Stories from the Life of Christ Told to the Children - Janet Kelman




The Raising of Lazarus

And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch, and spake this parable unto them:

"Verily, verily I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers.

"The thief cometh not but for to steal and to kill and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep and fleeth. And the wolf catcheth them and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold. Them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself."

After these sayings the Jews sought again to take him; but he escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan, into the place where John at first baptized, and there he abode. And much people went unto him there and said, "All things that John spake of this man were true." And many believed in him there.


Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Mary and her sister Martha.

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Therefore the sisters of Lazarus sent unto Jesus, saying, "Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick." When he had heard that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that he saith to his disciples, "Let us go into Judea again."

His disciples say unto him, "Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again?"

Jesus said, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth,

but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep: Then said his disciples, "Lord, if he sleep

he shall do well."

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death; but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that ye may believe. Nevertheless let us go unto him."

Then said Thomas unto his fellow-disciples, "Let us also go that we may die with him."

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem; and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him, but Mary sat still in the house.

Then said Martha unto Jesus, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee."

Jesus said unto her, "Thy brother shall rise again."

Martha saith unto him, "I know that he shall rise again at the last day."

Jesus saith unto her, "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

She saith unto him, "Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."

And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, "The Master is come, and calleth for thee." As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, "She goeth unto the grave to weep there."

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, "Where have they laid him?"

They said unto him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, "Behold how he loved him 1"

And some of them said, "Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?"

Jesus therefore cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

Jesus said, "Take ye away the stone."

Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, "Lord, he hath been dead four days!"

Jesus saith unto her, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"

Then they took away the stone. Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth."

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes, and his face was bound about with a napkin.

Jesus saith unto them, "Loose him, and let him go."

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, "What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him."

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, and there continued with his disciples.

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman which had been bowed together for eighteen years, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her unto him, and said unto her, "Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity."

And he laid his hands on her, and she was made straight, and glorified God.

And the ruler of the synagogue said unto the people, "There are six days in which men ought to work. In them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day."

The Lord then answered him and said, "Doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?"

And when he had said these things his enemies were ashamed, and the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

And he went through the cities and villages teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, "Lord, are there few that be saved?"

And he said unto them, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. And they shall come from the east and from the west, and from the north and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are last which shall be first, and first which shall be last."