John 5
New American Standard Bible
The Healing at Bethesda
5 After these things there was (A)a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 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. 3 In these porticoes lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, limping, or [d]paralyzed.[e] 5 Now a man was there who had been [f]ill for thirty-eight years. 6 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?” 7 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.” 8 Jesus *said to him, “(D)Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” 9 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
- John 5:2 I.e., Jewish Aramaic
- John 5:2 Some early mss Bethsaida or Bethzatha
- John 5:2 Or colonnades (with roofs)
- John 5:3 Or had shrunken limbs
- 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
- John 5:5 Lit in his sickness
- John 5:17 I.e., has been and continues
- John 5:19 Lit that One
- John 5:25 Lit an hour
- John 5:25 Lit now is, when
- John 5:27 Or a son of man
- John 5:28 Lit an hour
- John 5:30 Or of Myself
- John 5:30 Or fair
- John 5:31 I.e., admissible as legal evidence
- John 5:35 Lit an hour
- John 5:39 Or (a command) Examine the Scriptures
- John 5:43 Or accept
- John 5:43 Or accept
- John 5:44 Or receive
- John 5:44 Or honor
- John 5:44 Or honor
John 5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
5 After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew[a] Beth-zatha,[b] which has five porticoes.(A) 3 In these lay many ill, blind, lame, and paralyzed people.[c] 5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The ill man answered him, “Sir,[d] I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am making my way someone else steps down ahead of me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.”(B) 9 At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
Now that day was a Sabbath.(C) 10 So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.”(D) 11 But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in[e] the crowd that was there. 14 Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you.”(E) 15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, and I also am working.”(F) 18 For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the Sabbath but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.(G)
The Authority of the Son
19 Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own but only what he sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father[f] does, the Son does likewise.(H) 20 The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished.(I) 21 Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes.(J) 22 The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son,(K) 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.(L) 24 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.(M)
25 “Very truly, I tell 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.(N) 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, 27 and he has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man.(O) 28 Do not be astonished at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and will come out: those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation.(P)
Witnesses to Jesus
30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.(Q)
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.(R) 32 There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true.(S) 33 You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth.(T) 34 Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.(U) 36 But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.(V) 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form,(W) 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.(X)
39 “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is they that testify on my behalf.(Y) 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41 I do not accept glory from humans. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God in[g] you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God?[h](Z) 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope.(AA) 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.(AB) 47 But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”
Footnotes
- 5.2 That is, Aramaic
- 5.2 Other ancient authorities read Bethesda or Bethsaida
- 5.3 Other ancient authorities add, wholly or in part, waiting for the stirring of the water,
for an angel of the Lord went down from time to time into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well from whatever disease that person had. - 5.7 Or Lord
- 5.13 Or had left because of
- 5.19 Gk that one
- 5.42 Or among
- 5.44 Other manuscripts read the Only One
John 5
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
5 After these things was a festival day of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is at Jerusalem a pond, called Probatica, which in Hebrew is named Bethsaida, having five porches.
3 In these lay a great multitude of sick, of blind, of lame, of withered; waiting for the moving of the water.
4 And an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water, was made whole, of whatsoever infirmity he lay under.
5 And there was a certain man there, that had been eight and thirty years under his infirmity.
6 Him when Jesus had seen lying, and knew that he had been now a long time, he saith to him: Wilt thou be made whole?
7 The infirm man answered him: Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pond. For whilst I am coming, another goeth down before me.
8 Jesus saith to him: Arise, take up thy bed, and walk.
9 And immediately the man was made whole: and he took up his bed, and walked. And it was the sabbath that day.
10 The Jews therefore said to him that was healed: It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed.
11 He answered them: He that made me whole, he said to me, Take up thy bed, and walk.
12 They asked him therefore: Who is that man who said to thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?
13 But he who was healed, knew not who it was; for Jesus went aside from the multitude standing in the place.
14 Afterwards, Jesus findeth him in the temple, and saith to him: Behold thou art made whole: sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee.
15 The man went his way, and told the Jews, that it was Jesus who had made him whole.
16 Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath.
17 But Jesus answered them: My Father worketh until now; and I work.
18 Hereupon therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he did not only break the sabbath, but also said God was his Father, making himself equal to God.
19 Then Jesus answered, and said to them: Amen, amen, I say unto you, the Son cannot do any thing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doth, these the Son also doth in like manner.
20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things which himself doth: and greater works than these will he shew him, that you may wonder.
21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and giveth life: so the Son also giveth life to whom he will.
22 For neither doth the Father judge any man, but hath given all judgment to the Son.
23 That all men may honour the Son, as they honour the Father. He who honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, who hath sent him.
24 Amen, amen I say unto you, that he who heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath life everlasting; and cometh not into judgment, but is passed from death to life.
25 Amen, amen I say unto you, that the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.
26 For as the Father hath life in himself, so he hath given the Son also to have life in himself:
27 And he hath given him power to do judgment, because he is the Son of man.
28 Wonder not at this; for the hour cometh, wherein all that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God.
29 And they that have done good things, shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.
30 I cannot of myself do any thing. As I hear, so I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not my own will, but the will of him that sent me.
