11:44a
The man who had been dead came out: The phrase The man who had been dead refers to Lazarus, who was dead until Jesus called him. Now he was alive. In some languages it may be natural to say:
Lazarus, who had been dead
came out: This phrase indicates that Lazarus walked out of his tomb (his burial cave).
11:44b
with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen: This phrase indicates that Lazarus was still wearing the cloth strips that someone wound around his body when he died. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
his hands and feet tied up with strips of cloth (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
His hands and feet were wrapped with strips of burial cloth (Contemporary English Version)
The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bound is a passive verb. There are at least two ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. The subject may be either his hands and feet or strips of linen. For example:
his hands and feet wrapped in grave cloths (Good News Translation)
-or-
Strips of cloth were wound around his feet and hands (God’s Word)
• Use an active verb. For example:
the cloth strips still covered his hands and feet
-or-
the cloth strips were still around/on his hands and feet
strips of linen: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as strips of linen refers to long pieces of linen cloth. They were wrapped around a dead body before it was buried. Here are other ways to translate this Greek word:
linen bandages (Revised English Bible)
-or-
grave cloths (Good News Translation)
-or-
burial cloths
11:44c
and his face wrapped in a cloth: This phrase indicates that Lazarus’ face was also covered with a piece of cloth. The verb wrapped is passive. There are several ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
his face was wrapped with a handkerchief (God’s Word)
• Use an active verb. For example:
a cloth covered his face (Contemporary English Version)
• Leave the verb implied. For example:
a cloth around his face (New International Version)
a cloth: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a cloth refers to a face cloth. It was a piece of cloth that a man often wore around his neck to absorb sweat. Use the expression that is natural in your language for such a cloth. For example:
a handkerchief (God’s Word)
11:44d
Unwrap him and let him go: Jesus commanded the people there to Unwrap (untie) the grave cloths from Lazarus so that he could walk freely. Here are other ways to translate this sentence:
Free Lazarus, and let him go. (God’s Word)
-or-
Take the cloth off of him and let him go. (New Century Version)
and let him go: The word and connects Jesus command to take off the grave clothes and the result of that action, moving freely. It may be natural to say:
so that he can go
Jesus told them: These words introduce what Jesus told the people who were present at Lazarus’ tomb.
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