Bible Strands
John 11:44
The man who had been dead came out with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. “Unwrap him and let him go,” Jesus told them.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus speaks to the gathered bystanders immediately after calling Lazarus from the tomb. He issues a direct command to the group to remove the burial wrappings and release the man.
The words — ἐξῆλθεν (exēlthen) denotes the action of coming forth, while δεδεμένος (dedemenos) describes the state of being bound. These terms literally capture Lazarus emerging from death while still secured in linen strips.
The thread — The theme of the dead hearing a voice and rising appears in John 5:25. The contrast between burial wrappings and a separate face cloth resurfaces in John 20:7.
Why it lands — The text records a man rising physically while still restrained, followed by a command to remove the bindings. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine power initiates life but human agents must complete the process of release.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Cross-references
- John 5:25 Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
- John 20:7 The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.
- John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.
- Luke 7:15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak! Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.
- John 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.
- Philippians 3:21 who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.
- Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
- 1 Samuel 2:6 The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
- John 10:30 I and the Father are one.”
- Acts 20:9 And a certain young man named Eutychus, seated in the window, was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell from the third story and was picked up dead.