John Chapter 11 verse 12 Holy Bible
The disciples therefore said unto him, Lord, if he is fallen asleep, he will recover.
read chapter 11 in ASV
Then his disciples said to him, Lord, if he is resting he will get well.
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The disciples therefore said to him, Lord, if he be fallen asleep, he will get well.
read chapter 11 in DARBY
Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
read chapter 11 in KJV
read chapter 11 in WBT
The disciples therefore said, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."
read chapter 11 in WEB
therefore said his disciples, `Sir, if he hath fallen asleep, he will be saved;'
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 12. - The disciples therefore say unto him, Lord, if he have fallen asleep, he will recover. Wunsche quotes 'Berach,' fol. 57, b, "Sleep is a good sign for the sick." The language of the disciples is somewhat remarkable; at least their misunderstanding is puzzling (Reuss and Strauss think it is a sign of the unhistorical); but it probably arose out of the statement, made two days before, that "the sickness was not unto death," and from their eager and affectionate desire to prevent their Lord's retraining to Judaea. If he have fallen asleep, he well recover (be saved). The whole narrative is throbbing with deeper meanings than lie on the surface of it. The theory of the sanitary effects of sleep in fever are well known, and the rousing from such sleep might seem hazardous; but the disciples were catching at straws to save their Master.
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(12) Then said his disciples.--Better, Therefore . . . Their remark immediately arises out of what our Lord has said. They are glad to catch at any reason for not going to Judaea.If he sleep, he shall do well.--More exactly, If he be fallen asleep, he shall be saved. There could be, therefore, no reason for His going, as the disease had passed the crisis. Sleep is given by the Rabbis as one of six favourable symptoms, and that it is so is a common-place in authors of all periods. From the apparent suddenness of the attack, and rapidity of the progress of the disease, it would seem to have been the "great fever" which was common in Palestine (comp. John 4:52, and especially Note on Luke 4:38), and in which sleep would be the sign that the fever had ceased.
