Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him.
Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”
After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”
So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,