Discovery BoxJohn 11:19-21 
Context11:19 so many of the Jewish people of the region 1 had come to Martha and Mary to console them 2 over the loss of their brother.) 3 11:20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 4 11:21 Martha 5 said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
1 tn Or “many of the Judeans” (cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e); Grk “many of the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding area in general (those who had been friends or relatives of Lazarus or his sisters would mainly be in view) since the Jewish religious authorities (“the chief priests and the Pharisees”) are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46-47. See also the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 8.
2 tn Or “to comfort them” or “to offer them sympathy.”
3 tn Grk “to comfort them concerning their brother”; the words “loss of” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
4 sn Notice the difference in the response of the two sisters: Martha went out to meet Jesus, while Mary remains sitting in the house. It is similar to the incident in Luke 10:38-42. Here again one finds Martha occupied with the responsibilities of hospitality; she is the one who greets Jesus.
5 tn Grk “Then Martha.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
