Bible verses: Grief
John 11 describes Jesus’ tears at Lazarus’s death, amid his meetings with Martha and Mary. In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul connects receiving comfort with supporting others. These passages make room for sorrow; they do not set a deadline for grieving.
English — World English Bible
John 11:32–36
Read the full chapter32 Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled,
34 and said, “Where have you laid him?” They told him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!”
2 Corinthians 1:3–4
Read the full chapter3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
A question for reflection
What does each passage say in its own setting, and how do the two texts differ?
How to use this selection
These topics are starting points, not an exhaustive list. The introductions are editorial reading notes; quotations follow the named edition. Read the chapter to identify who is speaking, to whom and in what situation.
BibleMio editorial notes, prepared with AI assistance. These notes are not part of the biblical text.