The Third Sign: Healing the Sick

After this, a Jewish festival took place, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.(A) By the Sheep Gate(B) in Jerusalem there is a pool, called Bethesda[a] in Aramaic, which has five colonnades. Within these lay a large number of the disabled—blind, lame, and paralyzed.[b]

One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had already been there a long time,(C) he said to him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,”(D) the disabled man answered, “I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.”

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

Now that day was the Sabbath,(E) 10 and so the Jews(F) said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath.(G) The law prohibits you from picking 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 healed did not know who it was,(I) because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.[c]

14 After this, Jesus found him in the temple(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) 16 Therefore, the Jews began persecuting(L) Jesus[d] because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.(M)

Honoring the Father and the Son

17 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 to God.

19 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father[e] does, the Son likewise does these things.(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 whom he wants.(S) 22 The Father,(T) in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all people may 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 “Truly I tell 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 “Truly I tell 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 condemnation.

30 “I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment(AC) is just,(AD) because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.(AE)

Witnesses to Jesus

31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies about me, and I know that the testimony he gives about me is true.(AF) 33 You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth.(AG) 34 I don’t receive human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 John[f](AH) was a burning and shining lamp,(AI) and you were willing to rejoice for a while in 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 residing in you, because you don’t believe the one he sent. 39 You pore over the Scriptures(AO) because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me.(AP) 40 But you are not willing(AQ) to come to me(AR) so that you may have life.

41 “I do not accept glory(AS) from people, 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) and yet you don’t accept me.(AV) If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe, since you accept glory from one another but 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 what he wrote,(AZ) how will you believe my words?”(BA)

Footnotes

  1. 5:2 Some mss read Bethzatha; other mss read Bethsaida
  2. 5:3 Some mss include vv. 3b-4:—waiting for the moving of the water, 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.
  3. 5:13 Lit slipped away, there being a crowd in that place
  4. 5:16 Other mss add and trying to kill him
  5. 5:19 Lit whatever that one
  6. 5:35 Lit That man

The Healing at Bethesda

After these things there was (A)a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now in Jerusalem, by (B)the Sheep Gate, there is a pool which (C)in [a]Hebrew is called [b]Bethesda, having five [c]porticoes. In these porticoes lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, limping, or [d]paralyzed.[e] Now a man was there who had been [f]ill for thirty-eight years. Jesus, upon seeing this man lying there and knowing that he had already been in that condition for a long time, *said to him, “Do you want to get well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus *said to him, (D)Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.

(E)Now it was a Sabbath on that day. 10 So (F)the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is a Sabbath, and (G)it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.” 11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’ 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick it up and walk’?” 13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. 14 Afterward, Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not (H)sin anymore, (I)so that nothing worse happens to you.” 15 The man went away, and informed (J)the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 For this reason (K)the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on a Sabbath. 17 But He answered them, “My Father [g]is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

Jesus’ Equality with God

18 For this reason therefore (L)the Jews (M)were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, (N)making Himself equal with God.

19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (O)the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever [h]the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way. 20 (P)For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him (Q)greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and (R)gives them life, so (S)the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22 For not even the Father judges anyone, but (T)He has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. (U)The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and (V)believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and (W)does not come into judgment, but has (X)passed out of death into life.

Two Resurrections

25 Truly, truly, I say to you, [i](Y)a time is coming and [j]even now has arrived, when (Z)the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who (AA)hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He (AB)gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to (AC)execute judgment, because He is [k]the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this; for [l](AD)a time is coming when (AE)all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come out: (AF)those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the bad deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

30 (AG)I can do nothing [m]on My own. As I hear, I judge; and (AH)My judgment is [n]righteous, because I do not seek My own will but (AI)the will of Him who sent Me.

31 (AJ)If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not [o]true. 32 There is (AK)another who testifies about Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.

Testimony of John the Baptist

33 You have sent messengers to John, and he (AL)has testified to the truth. 34 But (AM)the testimony I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was (AN)the lamp that was burning and shining, and you (AO)were willing to rejoice for [p]a while in his light.

Testimony of Works

36 But the testimony I have is greater than the testimony of John; for (AP)the works which the Father has given Me (AQ)to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father (AR)has sent Me.

Testimony of the Father

37 And the Father who sent Me, (AS)He has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 Also you do not have (AT)His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He (AU)sent.

Testimony of the Scripture

39 [q](AV)You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is (AW)those very Scriptures that testify about Me; 40 and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41 (AX)I do not receive glory from people; 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not [r]receive Me; (AY)if another comes in his own name, you will [s]receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you [t](AZ)accept [u]glory from one another and you do not seek (BA)the [v]glory that is from (BB)the one and only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is (BC)Moses, in whom you have put your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for (BD)he wrote about Me. 47 But (BE)if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Footnotes

  1. John 5:2 I.e., Jewish Aramaic
  2. John 5:2 Some early mss Bethsaida or Bethzatha
  3. John 5:2 Or colonnades (with roofs)
  4. John 5:3 Or had shrunken limbs
  5. John 5:3 Late mss add the following as the remainder of v 3, and v 4: paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first stepped in after the stirring up of the water was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted
  6. John 5:5 Lit in his sickness
  7. John 5:17 I.e., has been and continues
  8. John 5:19 Lit that One
  9. John 5:25 Lit an hour
  10. John 5:25 Lit now is, when
  11. John 5:27 Or a son of man
  12. John 5:28 Lit an hour
  13. John 5:30 Or of Myself
  14. John 5:30 Or fair
  15. John 5:31 I.e., admissible as legal evidence
  16. John 5:35 Lit an hour
  17. John 5:39 Or (a command) Examine the Scriptures
  18. John 5:43 Or accept
  19. John 5:43 Or accept
  20. John 5:44 Or receive
  21. John 5:44 Or honor
  22. John 5:44 Or honor