Children’s version of the Gospel for the Fifth Sunday.

• Read the Gospel to the Children, read only the verses below. 

• Ask the children to listen carefully.

John 11:1, 3-5,17-29,33-34,39-44 (ICB)

The Death of Lazarus

There was a man named Lazarus who was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany, where Mary and her sister Martha lived.  So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This sickness will not end in death. It is for the glory of God. This has happened to bring glory to the Son of God.”  Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 

Jesus in Bethany

Jesus arrived in Bethany. There he learned that Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days. Bethany was about two miles from Jerusalem.  Many Jews had come there to comfort Martha and Mary about their brother.

Martha heard that Jesus was coming, and she went out to meet him. But Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you anything you ask.”

Jesus said, “Your brother will rise and live again.” Martha answered, “I know that he will rise and live again in the resurrection[a] on the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will have life even if he dies.  And he who lives and believes in me will never die. Martha, do you believe this?”

Martha answered, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God. You are the One who was coming to the world.”

Jesus Cries

After Martha said this, she went back to her sister Mary. She talked to Mary alone. Martha said, “The Teacher is here and he is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Jesus. 

Jesus saw that Mary was crying and that the Jews who came with her were crying, too. Jesus felt very sad in his heart and was deeply troubled.  He asked, “Where did you bury him?”

“Come and see, Lord,” they said. Jesus said, “Move the stone away.”

Martha said, “But, Lord, it has been four days since he died. There will be a bad smell.” Martha was the sister of the dead man. Then Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

Jesus Raises Lazarus

So they moved the stone away from the entrance. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me.  I know that you always hear me. But I said these things because of the people here around me. I want them to believe that you sent me.”  After Jesus said this, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out. His hands and feet were wrapped with pieces of cloth, and he had a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take the cloth off of him and let him go.”