John 11:13 (YLT)

Passage

but Jesus had spoken about his death, but they thought that about the repose of sleep he speaketh.

Nearby Context

John 11:11 These things he said, and after this he saith to them, `Lazarus our friend hath fallen asleep, but I go on that I may awake him;'

John 11:12 therefore said his disciples, `Sir, if he hath fallen asleep, he will be saved;'

John 11:13 but Jesus had spoken about his death, but they thought that about the repose of sleep he speaketh.

John 11:14 Then, therefore, Jesus said to them freely, `Lazarus hath died;

John 11:15 and I rejoice, for your sake, (that ye may believe,) that I was not there; but we may go to him;'

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jesus", "spoken", "death", "thought", "repose", "sleep", and "speaketh". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jesus" and "spoken", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 12's "therefore said his disciples Sir if he..." into verse 14's "Then therefore Jesus said to them freely...", so "jesus" and "spoken" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "jesus" and "spoken" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.