John 11:39
What does John 11:39 mean?
A plain-English look at John 11:39 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 11:39 means
Jesus orders, “Take ye away the stone.” Martha objects, warning of decay because it has been four days. Her protest is practical and sincere; she knows death’s reality. The exchange highlights both Jesus’ authority and the tension between faith and grim experience. By calling for the stone’s removal, Jesus demands a step of trust that exposes the situation to God’s action. Martha’s concern magnifies the miracle to come, showing there is no possibility of misreading the condition. The verse underlines that faith often requires obedience before seeing, even when circumstances argue hopelessness.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Jesus saith, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time the body decayeth; for he hath been dead four days.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Jesus saith, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time the body decayeth; for he hath been dead four days.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said, Lord, by this time the body will be smelling, for he has been dead four days.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Jesus saith, `Take ye away the stone;' the sister of him who hath died--Martha--saith to him, `Sir, already he stinketh, for he is four days dead;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Jesus saith: Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith to him: Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he is now of four days.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Jesus says, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead, says to him, Lord, he stinks already, for he is four days [there].
Context
At the tomb, Jesus’ first command addresses the barrier to the grave. Martha’s immediate objection reminds the reader of the four days and the reality of decay. This dialogue primes the key lesson of verse 40, where Jesus recalls His promise about seeing God’s glory through belief. Once persuaded, they will remove the stone, and Jesus will pray aloud for the crowd’s sake. The sequence deliberately takes the audience from objection to obedience to revelation.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Mark 16:3
And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb?
- Genesis 3:19
in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
- Psalms 49:7
None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him
- John 11:17
So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.
- Genesis 23:4
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
- Philippians 3:21
who shall fashion anew the body of our humiliation, that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working whereby he is able even to subject all things unto himself.
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