John 11:43 Lazarus, come forth.

Spoken to
an individual

After Lazarus's death, Jesus comes to the tomb.

KJV

John 11:43 Lazarus, come forth.

NIV

John 11:43 “Lazarus, come out!”

LISTENERS HEARD

Lazarus, out here!

MY TAKE

Jesus wants people to come out of the dark.

GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page)
LOST IN TRANSLATION

The surprising thing is that there is no verb in this sentence, no word at all meaning "come" in the ordinary sense. The word translated as "come" is an adverb primarily meaning "here." It means "come" in the same way that in English we call someone say "here!" Or, in this case, "out here?"

 

 

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
1
  • CW - Confusing Word -- The "wherefore" is not the common word usually translated as "wherefore."
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES
1

CW - Confusing Word -- The "wherefore" is not the common word usually translated as "wherefore."

EACH WORD of KJV

Lazarus, -- "Lazarus" is  the is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means "He who God helps."

come-  (CW) "Come" is from an adverb that means "here" but can be used in an expression to mean "come on." This is not the word usually translated as "come."

forth. -- The word translated as "out" means "out of a place" and "outside."

EACH WORD of NIV

Lazarus, -- "Lazarus" is  the is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means "He who God helps."

come-  (CW) "Come" is from an adverb that means "here" but can be used in an expression to mean "come on." This is not the word usually translated as "come."

out. -- The word translated as "out" means "out of a place" and "outside."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

Λάζαρε   [7 verses](Hebrew Name) "Lazarus" is from "Lazaros," which is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means "He who God helps."

δεῦρο [4 verses](adv) "Come" is deuro, which is an adverb that means "hither," "hear," "until now," "hither to," and [with an imperative] "come on" and [later] "go away." 

ἔξω [21 verses](adv) "Out" is exo, which means "out of a place," "outside," "external things," and "beyond a time."

Wordplay

 A double play on the place and time meanings of the two words. 

Possible Symbolic Meaning
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