So they pushed away the stone. Then Jesus looked upward.

He prayed, ‘I thank you, *Father. I thank you because you listen to me. v42 I know that you listen to me always. But I said these words so that all these people can hear. Then they will believe that you sent me.’

v43 Then Jesus shouted, ‘Lazarus, come out!’

v44 And Lazarus, who had been dead, came out. He had bandages over his hands and feet. He had a cloth still over his face and head, too.

Jesus said to the people, ‘Unwrap him and let him go.’

Verses 38-39 It was a common custom for the *Jews to use caves as graves. Often, they put several dead bodies in one grave. They put a large stone across the entrance. This was because they did not want any wild animals to enter the cave. The stone also prevented a bad smell. So Martha was worried about the smell if anyone moved the stone.

Verse 40 But Jesus did not answer Martha about the smell. Instead, he encouraged her to have *faith.

Verses 41-42 Then Jesus prayed aloud. He did not need to pray aloud. But he wanted the people there to hear him. He prayed continuously to his *Father, God. He did only what his *Father told him to do (John 5:19). He knew that his *Father wanted him to make Lazarus alive again. He knew that this act would bring *glory to God. Probably, he had prayed continuously about this after he heard about Lazarus’s illness. So probably Jesus prayed about it before he came to Bethany. He knew that his *Father had heard his prayer. His *Father would do what Jesus asked him to do. Jesus knew this because his *Father had sent him to the earth. But Jesus wanted the people to realise this. So he spoke his prayer aloud.

Verses 43-44 Jesus had made other dead people become alive again (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:42-43; Luke 7:11-15; Luke 8:40-56). But Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. So when he walked out of the grave, it would have caused a shock to everybody!

It was the custom to bandage a dead body before the family put the body into the grave. Lazarus had these bandages still on. So Jesus told the people to unwrap him immediately.

This *miracle was the most important *sign in John’s *Gospel. Jesus brought Lazarus back to life physically.

The *Jewish leaders plot to kill Jesus 11:45-57

v45 Many of the people who had come to visit Mary *believed in Jesus. They *believed in him because of the things that they had seen. v46 But some of them went to the *Pharisees. They told the *Pharisees what Jesus had done. v47 Then the chief priests and the *Pharisees arranged a meeting of the *Jewish leaders.

They said, ‘We must decide what to do about this man. He does many *miracles. v48 If we do not stop him, everybody will *believe in him. Then the *Romans will come with their army. They will destroy our *Temple and our nation!’

v49 Caiaphas was one of the *Jewish leaders. He was the *High Priest that year.

He said to them, ‘You are stupid! v50 We should not let the *Romans destroy the whole nation. Instead, it is better if this one man dies on behalf of the people.’

v51 It was not Caiaphas’s own idea to say this. It was a *prophecy that Jesus would die on behalf of the *Jewish people. Caiaphas said it because he was the *High Priest that year. v52 This *prophecy was not just about the *Jewish nation. It referred to all God’s people who had scattered to different places all over the world. Jesus would die to bring them together and to unite them.

v53 After this day, the *Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus. v54 So Jesus did not continue to travel in public through *Judea. Instead, he went away to Ephraim, a town near to the desert. He stayed there with his *disciples.

v55 It was almost the time for the *Passover. Many *Jews arrived in *Jerusalem several days early. They lived outside the city, in the country. They came early to prepare themselves before the *Passover. v56 They were looking for Jesus. When they were in the *Temple, they spoke to each other.

They asked, ‘What is your opinion? Do you think that Jesus will come here for the *Passover?’

v57 The chief priests and the *Pharisees wanted to arrest Jesus. So they had ordered the people to tell them if anybody saw him.

Verses 45-53 Some of the people told the *Pharisees what Jesus had done. Perhaps they were excited about what this *miracle proved. It proved that he was the *Messiah. And so they thought that the *Jewish leaders would be pleased.

The *Jewish leaders met together. They needed to decide what they should do about Jesus. This was because they were not pleased. In fact, they were very worried. In order to understand why, we need to know some of the history of that time.

During about 100 years, the *Romans had ruled the land where the *Jews lived. But they allowed the *Jews to have a certain amount of freedom. They allowed the *Jews to follow the *Jewish religion and to keep their own customs and traditions. But the *Romans allowed this only if the *Jews did not cause trouble for the government.

