Albert Barnes Commentary John 11:26

"and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this?" — John 11:26 (ASV)

Whoever lives. He had just spoken of the prospects of the pious dead. He now says that the same prospects are before the living who have like faith. Greek, "Every one living and believing on me."

Shall never die. As the dead, though dead, shall yet live, so the living shall have the same kind of life. They shall never come into eternal death. See John 6:50, 51, 54, 58.

Greek, "shall by no means die forever."

Do you believe this? This question was doubtless asked because it implied that he was then able to raise up Lazarus, and because it was a proper time for her to test her own faith.

The time of affliction is a favourable period to try ourselves to ascertain whether we have faith. If we still have confidence in God, if we look to him for comfort in such seasons, it is good evidence that we are his friends. He who loves God when he takes away his comforts has the best evidence possible of true attachment to him.