Now a man named Lazarus, of Bethany, was lying ill; he belonged to the same village as Mary and her sister Martha.
Then he left them, and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.
When they had almost reached Jerusalem, as far as Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent on two of his disciples.
And, when he had said this, he added: "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going that I may wake him."
Bethany being only about two miles from Jerusalem,
A number of the Jews had come there to condole with Martha and Mary on their brother's death.
The sisters, therefore, sent this message to Jesus--'Master, your friend is ill';
Meanwhile the people who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, were telling what they had seen.
Now great numbers of the Jews found out that Jesus was at Bethany; and they came there, not solely on his account, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
Just at that time she was taken ill, and died; and they had washed her body and laid it out in an upstairs room.