UJesu bekanabangani abathathu abahlala eBhethaniya. Bebabangani abatjhidelene khulu. Amabizwabo bekunguLazaru nabodadwabo ababili, uMarta noMariya. Ngelinye ilanga uJesu asendaweni ehlanu kweJordani, uMarta noMariya bamthumela umlayezo orhabako othi: ‘Kosi umnganakho uyagula. Sibawa urhabe msinyana!’ Kodwana uJesu akhenge afike khonokho. Walinda bekwaba malanga amanye amabili godu ngemva kwalokho wathi ebafundini bakhe: ‘Asiyeni eBhethaniya. ULazaru ulele ngisayomvusa.’ Abapostoli bathi: ‘Nange uLazaru alele lokho kuzamsiza alulame msinyana.’ Yeke uJesu wabahlathululela kuhle ngokwenzekileko, wathi: ‘ULazaru uhlongakele.’

Kwathi uJesu nakafika eBhethaniya, uLazaru besele kumalanga amane woke angcwatjiwe. Besekufike newoma labantu lizokududuza uMarta noMariya. UMarta nakezwa ukuthi uJesu ufikile wasuka ngebelo wayomhlangabeza. Wafika wathi: “Kosi ngathana bewulapha umfowethu ngangakafi.” UJesu wathi kuye: ‘Umfowenu uzakuvuka aphile godu. Uyakukholelwa lokhu na?’ UMarta wathi: ‘Ngiyazi uzakuvuka aphile godu ngelanga lamaswaphela.’ UJesu wathi: “Ngikuvuka nokuphila.”

UMarta wakhamba wayokutjela uMariya ukuthi: ‘UJesu ufikile.’ UMariya wasuka ngebelo waya kuJesu newoma labantu lamlandela. Wafese waziphosa phambi kweenyawo zakaJesu wakhihla isililo. Wathi: ‘Kosi kube bewukhona umfowethu ngabe usaphila!’ UJesu wabona indlela ebekezwa ngayo ubuhlungu wathoma naye walila. Iwoma labantu nalibona iinyembezi zakhe lathi: ‘Qala indlela uJesu bekamthanda ngayo uLazaru.’ Abanye babo bazibuza ukuthi kubayini angazange asindise umnganakhe? Alo uJesu bekazokwenza njani kwanjesi?

UJesu waya ethuneni ebelivalwe ngelitje elikhulu emnyango. Wathi: ‘Gedani ilitjeli.’ UMarta wathi: ‘Kodwana sekumalanga amane woke ahlongakele. Isidumbu sakhe sesiyanuka.’ Khonapho bageda ilitje,  uJesu wathandaza wathi: ‘Baba ngiyathokoza ngokungilalela. Ngazi kuhle ukuthi uhlale ungilalela kodwana lokhu ngikutjho ngebanga labantu abajame lapha, khona bazakukholwa bonyana ungithumile.’ Wabiza ngelizwi elikhulu wathi: “Lazaru phuma!” Kwenzeka into ebeyingakalindeleki: ULazaru waphuma ngethuneni atantelwe ngamatjhila. UJesu wathi: ‘Mtjhaphululeni akhambe.’

Inengi labantu elabona lokhu kwenzeka lakholelwa kuJesu. Abanye lapho bakhamba bayokutjela abaFarisi. Kusukela mhlokho, abaFarisi bebasolo bafunana noLazaru noJesu bafuna ukubabulala. Kwathi omunye wabapostoli abali-12, uJudasi Iskariyodi, wakhukhutha waya ebaFarisini wababuza wathi: ‘Nizangibhadela malini nanginganisiza nifumane uJesu?’ Bavumelana ngokumnikela iimpaparwana ezima-30 zesiliva. UJudasi wathoma wafunana nethuba lokuthi angamthengisa njani uJesu ebaFarisini.