Lazarus said, "Lord, this house belongs to God my creator, with all that he has given into my keeping, for the service of the poor. Wherefore, since you are poor, and have a great number of disciples, come dwell here when you please, and as much as you please, the servant of God will minister to you for love of God."

Jesus rejoiced when he heard this, and said, "See now how good it is to die! Lazarus has died only once, and has learned such doctrine as is not known to the wise men in the world who have grown old among books! It was good that every man might die once only and return to the world, like Lazarus, in order that men might learn to live."

John answered, "O master is it permitted to me to speak a word?" "Speak a thousand," answered Jesus, "For just as a man is bound to dispense his goods in the service of God, so also is he bound to dispense doctrine. Ask me, O John. I am bound to listen to you ten times of you have listened to me. He who does not listen to others, every time that he speaks, he will sin; seeing that we ought to do to others what we desire for ourselves, and should not do to others what we do not like to receive."

Then John said, "O master, why has not God granted this to men, that they should die once and return as Lazarus has done, in order that they might learn to know themselves and their creator?"

Jesus answered, "Tell me John, there was a householder who gave a perfect axe to one of his servants in order that he might cut down the wood, which obstructed the view of his house. However, the labourer forgot the axe, and said, 'If the master would give me an old axe I should easily cut down the wood.' Tell me, what shall the master say? Assuredly, he was worth, and took the old axe and struck him on the head, saying, 'Fool, and knave! I gave you an axe wherewith you might cut down the wood without toil, and seek you this axe, wherewith one must work with great toil, and all that is cut is wasted and good for naught? I desire you to cut down the wood in the best way.' Is this true?"

John answered, "It is most true." Then Jesus said, "'As I live eternally,' said God, 'I have given a good axe to every man, which is the sight of the burial of one dead. Whoso wield well this axe remove the wood of sin from their heart without pain. Wherefore, they receive my grace and mercy; giving them merit of eternal life for their good works. However, he who forgets that he is mortal, though time after time he sees others die, and says, 'If I should see the other life, I would do good works,' my fury shall be upon him, and I will so smite him with death that he shall never more receive any good.'

O John, how great is the advantage of him who from the fall of others learns to stand on his feet!"