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Who was Lazarus in the Bible?

Mary's brother, in the New Testament era

Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha, who lived in the village of Bethany (Jhn.11.1). Lazarus appears in 14 verses across 2 books of the Bible.

The Bible uses the name Lazarus for 2 different entries. All 2 are below, each with its own passages.

Lazarus, brother of Mary

Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha, who lived in the village of Bethany (Jhn.11.1). Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters (Jhn.11.5). When Lazarus fell ill, his sisters sent word to Jesus, but by the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days (Jhn.11.6,17). Jesus went to the tomb and called for Lazarus to come out, and Lazarus emerged, still wrapped in burial cloths (Jhn.11.43-44). This miraculous sign led many to believe in Jesus (Jhn.11.45). Later, Jesus visited Lazarus' home, where Martha served a meal and Mary anointed Jesus' feet with perfume (Jhn.12.1-3). The chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus because his resurrection caused many to believe in Jesus (Jhn.12.9-11). Lazarus' story demonstrates Jesus' power over death and foreshadows His own resurrection.

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Compiled by Protos: the verse list on this page. Where one name belongs to more than one person or place, each of them gets a separate entry.

Lazarus in Luke

Lazarus and the Rich Man
Lazarus and the Rich Man · Gustave Doré, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Lazarus is the name given to the poor man in Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luk.16.19-31). In the parable, Lazarus is described as a beggar covered with sores who longed to eat the crumbs falling from the rich man's table (Luk.16.20-21). When both men died, Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham's side in heaven, while the rich man found himself in Hades, in torment (Luk.16.22-23). The rich man called out to Abraham, asking him to send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and cool his tongue (Luk.16.24). However, Abraham replied that a great chasm separated them and that it was impossible for anyone to cross from one side to the other (Luk.16.25-26). The parable emphasizes the reversal of fortunes in the afterlife and the importance of caring for the poor and needy in this life.

4 verses: Luke 16:20, Luke 16:23, Luke 16:24, Luke 16:25

Definition text: STEPBible · Tyndale House Cambridge. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Lightly edited for length and formatting.

Where does Lazarus appear in the Bible?

Lazarus is referenced in 14 verses across 2 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

John 10Luke 4

Showing the first 10 of 14.

Open all 14 references in Protos

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Lazarus.

JesusAbrahamMaryMarthaDeadBethany

Common questions

How many people in the Bible are called Lazarus?

Lazarus refers to 2 different entries in the Bible: Lazarus, brother of Mary; Lazarus in Luke.

How many times does the Bible mention Lazarus?

Lazarus appears in 14 verses across 2 books, most often in John, which accounts for 10 of them.

Which books of the Bible mention Lazarus?

John, Luke.

Where can I read every verse about Lazarus?

This page lists 10 of them. Protos carries all 14, and opens this entry on the verse you are reading rather than in a separate tab.

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