King James Bible
"Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep."
This clarifies Jesus's earlier statement about Lazarus 'sleeping'—He was using death as a metaphor, preparing to reveal His power over mortality. The narrator intervenes to prevent misunderstanding, showing that Jesus knew Lazarus had died and spoke with divine foreknowledge. The disciples interpreted Jesus's words literally, assuming Lazarus was merely resting and would recover naturally. This misunderstanding highlights the gap between human perception and divine revelation, a recurring theme in John's Gospel where spiritual truths are mistaken for earthly realities.