31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33 You sent to John, and he gave testimony to the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but I say these things, that you may be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have a greater testimony than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to perfect; the works themselves, which I do, give testimony of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself who hath sent me, hath given testimony of me: neither have you heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him you believe not.
39 Search the scriptures, for you think in them to have life everlasting; and the same are they that give testimony of me.
40 And you will not come to me that you may have life.
41 I receive glory not from men.
42 But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in the name of my Father, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive.
44 How can you believe, who receive glory one from another: and the glory which is from God alone, you do not seek?
45 Think not that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one that accuseth you, Moses, in whom you trust.
46 For if you did believe Moses, you would perhaps believe me also; for he wrote of me.
47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?
John 5
The Message
Even on the Sabbath
5 1-6 Soon another Feast came around and Jesus was back in Jerusalem. Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there was a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, with five alcoves. Hundreds of sick people—blind, crippled, paralyzed—were in these alcoves. One man had been an invalid there for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him stretched out by the pool and knew how long he had been there, he said, “Do you want to get well?”
7 The sick man said, “Sir, when the water is stirred, I don’t have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in.”
8-9 Jesus said, “Get up, take your bedroll, start walking.” The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bedroll and walked off.
9-10 That day happened to be the Sabbath. The Jews stopped the healed man and said, “It’s the Sabbath. You can’t carry your bedroll around. It’s against the rules.”
11 But he told them, “The man who made me well told me to. He said, ‘Take your bedroll and start walking.’”
12-13 They asked, “Who gave you the order to take it up and start walking?” But the healed man didn’t know, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd.
14 A little later Jesus found him in the Temple and said, “You look wonderful! You’re well! Don’t return to a sinning life or something worse might happen.”
15-16 The man went back and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. That is why the Jews were out to get Jesus—because he did this kind of thing on the Sabbath.
17 But Jesus defended himself. “My Father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I.”
18 That really set them off. The Jews were now not only out to expose him; they were out to kill him. Not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was calling God his own Father, putting himself on a level with God.
What the Father Does, the Son Does
19-20 So Jesus explained himself at length. “I’m telling you this straight. The Son can’t independently do a thing, only what he sees the Father doing. What the Father does, the Son does. The Father loves the Son and includes him in everything he is doing.
20-23 “But you haven’t seen the half of it yet, for in the same way that the Father raises the dead and creates life, so does the Son. The Son gives life to anyone he chooses. Neither he nor the Father shuts anyone out. The Father handed all authority to judge over to the Son so that the Son will be honored equally with the Father. Anyone who dishonors the Son, dishonors the Father, for it was the Father’s decision to put the Son in the place of honor.
24 “It’s urgent that you listen carefully to this: Anyone here who believes what I am saying right now and aligns himself with the Father, who has in fact put me in charge, has at this very moment the real, lasting life and is no longer condemned to be an outsider. This person has taken a giant step from the world of the dead to the world of the living.
25-27 “It’s urgent that you get this right: The time has arrived—I mean right now!—when dead men and women will hear the voice of the Son of God and, hearing, will come alive. Just as the Father has life in himself, he has conferred on the Son life in himself. And he has given him the authority, simply because he is the Son of Man, to decide and carry out matters of Judgment.
28-29 “Don’t act so surprised at all this. The time is coming when everyone dead and buried will hear his voice. Those who have lived the right way will walk out into a resurrection Life; those who have lived the wrong way, into a resurrection Judgment.
30-33 “I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide. You can trust my decision because I’m not out to get my own way but only to carry out orders. If I were simply speaking on my own account, it would be an empty, self-serving witness. But an independent witness confirms me, the most reliable Witness of all. Furthermore, you all saw and heard John, and he gave expert and reliable testimony about me, didn’t he?
34-38 “But my purpose is not to get your vote, and not to appeal to mere human testimony. I’m speaking to you this way so that you will be saved. John was a torch, blazing and bright, and you were glad enough to dance for an hour or so in his bright light. But the witness that really confirms me far exceeds John’s witness. It’s the work the Father gave me to complete. These very tasks, as I go about completing them, confirm that the Father, in fact, sent me. The Father who sent me, confirmed me. And you missed it. You never heard his voice, you never saw his appearance. There is nothing left in your memory of his Message because you do not take his Messenger seriously.
* * *
39-40 “You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want.
41-44 “I’m not interested in crowd approval. And do you know why? Because I know you and your crowds. I know that love, especially God’s love, is not on your working agenda. I came with the authority of my Father, and you either dismiss me or avoid me. If another came, acting self-important, you would welcome him with open arms. How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God?
45-47 “But don’t think I’m going to accuse you before my Father. Moses, in whom you put so much stock, is your accuser. If you believed, really believed, what Moses said, you would believe me. He wrote of me. If you won’t take seriously what he wrote, how can I expect you to take seriously what I speak?”
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