Jezu akhana axamwali wace atatu ku Betanya, omwe akhali Lazaro na mpfumakazi zace ziwiri, Mariya na Marta. Pa nsiku inango, pomwe Jezu akhali kutali na mzinda wa Betanyayo, Mariya na Marta adatumizira Jezu mafala yakuti: ‘Lazaro ankuduwala kwene-kwene. Taphata minyendo, bwerani kuno mwakamfulumize!’ Tsono Jezu alibe kuyenderatu pa nthawe imweyo, koma adadikhira kuti papite nsiku ziwiri, acidzauza anyakupfunza wace kuti: ‘Mbatiyendeni ku Betanya. Lazaro xamwali wathu ankugona tulo, ndipo ndin’funa ndikam’muse.’ Apostolowo adati: ‘Penu iye ankugona, ndiye kuti an’limba.’ Tsono Jezu adadzawauza padeca kuti: ‘Lazaro wafa.’

Pomwe Jezu adafika ku Betanya, Lazaro akhadapendesedwa kale, ndipo pakhadapita nsiku zinai. Wanthu adayenda katsangalaza Mariya na Marta. Pomwe Marta adabva kuti Jezu wafika m’mudzimo, iye adathamanga kuti akagumane naye. Pomwe adamugumana, iye adati kwa Jezuyo: ‘Mbuya, bzingadakhala kuti imwepo mukhali kuno, m’bale wangu angadafa lini.’ Tsono Jezu adati: ‘M’bale wako an’dzakhala pomwe na moyo. Umbakhulupira bzimwebzo?’ Iye adati: ‘Ndimbakhulupira kuti iye an’dzamuka pa nsiku yakumalizira.’ Ndipo Jezu adati kwa Martayo: ‘Inepano ndine kumuka na moyo.’

Patsogolo pace, Marta adakauza Mariya kuti: ‘Jezu wabwera.’ Ndipo Mariya adathamanga mpaka komwe kukhana Jezuko, ndipo wanthu omwe akhali pamwepo adamutewera. Pomwe adagumana na Jezu, Mariyayo adam’godamira, acimbalira Ndipo iye adati kwa Jezu: ‘Mbuya, bzingadakhala kuti mukhali kuno, m’bale wathu angadafa lini!’ Jezu atawona momwe iwo akhabonerera thangwe ra kuluza m’bale wawoyo, iye adayambambo kulira. Pomwe wanthuwo adawona kuti Jezu akhalira, iwo adati: ‘Onani momwe Jezu akhafunira Lazaro!’ Ndipo winango akhabzibvunza kuti: ‘Tsono thangwe ranyi iye alibe kupulumusa xamwali waceyo?’ Kodi n’ciyani comwe Jezu adacita patsogolo pace?

Lazaro akhadapendesedwa mu cimphako comwe cikhadafungidwa na cimwala cikulu. Ndipo Jezu adayenda nawo kumweko, acikalewa kuti: ‘Cosani cimwalaci.’ Tsono Mariya adati: ‘Pinango iye ankununkha, pakuti papita kale nsiku zinai.’ Napo bzikhali tenepoyo, cimwalaco cidacosedwa basi, ndipo Jezu adapemba, aciti: ‘Baba, ndikukutendani thangwe ra  kundibva. Inepano ndin’dziwa kuti imwepo mumbandibva nthawe zense, tsono ndinkulewa bzimwebzi, thangwe ra wanthu adaima panowa, kuti iwo akhulupire kuti ndimwedi mudandituma.’ Patsogolo pace, iye adakuwa mwa mphanvu, aciti: ‘Lazaro, bula!’ Atalewa bzimwebzo, cidacitika cinthu cakudabwisa! Lazaro adabula, ndipo thupi lace likhadakulungiridwa na nguwo. Ndipo Jezu adati: ‘Mutsudzuleni, ayende.’

Azinji omwe adawona bzimwebzo, adayamba kukhulupira Jezu. Tsono, pomwe Afalizeu adabva bzimwebzo, iwo adafuna kupha Jezu na Lazaroyo. Ndipo Juda Sikaliyoti, omwe akhali m’bodzi wa apostolo 12 wa Jezu, adayenda kwa Afalizeuwo mwakabise-bise, acikawabvunza kuti: ‘Kodi mun’ndipasa kobiri zingasi ndikakuthandizani kuphata Jezu?’ Iwo adamuuza kuti angadamupasa kobiri 30 za siriva. Tenepo, kuyambira nsiku imweyo, Juda akhambanyang’ana mpata wa kupereka Jezu.