So many *Jews, especially the leaders, wanted to stay friendly with the *Romans. They had good jobs and they were rich. Their lives were comfortable. But the *Romans had cruel punishments for anybody who opposed them. The *Jewish leaders knew this. And they did not want the *Romans to become angry. Then the *Jews would lose the freedom that they had.

However, many other *Jews hated the *Romans. They wanted to be completely free. They were waiting eagerly for the *Messiah to come. This was because they expected the *Messiah to lead them in a battle against the *Romans. They believed that he would defeat the *Romans. Then he would make the *Jewish nation important and powerful again.

So the *Jewish leaders were very worried about Jesus because many people were following him. And they thought that he might lead these people to fight against the *Romans. Then the *Romans would punish all the *Jews. (Actually, something like this happened about 40 years later. Some *Jews fought against the *Romans. So the *Romans attacked *Jerusalem and they destroyed the *Temple.)

The *Jewish leaders wanted to stop what was happening. They decided that there was only one way to do this. Jesus had to die!

It was Caiaphas, the *High Priest, who suggested this. John, the author of the *Gospel, pointed out that it was a *prophecy. This was because, in fact, Jesus would die on behalf of the *Jews. But he would not die to save them from the *Romans’ punishment. He would die to save them from the punishment that is the result of *sin. Also, he would die to *save all people who *believed in him, not just the *Jews. And he would unite all people who share the same belief in him.

However, Caiaphas did not realise that he was speaking a *prophecy. He thought that he was making just a political decision. He did not understand that his words had a different, *spiritual meaning. But God used him to say this, because he was the most important *Jewish leader at that time.

Verse 54 But Jesus knew that it was not time yet for him to die. So he went away with his *disciples. They went to a town outside *Jerusalem.

Verses 55-57 Many *Jews were arriving in *Jerusalem to prepare themselves for the *Passover. The *Jews had to do certain things before they could *worship God. For example, they had to wash themselves in a special way. And they might decide to offer *sacrifices.

Everybody in *Jerusalem was talking about Jesus. The people who had just arrived there were eager to see him. The *Jewish leaders also wanted to see him because they wanted to arrest him. So they ordered the people to talk to them if anybody saw him.

perfume ~ a substance that has a lovely smell.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
glory ~ everything that makes God great and beautiful. A bright light that comes from God or Jesus to show that they are beautiful and holy.
holy ~ what God is like. God’s character: perfect, completely good with nothing bad in it. Separate from sin.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
disciple ~ a person who wants to do the same things as another person and to learn from them. Jesus had disciples. John the Baptist had disciples, too.
Baptist ~ a person who baptises people.

baptise/baptism ~ to put a person into water, or to put water on a person; it is to show that the person wants to obey God. Christians receive baptism as a sign that they want to follow Jesus.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Judea ~ the country where the Jews lived. Judea is a Greek and Roman name for the southern kingdom that is also called Judah. It is the region south of Samaria. Jerusalem was in Judea.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Greek ~ a person from Greece; the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament.
Roman ~ a person from Rome. Rome was an important city. The Emperor and the government lived in Rome. Roman describes everything that belonged to Rome.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
Samaria ~ region between Galilee and Judea.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel. It was the place where Israel’s early kings ruled. Later, the kings of the southern kingdom called Judah ruled in Jerusalem.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
Emperor ~ the chief Roman ruler.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Galilee ~ an area and a large lake in northern Israel. The home area of Jesus and several of his disciples.
Israel ~ name of the land that God gave to Jacob (who is also called Israel) and his sons (Genesis chapter 35). Also refers to the Jews, the group of people whom God chose to belong to him in a special way.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
disciple ~ a person who wants to do the same things as another person and to learn from them. Jesus had disciples. John the Baptist had disciples, too.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Baptist ~ a person who baptises people.

baptise/baptism ~ to put a person into water, or to put water on a person; it is to show that the person wants to obey God. Christians receive baptism as a sign that they want to follow Jesus.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel. It was the place where Israel’s early kings ruled. Later, the kings of the southern kingdom called Judah ruled in Jerusalem.
Israel ~ name of the land that God gave to Jacob (who is also called Israel) and his sons (Genesis chapter 35). Also refers to the Jews, the group of people whom God chose to belong to him in a special way.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Gospel ~ one of the 4 books at the beginning of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They record Jesus’ life.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
miracle ~ wonderful works that only God can do by his power. A wonderful event that shows that a person’s message is from God.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
exactly ~ completely right; completely the same; without any difference.
resurrection ~ to come back to life after death.
Messiah ~ the Jews’ name for the special servant of God. It means the person whom God sent to save people from the results of their sins. Jesus is the Messiah.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
faith ~ to *believe in someone or something; to be really sure about the things of God and Jesus.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
prophet ~ a person who hears God’s words and tells them to other people. Some prophets wrote books in the Old Testament. Sometimes, they told about events before they happened.

Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the Jewish *scriptures. The writers wrote this before the birth of Jesus.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
life ~ the quality that a person has, because that person is alive. In John’s Gospel, it means to be completely alive in our spirits. When we *believe in Jesus, we receive this life as a special gift. When we have this life, we can live to please God. It is the best way to live.
Gospel ~ one of the 4 books at the beginning of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They record Jesus’ life.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Greek ~ a person from Greece; the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Father ~ God. Jesus taught us to call God ‘Father’. All Christians are God’s children.
father ~ someone whom a person respects and follows; an ancestor. The Jewish leaders said that Abraham was their father. But Jesus said that the devil was their father, instead!
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
ancestor ~ person in the past from whom one’s parents came.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
sign ~ the word that John often uses in his Gospel to mean a miracle. A sign gives evidence and it points to something beyond itself.
Gospel ~ one of the 4 books at the beginning of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They record Jesus’ life.
miracle ~ wonderful works that only God can do by his power. A wonderful event that shows that a person’s message is from God.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Pharisees ~ a group of Jews who thought that they obeyed all God’s commands.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Roman ~ a person from Rome. Rome was an important city. The Emperor and the government lived in Rome. Roman describes everything that belonged to Rome.
Emperor ~ the chief Roman ruler.
temple ~ a building where people went to worship God. Jesus referred to his body as a temple. This was because God was living among people in his Son, Jesus.
Temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews went to worship God.
worship ~ to give thanks and honour to God and Jesus. To show to him that we love him very much.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel. It was the place where Israel’s early kings ruled. Later, the kings of the southern kingdom called Judah ruled in Jerusalem.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Israel ~ name of the land that God gave to Jacob (who is also called Israel) and his sons (Genesis chapter 35). Also refers to the Jews, the group of people whom God chose to belong to him in a special way.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.

'High Priest ~ the most important priest in the Jewish Temple.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
temple ~ a building where people went to worship God. Jesus referred to his body as a temple. This was because God was living among people in his Son, Jesus.
Temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews went to worship God.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
worship ~ to give thanks and honour to God and Jesus. To show to him that we love him very much.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel. It was the place where Israel’s early kings ruled. Later, the kings of the southern kingdom called Judah ruled in Jerusalem.
Israel ~ name of the land that God gave to Jacob (who is also called Israel) and his sons (Genesis chapter 35). Also refers to the Jews, the group of people whom God chose to belong to him in a special way.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.'prophecy/prophecies ~ the words that a prophet speaks or writes by God’s power. Often, they tell about events before they happen.
prophet ~ a person who hears God’s words and tells them to other people. Some prophets wrote books in the Old Testament. Sometimes, they told about events before they happened.

Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the Jewish *scriptures. The writers wrote this before the birth of Jesus.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Passover ~ an important holy day for the Jews. They eat a special meal on this day every year. This is to remember that God freed them. Before God freed them, they were slaves in the country called Egypt. This happened at the time of Moses. So Passover became an important holiday. At the time of Jesus, the Jews came to Jerusalem to pray in the Temple. And families shared a special meal together.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel. It was the place where Israel’s early kings ruled. Later, the kings of the southern kingdom called Judah ruled in Jerusalem.
temple ~ a building where people went to worship God. Jesus referred to his body as a temple. This was because God was living among people in his Son, Jesus.
Temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews went to worship God.
Israel ~ name of the land that God gave to Jacob (who is also called Israel) and his sons (Genesis chapter 35). Also refers to the Jews, the group of people whom God chose to belong to him in a special way.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
worship ~ to give thanks and honour to God and Jesus. To show to him that we love him very much.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
save ~ to rescue from the results of sin.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
spiritual ~ something that belongs to the spirit rather than to physical things.
worship ~ to give thanks and honour to God and Jesus. To show to him that we love him very much.
sacrifice ~ a gift to God to ask him to forgive sins; or a gift to thank him for something. The Jews killed animals as sacrifices. This word also means to make a sacrifice.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.