King James Bible
"Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well."
The disciples respond to Jesus' previous statement about Lazarus being asleep, addressing Him with the respectful title 'Lord.' This shows their deference while revealing they are about to misunderstand Jesus' metaphorical language about death. The disciples interpret Jesus literally, believing natural sleep indicates Lazarus is recovering from illness. In ancient understanding, restful sleep often signaled a turning point toward healing, demonstrating their failure to grasp that Jesus meant death, not slumber.