The Third Sign: Healing the Sick

5 After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.^{(A) 2} By the Sheep Gate^(B) in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda^[a] in Hebrew, which has five colonnades.^{[b] 3} Within these lay a large number of the sick—blind, lame, and paralyzed [—waiting for the moving of the water, ⁴ because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had].^[c]

⁵ One man was there who had been sick for 38 years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had already been there a long time,^(C) He said to him, “Do you want to get well?”

⁷ “Sir,”^(D) the sick man answered, “I don’t have a man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.”

⁸ “Get up,” Jesus told him, “pick up your mat and walk!” ⁹ Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk.

Now that day was the Sabbath,^{(E) 10} so the Jews^(F) said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath!^(G) It’s illegal for you to pick up your mat.”

¹¹ He replied, “The man who made me well^(H) told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”

¹² “Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” they asked. ¹³ But the man who was cured did not know who it was,^(I) because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.^[d]

¹⁴ After this, Jesus found him in the temple complex^(J) and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” ¹⁵ The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.^(K)

Honoring the Father and the Son

¹⁶ Therefore, the Jews began persecuting^(L) Jesus^[e] because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.^{(M) 17} But Jesus responded to them, “My Father^(N) is still working, and I am working also.” ¹⁸ This is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill Him:^(O) Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

¹⁹ Then Jesus replied, “I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father^[f] does, the Son also does these things in the same way.^{(P) 20} For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works^(Q) than these so that you will be amazed. ²¹ And just as the Father raises^(R) the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to anyone He wants to.^{(S) 22} The Father,^(T) in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, ²³ so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father.^(U) Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.^(V)

Life and Judgment

²⁴ “I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life^(W) and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

²⁵ “I assure you: An hour is coming, and is now here,^(X) when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.^{(Y) 26} For just as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son^(Z) to have life in Himself. ²⁷ And He has granted Him the right to pass judgment,^(AA) because He is the Son of Man.^{(AB) 28} Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come out—those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of judgment.

³⁰ “I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment^(AC) is righteous,^(AD) because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.^(AE)

Four Witnesses to Jesus

³¹ “If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid.^{[g] 32} There is Another who testifies about Me, and I know that the testimony He gives about Me is valid.^{[h](AF) 33} You have sent messengers to John, and he has testified to the truth.^{(AG) 34} I don’t receive man’s testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵ John^[i](AH) was a burning and shining lamp,^(AI) and for a time you were willing to enjoy his light.^(AJ)

³⁶ “But I have a greater testimony than John’s because of the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish.^(AK) These very works I am doing testify about Me that the Father has sent^(AL) Me. ³⁷ The Father who sent Me has Himself testified^(AM) about Me. You have not heard His voice at any time, and you haven’t seen His form.^{(AN) 38} You don’t have His word living in you, because you don’t believe the One He sent. ³⁹ You pore over^[j] the Scriptures^(AO) because you think you have eternal life in them, yet they testify about Me.^{(AP) 40} And you are not willing^(AQ) to come to Me^(AR) so that you may have life.

⁴¹ “I do not accept glory^(AS) from men, ⁴² but I know you—that you have no love for God^(AT) within you. ⁴³ I have come in My Father’s name,^(AU) yet you don’t accept Me.^(AV) If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. ⁴⁴ How can you believe? While accepting glory from one another, you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only^(AW) God.^{(AX) 45} Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. Your accuser is Moses,^(AY) on whom you have set your hope. ⁴⁶ For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. ⁴⁷ But if you don’t believe his writings,^(AZ) how will you believe My words?”^(BA)

Lord of the Sabbath

²³ On^(A) the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples^(B) began to make their way picking some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees^(C) said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful^(D) on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He said to them, “Have you never read what David^(E) and those who were with him did when he was in need^(F) and hungry^(G)— ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar^(H) the high priest^(I) and ate the sacred bread^(J)—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests^(K)—and also gave some to his companions?” ²⁷ Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for^[a] man and not man for^[b] the Sabbath.^{(L) 28} Therefore, the Son of Man^(M) is Lord^(N) even of the Sabbath.”^(O)

Lord of the Sabbath

12 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath.^(A) His disciples^(B) were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. ² But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful^(C) to do on the Sabbath!”

³ He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry— ⁴ how he entered the house of God, and they ate^[a] the sacred bread, which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?^{(D) 5} Or haven’t you read in the Law^[b] that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?^{(E) 6} But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here!^{(F) 7} If you had known what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice,^(G)[c] you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”^(H)

Lord of the Sabbath

6 On a Sabbath,^[a] He passed through the grainfields.^(A) His disciples were picking heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. ² But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

³ Jesus answered them, “Haven’t you read what David and those who were with him did when he was hungry— ⁴ how he entered the house of God, and took and ate the sacred bread, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat?^(B) He even gave some to those who were with him.”^{(C) 5} Then He told them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

The Man with the Paralyzed Hand

3 Now^(A) He entered the synagogue^(B) again, and a man was there who had a paralyzed^(C) hand. ² In order to accuse^(D) Him, they were watching Him closely^(E) to see whether He would heal^(F) him on the Sabbath.^{(G) 3} He told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand before us.”^{[a] 4} Then He said to them, “Is it lawful^(H) on the Sabbath to do what is good^(I) or to do what is evil,^(J) to save life^(K) or to kill?”^(L) But they were silent.^{(M) 5} After looking around at them with anger^(N) and sorrow at the hardness^(O) of their hearts, He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.^{(P) 6} Immediately the Pharisees^(Q) went out and started plotting^(R) with the Herodians^(S) against Him, how they might destroy^(T) Him.

The Man with the Paralyzed Hand

⁹ Moving on from there, He entered their synagogue.^{(A) 10} There He saw a man who had a paralyzed hand. And in order to accuse Him they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”^(B)

¹¹ But He said to them, “What man among you, if he had a sheep^[a] that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out?^{(C) 12} A man is worth far more than a sheep,^(D) so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored,^(E) as good as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him.^(F)

The Man with the Paralyzed Hand

⁶ On another Sabbath^(A) He entered the synagogue and was teaching. A man was there whose right hand was paralyzed. ⁷ The scribes and Pharisees were watching Him closely,^(B) to see if He would heal on the Sabbath, so that they could find a charge against Him.^{(C) 8} But He knew their thoughts^(D) and told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Get up and stand here.”^[a] So he got up and stood there. ⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you: Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do what is good or to do what is evil, to save life or to destroy it?”^{(E) 10} After looking around at them all,^(F) He told him, “Stretch out your hand.”^(G) He did so, and his hand was restored.^{[b] 11} They, however, were filled with rage and started discussing with one another what they might do to Jesus.

The Servant of the Lord

¹⁵ When Jesus became aware of this, He withdrew from there. Huge crowds^[a] followed Him, and He healed them all.^{(A) 16} He warned them not to make Him known,^{(B) 17} so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: