Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.
Parallel translations
- KJV And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
- BSB and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother.
- NKJV And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
- NASB and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them about their brother.
- NLT and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Many Jews had come to console Martha and Mary over their brother. The mourners would become witnesses to the miracle.
Overview
The presence of many comforters sets the stage for numerous witnesses to Lazarus' raising. Their consolation reflects the genuine grief and social bonds of the time. These same witnesses will later be divided in their response to the sign.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 18
- Job 2:11Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him.
- 1 Th 5:11Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.
- John 11:31Then the Jews 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, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”
- 2 Cor 1:4who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
- Rom 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.
- Job 42:11Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
- 1 Th 4:18Therefore comfort one another with these words.
- Jer 16:5–7For Yahweh says, “Don’t enter into the house of mourning, neither go to lament, neither bemoan them; for I have taken away my peace from this people,” says Yahweh, “even loving kindness and tender mercies.
- Lam 1:2She weeps bitterly in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her: All her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies.
- Lam 1:16“For these things I weep. My eye, my eye runs down with water, because the comforter who should refresh my soul is far from me. My children are desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.”
- 2 Sam 10:2David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
- Lam 1:21“They have heard that I sigh. There is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble. They are glad that you have done it: You will bring the day that you have proclaimed, and they will be like me.
- Gen 37:35All his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. He said, “For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning.” His father wept for him.
- Lam 2:13What shall I testify to you? what shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For your breach is great like the sea: who can heal you?
- Lam 1:9Her filthiness was in her skirts; she didn’t remember her latter end; therefore she has come down astoundingly; she has no comforter: “See, Yahweh, my affliction; for the enemy has magnified himself.”
- Isa 51:19These two things have happened to you — who will grieve with you? — desolation and destruction, and famine and the sword. How can I comfort you?
- 1 Chr 7:21–22Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to take away their livestock.
- Eccl 7:2It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men, and the living should take this to heart.
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John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
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Original language
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