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The Healing at the Pool

After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, which in Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great crowd of invalids, blind, lame, and paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water. After the stirring of the water, whoever stepped in first was healed of whatever disease he had. A certain man was there who had an illness for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been in that condition now a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”

The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred. But while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” Immediately the man was healed, took up his bed, and walked.

That day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath day. It is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

11 He answered them, “He who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’

12 So they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”

13 Now the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have become whole. Sin no more lest something worse happens to you.” 15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

16 So the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath day. 17 Jesus answered them, “My Father is working still, and I am working.” 18 So the Jews sought even more to kill Him, because He not only had broken the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

The Authority of the Son

19 Then Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do. For whatever He does, likewise the Son does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself does. And He will show Him greater works than these so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22 The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all men should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

24 “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life. 25 Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not marvel at this. For the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. 30 I can do nothing of Myself. As I hear, I judge. My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will, but the will of the Father who sent Me.

Witnesses to Jesus

31 “If I bear witness of Myself, My testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the testimony which He bears of Me is true.

33 “You sent to John, and he bore witness of the truth. 34 I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining lamp, and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

36 “I have greater testimony than that of John. The works which the Father has given Me to finish, the very works that I do, bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 The Father Himself, who has sent Me, has borne witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe the One He has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures, because you think in them you have eternal life. These are they who bear witness of Me. 40 Yet you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, but you do not receive Me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

45 “Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote of Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

A Paralytic Is Healed

After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool called in Aramaic Bethzatha,[a] which has five porticoes. In these were lying a large number of those who were sick, blind, lame, paralyzed.[b] And a certain man was there who had been thirty-eight years in his sickness. Jesus, when he[c] saw this one lying there and knew that he had been sick[d] a long time already, said to him, “Do you want to become well?” The one who was sick answered him, “Sir, I do not have anyone that, whenever the water is stirred up, could put me into the pool. But while[e] I am coming, another goes down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!” And immediately the man became well and picked up his mat and began to walk.[f] (Now it was the Sabbath on that day.)

10 So the Jews were saying to the one who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permitted for you to pick up the mat!”[g] 11 But he answered them, “The one who made me well—that one said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk!’” 12 So they asked him,[h] “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat[i] and walk?’” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn while[j] a crowd was in the place.

Equal with God

14 After these things Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “Look, you have become well! Sin no longer, lest something worse happen to you.” 15 The man went and reported to the Jews that Jesus was the one who made him well. 16 And on account of this the Jews began to persecute[k] Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But he answered[l] them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.” 18 So on account of this the Jews were seeking even more to kill him, because he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God his own Father, thus[m] making himself equal with God.

The Authority of the Son

19 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing from himself except what he sees the Father doing. For whatever that one does, these things also the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself is doing. And greater works than these he will show him, so that you will be astonished. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and makes them[n] alive, thus also the Son makes alive whomever he wishes. 22 For the Father does not judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, 23 in order that all people[o] will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly I say to you that the one who hears my word and who believes the one who sent me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

25 “Truly, truly I say to you, that an hour is coming—and now is here—when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and the ones who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, thus also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. 27 And he has granted him authority to carry out judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not be astonished at this, because an hour is coming in which all those in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and they will come out—those who have done good things to a resurrection of life, but those who have practiced evil things to a resurrection of judgment. 30 I am able to do nothing from myself. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.

Further Testimony About the Son

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 which he testifies about me is true. 33 You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 (And I do not receive testimony from people, but I say these things in order that you may be saved.) 35 That one was the lamp which was burning and shining, and you wanted to rejoice for an hour in his light.

36 “But I have a testimony greater than John’s, for the works which the Father has given to me that I should complete them—the very works which I am doing—these testify about me, that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me, that one has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form. 38 And you do not have his word residing in yourselves, because the one whom that one sent, in this one you do not believe. 39 You search[p] the scriptures because you think that you have eternal life in them, and it is these that testify about me. 40 And you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

41 “I do not accept glory[q] 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 accept me. If another should come in his own name, you would accept that one! 44 How are you able to believe, if you[r] accept glory from one another, and do not seek the glory which is from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father! The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have put your hope! 46 For if you had believed Moses, you would believe me, for that one wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe that one’s writings, how will you believe my words?”

Footnotes

  1. John 5:2 The majority of later manuscripts read “Bethesda,” while other early manuscripts read “Bethsaida”
  2. John 5:3 The majority of later manuscripts add the following words: “waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel of the Lord from time to time went down in the pool and stirred up the water. So the one who went in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he suffered.”
  3. John 5:6 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
  4. John 5:6 The phrase “been sick” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied from the context
  5. John 5:7 Literally “during which time
  6. John 5:9 *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to walk”)
  7. John 5:10 Some manuscripts have “your mat”
  8. John 5:12 Some manuscripts have “They asked him”
  9. John 5:12 In Greek the direct object (“your mat”) is not in the Greek text but the repetition is implied from the previous verse
  10. John 5:13 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“was”)
  11. John 5:16 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to persecute”)
  12. John 5:17 Some manuscripts have “Jesus answered”
  13. John 5:18 Here “thus” is supplied as a component of the participle (“making”) which is understood as result
  14. John 5:21 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  15. John 5:23 The word “people” is not in the Greek text but is implied
  16. John 5:39 Or “Search” (an imperative)
  17. John 5:41 Or “honor”
  18. John 5:44 Here “if” is supplied as a component of the participle (“accept”) which is understood as conditional