Devine Scripture

John 11:32

What does John 11:32 mean?

A plain-English look at John 11:32 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 11:32 means

Mary reaches Jesus, falls at His feet, and repeats the lament Martha voiced: if He had been there, her brother would not have died. Her posture—at His feet—shows reverence and love. Her words, bathed in tears, express both faith in His power and the ache of His absence. Mary’s response is not argument but worshipful grief. This moment reveals that Jesus welcomes honest sorrow. The repeated lament from both sisters underscores their confidence in His healing authority and sets the stage for Him to reveal a greater power: authority to give life to the dead.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she went down at his feet, saying, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not be dead.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

Mary, therefore, when she came where Jesus was, having seen him, fell at his feet, saying to him, `Sir, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died;'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

When Mary therefore was come where Jesus was, seeing him, she fell down at his feet and saith to him. Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, seeing him, fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Context

With the mourners now present, Mary’s encounter with Jesus mirrors Martha’s in content but differs in tone, marked by prostration and tears. This public grief will evoke Jesus’ own deep emotion. The next verses describe Him groaning in spirit, asking where Lazarus is laid, and weeping. These reactions lead directly to the tomb scene, where the sign will be performed before those who have shared in the sisters’ sorrow.

v.31The Jews then who were with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb to weep there.

v.32This passage

v.33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Revelation 5:8

    And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

  • Luke 5:8

    But Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

  • Luke 8:41

    And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus’ feet, and besought him to come into his house;

  • John 11:37

    But some of them said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die?

  • Luke 17:16

    and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

  • Revelation 5:14

    And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped.

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