Bethany
Where is Bethany today? The town of al-Eizariya east of Jerusalem in the West Bank, home of Martha and Mary, where Lazarus was raised.
- Today
- al-Eizariya, east of Jerusalem (West Bank)
- Country
- Palestine (West Bank)
- Status
- Living town: Tomb of Lazarus and Church of St Lazarus
- Identification
- Certain
Bethany was a village on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about fifteen stadia (roughly three kilometres) from Jerusalem. Jesus' friends Martha, Mary and Lazarus lived here, and here Jesus raised Lazarus, who had been in the tomb four days. During his last week he spent his nights in Bethany, and in the house of Simon the leper a woman poured costly perfume on his head. According to Luke, Jesus led his disciples out as far as Bethany, blessed them and was taken up into heaven.
Read the chapters
- Matthew 26
- Mark 11
- Mark 14
- Luke 24
The close of Luke's Gospel — the empty tomb and the risen Jesus walking unrecognized with two travelers on the road to Emmaus, a resurrection chapter full of hope.
- John 11
- John 12
Related topics
Related people
- Jesus Christ
- Mary
- Peter
- John the Baptist
- Elizabeth
- Lazarus
- Martha
- Matthew
- Mary Magdalene
- Thomas
- Zacchaeus
- Methuselah
- Seth
- Abel
- Lot
- Rachel
- Zechariah
- John the Apostle
- Philip the Apostle
- Andrew
- Judas Iscariot
Related verse collections
- Bible Verses About Love
- Bible Verses About Prayer
- Bible Verses of Comfort
- Bible Verses About Fear and Anxiety
- Bible Verses About Forgiveness
- Bible Verses About Faith
- Bible Verses About Creation
- Bible Verses About Salvation
- Bible Verses About Marriage
- Bible Verses About Money and Contentment
- Bible Verses About Humility
- Bible Verses About Generosity
- Bible Verses About Jesus
- Bible Verses About Witness
- Bible Verses About Loneliness
- Bible Verses About Guidance
- Bible Verses About Joy
- Bible Verses About Healing
- Bible Verses About Peace and Rest
- Bible Verses About Mercy
- Bible Verses About Friendship
- Bible Verses About Honesty
Reading plans
- Start with John — 7 Days Through the Life of Jesus
- The Bible for Beginners — 10 Days
- Holy Week — The Final Days of Jesus
- Two Weeks in the Parables of Jesus
- Advent — 24 Days to Christmas
- The Bible in a Year — 365 Days from Cover to Cover
- 30 Days with the Gospel — An Introduction to the New Testament
Related guides
- What Are Easter and the Resurrection?
What is Easter, and how does the Bible recount the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ? A short, neutral guide to the resurrection account and the origin and meaning of Easter.
Books
Places in the Bible
Where is Bethany today?
Bethany today is the town of al-Eizariya in the West Bank, about 3 kilometres east of Jerusalem; its Arabic name itself comes from Lazarus. In the Bible it is the village of Martha and Mary, where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44). Visitors to the town today see the rock-cut tomb traditionally held to be Lazarus', the Franciscan Church of St Lazarus and a Greek Orthodox church.
Where is the tomb of Lazarus?
The Bible describes the tomb as a cave with a stone in front of it (John 11:38). Tradition identifies it with a rock-cut burial chamber reached by stairs in today's al-Eizariya. Right beside it stand the Franciscan Church of St Lazarus, built in the 1950s, and a mosque.
Where is Bethany beyond the Jordan?
The Bethany beyond the Jordan where John the Baptist baptized (John 1:28) is a different place from Lazarus' village. Today it is identified with the Al-Maghtas baptism site on the east bank of the Jordan River in Jordan, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.