The story of Lazarus from John 11, set to music:
Click here to download the mp3 file: The-Resurrection-And-The-Life.mp3
Click here to download a PDF of the sheet music: The-Resurrection-and-the-Life.pdf
This song stays very true to the scriptural story, but does adjust the exact wording to fit the music, so it will not exactly match any one translation you are looking at.
John 11 (McCord)
There was a man who was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who had anointed the Lord with perfume and dried his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. The sisters therefore sent word to Jesus, “He whom you love is sick.” Jesus heard this, and said, “This illness is not fatal, but for God’s glory, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. After he heard that he was sick, he stayed for two days where he was. Then he said to the disciples, “Let us return to Judea.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?” He answered,
Are there not twelve hours in a day? If a person walks in the day, he does not stumble, for he sees the light of the world. But if he walks in the night, he stumbles, for the light is not in him.
He spoke these things, and then said, “Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep. I am going to awake him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has been sleeping, he will be safe.” But Jesus had spoken about his death, while they thought he meant natural sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and I rejoice for your sake that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.” Thomas (who was called the Twin) said to his fellow-disciples, “Let us also go and die with him.”
Jesus arrived, and found that Lazarus had already been in the grave four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles. Now many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them about their brother. Martha heard that Jesus had come, and went to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask him.” Jesus answered, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha replied, “I know he will rise in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said,
I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he dies, will yet live! He who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?
She replied, “Yes, Lord, I have believed that you are the Christ, God’s Son, who comes into the world.”
She said this, and went and secretly called Mary, saying, “The Teacher is here, and he is asking for you.” As soon as she heard this, she immediately arose and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still where Martha had met him. The Jews who were consoling Mary in the house saw that she arose immediately and went out, and they followed her, thinking that she was going to the grave to mourn.
Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, and fell at his feet, saying, “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died.” Jesus saw her weeping, and also the Jews who were with her, and he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled. He asked, “Where have you placed him?” They answered, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. The Jews were saying, “Look! How he loved him!” But some of them asked, “This man, who opened the eyes of a blind man, could he not have prevented Lazarus’ death?”
As Jesus came to the tomb, he was again deeply moved within himself. Now the tomb was a cave with a stone lying against it. Jesus said, “Take the stone away.” Martha said, “Lord, the odor would be strong, for it has been four days.” Jesus said, “Did I not tell you if you believe, you will see God’s glory?” They removed the stone, and Jesus looked up and prayed,
Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I have always known that you listen to me; but I have spoken because of the crowd standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.
He said these things, and then cried loudly, “Lazarus, come out.” He who had been dead came out, with his feet and hands bound, and a handkerchief around his face. Jesus said, “Untie him and let him go.”
