NgokukaJohane 11:1-16

Kwakukhona othile owayegula, onguLazaru waseBhethaniya, isigodi okwakuhlala kuso uMariya nodadewabo uMartha. UMariya owayegulelwa nguLazaru umnewabo, nguye lowo owagcoba ngamafutha iNkosi uJesu, wesula izinyawo zayo ngezinwele zakhe. Ngakho-ke odadewabo bathumela kuJesu, bathi: “Nkosi, bheka, umngani wakho omkhonzile uyagula.” UJesu ekuzwa lokho, wathi: “Lokhu kugula akukhona okokufa, kodwa ukuze kudunyiswe uNkulunkulu, neNdodana kaNkulunkulu idunyiswe ngakho.” UJesu wayebathanda oMartha nodadewabo noLazaru. Ngakho-ke lapho esezwa ukuthi uLazaru uyagula, wahlala izinsuku ezimbili kuleyo ndawo ayekuyo. Emva kwalokho wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Masihambe, siphindele eJudiya.” Abafundi bathi kuye: “Rabi, akukapholi maseko abaJuda befuna ukukukhanda ngamatshe, usuya khona futhi na?” UJesu waphendula, wathi: “Imini ayinawo yini amahora ali-12 na? Uma umuntu ehamba emini akakhubeki, ngokuba ubona ukukhanya kwaleli lizwe. Kepha uma ehamba ebusuku uyakhubeka, ngokuba kungekho ukukhanya kuye.” Wakukhuluma lokho, qede wathi kubo: “ULazaru, umngani wethu ulele, kodwa ngiyahamba ukuze ngimvuse ebuthongweni.” Ngakho-ke abafundi bakhe bathi kuye: “Nkosi, uma elele, uzosinda.” Kepha uJesu wayekhuluma ngokufa kwakhe, kodwa bona babethi ukhuluma ngokulala ubuthongo. Ngakho-ke uJesu wabatshela ngokucacileyo wathi kubo: “ULazaru ufile. Kepha ngiyathokoza ngenxa yenu ngokuthi bengingekho lapho, ukuze nikholwe, kodwa masihambe siye kuye.” Khona uThomase okuthiwa nguDidimu, wathi kwabanye abafundi ababenaye: “Masihambe nathi, ukuze sife kanye naye!”