John 11:13
New International Version
Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

New Living Translation
They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died.

English Standard Version
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.

Berean Standard Bible
They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus.

Berean Literal Bible
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He speaks of the rest of sleep.

King James Bible
Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

New King James Version
However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

New American Standard Bible
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about actual sleep.

NASB 1995
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.

NASB 1977
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of actual sleep.

Amplified Bible
However, Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was referring to natural sleep.

Christian Standard Bible
Jesus, however, was speaking about his death, but they thought he was speaking about natural sleep.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jesus, however, was speaking about his death, but they thought He was speaking about natural sleep.

American Standard Version
Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But Yeshua spoke about his death, and they had thought that he had been talking about lying down, taking sleep.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus really meant that Lazarus was dead, but they thought he was talking only about sleep.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But Jesus spoke of his death; and they thought that he spoke of the repose of sleep.

English Revised Version
Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus meant that Lazarus was dead, but the disciples thought Jesus meant that Lazarus was only sleeping.

Good News Translation
Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but they thought he meant natural sleep.

International Standard Version
Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was speaking about resting or sleeping.

Literal Standard Version
but Jesus had spoken about his death, but they thought that He speaks about the repose of sleep.

Majority Standard Bible
They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus.

New American Bible
But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.

NET Bible
(Now Jesus had been talking about his death, but they thought he had been talking about real sleep.)

New Revised Standard Version
Jesus, however, had been speaking about his death, but they thought that he was referring merely to sleep.

New Heart English Bible
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking rest in sleep.

Weymouth New Testament
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought He referred to the rest taken in ordinary sleep.

World English Bible
Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep.

Young's Literal Translation
but Jesus had spoken about his death, but they thought that about the repose of sleep he speaketh.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Death of Lazarus
12His disciples replied, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get better.” 13 They thought that Jesus was talking about actual sleep, but He was speaking about the death of Lazarus. 14So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,…

Cross References
Matthew 9:24
"Go away," He told them. "The girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him.

Luke 8:52
Meanwhile, everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, "Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep."

John 11:11
After He had said this, He told them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up."

John 11:12
His disciples replied, "Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get better."

John 11:14
So Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead,


Treasury of Scripture

However, Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

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Death Disciples Howbeit However Idea Jesus Meant Natural Ordinary Referred Repose Rest Sleep Speaketh Speaking Talking Thought
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Death Disciples Howbeit However Idea Jesus Meant Natural Ordinary Referred Repose Rest Sleep Speaketh Speaking Talking Thought
John 11
1. Jesus raises Lazarus, four days buried.
45. Many Jews believe.
47. The high priests and Pharisees gather a council against Jesus.
49. Caiaphas prophesies.
54. Jesus hides himself.
55. At the Passover they enquire after him, and lay wait for him.














(13) They thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.--These words forbid the thought that they really understood that Lazarus was dead, but did not wish to seem to know it. Three of them, indeed, had heard our Lord apply the word "sleep" to death before (Matthew 9:24), but this instance of misunderstanding on their part takes its place with others of a like kind, as showing that the surface meaning of words was that which naturally suggested itself to them. (Comp. Matthew 16:6-12, and Luke 22:38) It is not likely that all "the three" were present during this interview. If it took place at Tellanihje, then the nearness of Bethsaida and the other towns of Galilee may have led some of the Twelve to visit their old homes. (Comp. John 1:28; John 1:48 et seq.) We can hardly imagine that Peter was present without taking a prominent part in the conversation, or that Thomas would have been in his presence the representative speaker (John 11:16). His absence may be taken as one of the reasons why the account of the miracle which follows is absent from St. Mark's Gospel, which is, like St. John's, the Gospel of an eye-witness. (Comp. Introduction to St. Mark, p. 189, and Excursus E: The Omission of the Raising of Lazarus, in the Synoptic Gospels.) . . . Verse 13. - Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep. Λέγει, though in the present tense, represents a time anterior to the time of ἔδοξαν. Κοίμησις is found in Ecclus. 46:19. This is an explanation of the misunderstanding, occasioned, perhaps, by the statement of ver. 4, and further elucidated by what follows. A difference prevails between κοίμησις and ὕπνος as both words are used for sleep; but the former has rather the idea of the repose accompanying sleep, the latter the phenomenon itself. With one or two exceptions, κοιμᾶσθαι is always used in the New Testament of the sleep of death, ὑπνός never.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
They
ἐκεῖνοι (ekeinoi)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1565: That, that one there, yonder. From ekei; that one (neuter) thing); often intensified by the article prefixed.

thought
ἔδοξαν (edoxan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1380: A prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

[Jesus] was talking
λέγει (legei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

about
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

actual sleep,
κοιμήσεως (koimēseōs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2838: Repose, taking rest, sleep. From koimao; sleeping, i.e. repose.

but
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

[He]
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

was speaking
εἰρήκει (eirēkei)
Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2046: Probably a fuller form of rheo; an alternate for epo in certain tenses; to utter, i.e. Speak or say.

about
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

death
θανάτου (thanatou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2288: Death, physical or spiritual. From thnesko; death.

of [Lazarus].
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Gospels: John 11:13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 11:12
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