Editing Jesus wept

{{short description|Verse in the Gospel of John describing Jesus's reaction to the death of Lazarus}}
{{about||the album by P.M. Dawn|Jesus Wept{{!}}''Jesus Wept''|the band|Jesus Wept (band)}}
[[File:Brooklyn Museum - Jesus Wept (Jésus pleura) - James Tissot.jpg|thumbnail|[[James Tissot]], ''Jesus Wept (Jésus pleura)'']]
"'''Jesus wept'''" ({{langx|grc-x-koine|ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς|edákrusen ho Iēsoûs}}, {{IPA|grc|ɛˈdakrysɛn (h)o i.eˈsus|pron}}) is a phrase famous for being the [[chapters and verses of the Bible#Statistics|shortest verse]] in the [[King James Version]] of the Bible, as well as in many other [[Bible translations|translations]].<ref>In the [[NIV]], {{bibleref2|Job|3:2|NIV}} is the shortest biblical verse. Whereas the [[KJV]] reads "And Job spake, and said," the NIV simply has "He said".</ref> It is not the shortest in the original languages.<ref>The shortest verse in the [[Novum Testamentum Graece|Greek New Testament]] is Luke 20:30 ("{{lang|grc|καὶ ὁ δεύτερος}}", "And the second") with twelve letters, according to the [[The New Testament in the Original Greek|Westcott and Hort]] text. The shortest verse in the [[Pentateuch]], Genesis 26:6, also has twelve letters in the original [[Hebrew]]. The shortest verse in the [[Hagiographa]], 1 Chronicles 1:25, has nine letters in the original Hebrew.</ref> The phrase is found in the [[Gospel of John]], [[John 11|chapter 11, verse 35]].<ref name=bible>{{bibleref|John|11:1–45|NIV}}</ref> Verse breaks—or [[Versification (Bible)|versification]]—were introduced into the Greek text by [[Robert Estienne]] in 1551 in order to make the texts easier to cite and compare.

== Context ==
{{further|Raising of Lazarus}}
This verse occurs in John's narrative of the death of [[Lazarus of Bethany]], a follower of [[Jesus]]. Lazarus's sisters—[[Mary of Bethany|Mary]] and [[Martha]]—sent word to Jesus of their brother's illness and impending death, but Jesus arrived four days after Lazarus died. Jesus, after talking to the grieving sisters and seeing Lazarus's friends weeping, was deeply troubled and moved. After asking where Lazarus had been laid and being invited to come see him, Jesus wept. He then went to the tomb and told the people to remove the stone covering it, [[prayed]] aloud to his [[God the Father#Christianity|Father]], and ordered Lazarus to come out, resurrected.<ref name="bible"/>

The [[Gospel of Luke]] also records that Jesus wept as he entered [[Jerusalem]] before his trial and [[Crucifixion of Jesus|death]], anticipating the [[Second Temple#Destruction|destruction of the Temple]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Luke|19:41}}</ref>

== Text ==
[[Image:Juan de Flandes 001.jpg|thumb|''Resurrection of Lazarus'' by [[Juan de Flandes]], around 1500]]
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:auto;"
|-
! Translation !! Text
|-
| [[Biblical Greek]] || ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. <br />''edákrusen ho Iēsoûs.'' <br> "Jesus shed tears."
|-
| [[Peshitta]] || ܘܐܵܬ݂ܝܵܢ ܗ̄ܘܲܝ̈ ܕܸܡ̈ܥܵܘܗܝ ܕܝܼܫܘܿܥ. <br/>''Wʾatiyan hway demʿawhy d-Yushwoʿ.'' <br> "And the tears of Jesus came."
|-
| [[Vulgate]] || {{lang|la|Et lacrimātus est Iēsus}} <br> "And Jesus wept."
|-
| [[Luther Bible]] || ''Und Jesus gingen die Augen über''. <br> "And the eyes of Jesus overcame."
|-
| [[American Standard Version|ASV]], [[Darby Bible]], [[Revised Version|ERV]], [[English Standard Version|ESV]], [[Holman Christian Standard Bible|HCSB]], [[King James Version|KJV]], [[New American Standard Bible|NASB]], [[New English Translation|NET]], [[New International Version|NIV]], [[New Jerusalem Bible|NJB]],  [[New King James Version|NKJV]],<br />[[New Living Translation|NLT (pre-2005 version)]], [[Revised Standard Version|RSV]], [[Recovery Version]], [[World English Bible|WEB]], [[Young's Literal Translation|YLT]] || "Jesus wept."
|-
| [[Bible in Basic English]] || "And Jesus himself was weeping."
|-
| [[God's Word (bible translation)|God's Word]] || "Jesus cried."
|-
| [[The Message (Bible)|The Message]] || "Now Jesus wept."
|-
| [[New American Bible]], [[Douay–Rheims Bible]] || "And Jesus wept."
|-
| [[New Living Translation]] (2005 Version) ||"Then Jesus wept."
|-
| [[New Revised Standard Version]] || "Jesus began to weep."
|-
| [[Complete Jewish Bible|Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)]] || "Yeshua cried,"
|-
| [[The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures]] || "Jesus gave way to tears."
|}

