John 11:38Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
The setting
Bethany, Israel, ~30 AD. Four days after Lazarus died. Jesus arrives at the family tomb carved into limestone cliffs outside Jerusalem...
The emotion here: recording Jesus' raw grief with reverent awe
The original word
embrimaomai (ἐμβριμώμενος) — deep, angry grief; not just sadness but furious at death itself
Why it matters
Jewish burial caves had multiple chambers for extended families, with bodies laid on stone ledges
Read with care
What most readers miss in John 11:38
Jesus groaned AGAIN — this is the second time in 5 verses, showing escalating emotion
Common misconceptionPeople think Jesus was calm and composed because He knew He'd raise Lazarus. But He was genuinely furious at death's destruction of families He loved.
The thread continues
Verses that echo John 11:38
Bible Genome reading
John 11:38 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
John 11:38 comes from the book of John, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to John. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include emotion, tomb. Notable phrases: groaning in himself; came to the tomb.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does John 11:38 mean to you, today?
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