The Gospel of Barnabas - chapter 193

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193.

Jesus abode two days in the house of Nicodemus, and the third day he departed for Bethany; and when he was nigh to the town he sent two of his disciples before him, to announce to Mary his coming. She ran out of the town, and when she had found Jesus, said, weeping: 'Lord, thou saidst that my brother would not die; and now he hath been buried four days. Would to God thou hadst come before I called thee, for then he had not died!'

Jesus answered: 'Thy brother is not dead, but sleepeth, therefore I come to awake him.'

Mary answered, weeping: 'Lord, from such asleep he shall be awakened on the day of judgment by the angel of God sounding his trumpet.'

Jesus answered: 'Mary, believe me that he shall rise before [that day], because God hath given me power over his sleep; and verily I say to thee he is not dead, for he alone is dead who dieth without finding mercy with God.

Mary returned quickly to announce to her sister Martha the coming of Jesus.

Now there were assembled at the death of Lazarus a great number of Jews from Jerusalem, and many scribes and Pharisees. Martha, having heard from her sister Mary of the coming of Jesus, arose in haste and ran outside, whereupon the multitude of Jews, scribes, and Pharisees followed her to comfort her, because they supposed she was going to the sepulchre to weep over her brother. When therefore she arrived at the place where Jesus had spoken to Mary, Martha weeping said: 'Lord, would to God thou hadst been here, for then my brother had not died!'

Mary then came up weeping; whereupon Jesus shed tears, and sighing said: 'Where have ye laid him?' They answered: 'Come and see.'

The Pharisees said among themselves: 'Now this man, who raised the son of the widow at Nain, why did he suffer this man to die, having said that he should not die?'

Jesus having come to the sepulchre, where every one was weeping, said: 'Weep not, for Lazarus sleepeth, and I am come to awake him.'

The Pharisees said among themselves: 'Would to God that thou didst so sleep!' Then said Jesus: 'Mine hour is not yet come; but when it shall come I shall sleep in like manner, and shall be speedily awakened.' Then said Jesus again: 'Take away the stone from the sepulchre.'

Said Martha: 'Lord, he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days.'

Said Jesus: 'Why then am I come hither, Martha? Believest thou not in me, that I shall awaken him?'

Martha answered: 'I know that thou art the holy one of God, who hath sent thee into this world.'

Then Jesus lifted up his hands to heaven, and said: 'Lord God of Abraham, God of Ishmael and Isaac, God of our fathers, have mercy upon the affliction of these women, and give glory to thy holy name.' And when every one had answered 'Amen,' Jesus said with a loud voice:

'Lazarus, come forth!'

Whereupon he that was dead arose; and Jesus said to his disciples: 'Loose him.' For he was bound in the grave-clothes with the napkin over his face, even as our fathers were accustomed to bury [their dead].

A great multitude of the Jews and some of the Pharisees believed in Jesus, because the miracle was great. Those that remained in their unbelief departed and went to Jerusalem and announced to the chief of the priests the resurrection of Lazarus, and how that many were become Nazarenes; for so they called them who were brought to penitence through the word of God which Jesus preached.