== Interpretation ==
Significance has been attributed to Jesus's deep emotional response to his friends' weeping, and his own tears, including the following:
* Weeping demonstrates that [[Christ]] was a true man, with real bodily functions<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/3223/Jesus-Christ-as-Flesh-and-Blood-Human.htm |title=Jesus Christ as a Flesh -and - Blood Human |publisher=Bibletools.org |access-date=2018-04-16}}</ref> (such as tears, sweat, blood, eating and drinking—note, for comparison, the emphasis laid on Jesus's eating during the post-resurrection appearances). His emotions and reactions were real; Christ was not an illusion or spirit (see the heresy of [[Docetism]]). [[Pope Leo I]] referred to this passage when he discussed the [[hypostatic union|two natures of Jesus]]: "In His humanity Jesus wept for Lazarus; in His divinity he raised him from the dead."
* The sorrow, sympathy, and [[compassion]] Jesus felt for all mankind.
* The rage he felt against the tyranny of death over mankind.<ref>[http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/emotionallife.html The emotional life of Jesus], [[B. B. Warfield]]</ref>

== In history ==
Jesus's tears have figured among the [[relics attributed to Jesus]].<ref>[http://www.scifidimensions.com/Aug00/jnf_shroud.htm The Joe Nickell Files: The Shroud of Turin] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223224542/http://www.scifidimensions.com/Aug00/jnf_shroud.htm |date=2008-12-23 }}, interview with [[Joe Nickell]], August 2000</ref>

== Use as an expletive ==
In some parts of the [[English-speaking world]], including [[Great Britain]], [[Ireland]] (particularly [[Dublin]] and [[Belfast]]) and [[Australia]], the phrase "Jesus wept" is an expletive some people use when something goes wrong or to express incredulity.<ref>E.g. [http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/j.htm Peevish.co.uk] dictionary of slang,  [http://www.dagree.net/aussieslang/slang_j.html Dagree.net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203155912/http://www.dagree.net/aussieslang/slang_j.html |date=2007-02-03 }} Aussie slang</ref> In Christianity, this usage is considered [[Blasphemy#Christianity|blasphemous]] and offensive by the devout, as it is seen as violating the [[Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain|second or third]] of the [[Ten Commandments]].<ref name="CT2012">{{cite web |title=BBC rejects blasphemy complaint |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2012/23-march/news/uk/bbc-rejects-blasphemy-complaint |publisher=[[Church Times]] |access-date=20 January 2023 |language=English |date=21 March 2012}}</ref><ref name="Worden2003">{{cite book |last1=Worden |first1=David |title=Truth, Spirituality and Contemporary Issues |date=2003 |publisher=[[Heinemann (publisher)|Heinemann]] |isbn=978-0-435-30701-1 |page=39 |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Wikisource|Gospel of John}}
* [[Dominus Flevit Church]]
* {{section link|Chapters and verses of the Bible|Statistics}} (including shortest verses)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://kingjamesbible.com/B43C011.htm King James Bible - Book of John, Chapter 11]
* {{cite web |last1=Oliver |first1=Simon |last2=Milbank |first2=John |author2-link=John Milbank |title=The Shortest Verse |url=http://www.bibledex.com/verses/jesus_wept.html |work=Bibledex Verses |publisher=[[Brady Haran]] for the [[University of Nottingham]]}}

{{Gospel of John}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jesus Wept}}
[[Category:Crying]]
[[Category:New Testament words and phrases]]
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[[Category:Sayings of Jesus]]
[[Category:Gospel episodes]]
[[Category:Gospel of John]]
[[Category:Mary of Bethany]]
[[Category:Lazarus of Bethany]]