The Healing at Bethesda

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

Now there is in Jerusalem by (B)the sheep gate a pool, which is called (C)in [a]Hebrew [b]Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [[c]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, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] A man was there who had been [d]ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when (D)the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” Jesus *said to him, (E)Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.

(F)Now it was the Sabbath on that day. 10 So (G)the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and (H)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 up your pallet 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 (I)sin anymore, (J)so that nothing worse happens to you.” 15 The man went away, and told (K)the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 For this reason (L)the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

Jesus’ Equality with God

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

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

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

Two Resurrections

25 Truly, truly, I say to you, (Z)an hour is coming and now is, when (AA)the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who (AB)hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He (AC)gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to (AD)execute judgment, because He is [f]the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for (AE)an hour is coming, in which (AF)all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; (AG)those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

30 (AH)I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and (AI)My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but (AJ)the will of Him who sent Me.

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

Witness of John

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

Witness of Works

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

Witness of the Father

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

Witness of the Scripture

39 [i](AW)You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is (AX)these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41 (AY)I do not receive glory from men; 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 receive Me; (AZ)if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you (BA)receive [j]glory from one another and you do not seek (BB)the [k]glory that is from (BC)the one and only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is (BD)Moses, in whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for (BE)he wrote about Me. 47 But (BF)if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”

Five Thousand Fed

After these things (BG)Jesus went away to the other side of (BH)the Sea of Galilee (or (BI)Tiberias). A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the [l](BJ)signs which He was performing on those who were sick. Then (BK)Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. Now (BL)the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to (BM)Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” This He was saying to (BN)test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. (BO)Philip answered Him, “(BP)Two hundred [m]denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” One of His (BQ)disciples, (BR)Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two (BS)fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people [n]sit down.” Now there was (BT)much grass in the place. So the men [o]sat down, in number about (BU)five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and (BV)having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the (BW)fish as much as they wanted. 12 When they were filled, He *said to His (BX)disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve (BY)baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Therefore when the people saw the [p]sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the (BZ)Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus Walks on the Water

15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were [q]intending to come and take Him by force (CA)to make Him king, (CB)withdrew again to (CC)the mountain by Himself alone.

16 Now when evening came, His (CD)disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea (CE)to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about [r]three or four miles, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He *said to them, “It is I; [s](CF)do not be afraid.” 21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

22 The next day (CG)the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus (CH)had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from (CI)Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the (CJ)Lord (CK)had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and (CL)came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “(CM)Rabbi, when did You get here?”

Words to the People

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you (CN)seek Me, not because you saw (CO)signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not (CP)work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to (CQ)eternal life, which (CR)the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, (CS)has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is (CT)the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He (CU)has sent.” 30 So they said to Him, “(CV)What then do You do for a (CW)sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 (CX)Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘(CY)He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is [t]that which (CZ)comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always (DA)give us this bread.”

35 Jesus said to them, (DB)I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me (DC)will never thirst. 36 But (DD)I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 (DE)All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 For (DF)I have come down from heaven, (DG)not to do My own will, but (DH)the will of Him who (DI)sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of (DJ)all that He has given Me I (DK)lose nothing, but (DL)raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who (DM)beholds the Son and (DN)believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will (DO)raise him up on the last day.”

Words to the Jews

41 (DP)Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that (DQ)came down out of heaven.” 42 They were saying, “(DR)Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother (DS)we know? How does He now say, (DT)I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me (DU)draws him; and I will (DV)raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written (DW)in the prophets, ‘(DX)And they shall all be (DY)taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 (DZ)Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes (EA)has eternal life. 48 (EB)I am the bread of life. 49 (EC)Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which (ED)comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and (EE)not die. 51 (EF)I am the living bread that (EG)came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, (EH)he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give (EI)for the life of the world is (EJ)My flesh.”

52 (EK)Then the Jews (EL)began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of (EM)the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will (EN)raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood (EO)abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the (EP)living Father (EQ)sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which (ER)came down out of heaven; not as (ES)the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread (ET)will live forever.”

Words to the Disciples

59 These things He said (EU)in the synagogue as He taught (EV)in Capernaum.

60 Therefore many of His (EW)disciples, when they heard this said, “(EX)This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, (EY)conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this (EZ)cause you to stumble? 62 What then if you see (FA)the Son of Man (FB)ascending to where He was before? 63 (FC)It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; (FD)the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are (FE)some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus (FF)knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and (FG)who it was that would [u]betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have (FH)said to you, that no one can come to Me unless (FI)it has been granted him from the Father.”

Peter’s Confession of Faith

66 As a result of this many of His (FJ)disciples (FK)withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to (FL)the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 (FM)Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have (FN)words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are (FO)the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, (FP)Did I Myself not choose you, (FQ)the twelve, and yet one of you is (FR)a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas (FS)the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, (FT)one of (FU)the twelve, [v]was going to betray Him.

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

After these things Jesus (FV)was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because (FW)the Jews (FX)were seeking to kill Him. Now the feast of the Jews, (FY)the Feast of Booths, was near. Therefore His (FZ)brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your (GA)disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. For no one does anything in secret [w]when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” For not even His (GB)brothers were believing in Him. So Jesus *said to them, (GC)My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. (GD)The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that (GE)its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because (GF)My time has not yet fully come.” Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

10 But when His (GG)brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11 (GH)So the Jews (GI)were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; (GJ)some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for (GK)fear of the Jews.

14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to (GL)teach. 15 (GM)The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man (GN)become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, (GO)My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 (GP)If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself (GQ)seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

19 (GR)Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you (GS)seek to kill Me?” 20 The crowd answered, “(GT)You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did (GU)one [x]deed, and you all marvel. 22 For this reason (GV)Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from (GW)the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 (GX)If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not (GY)judge according to appearance, but [y]judge with righteous judgment.”

25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26 Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. (GZ)The rulers do not really know that this is [z]the Christ, do they? 27 However, (HA)we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple, (HB)teaching and saying, (HC)You both know Me and know where I am from; and (HD)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 (HE)I know Him, because (HF)I am from Him, and (HG)He sent Me.” 30 So they (HH)were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His (HI)hour had not yet come. 31 But (HJ)many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “(HK)When [aa]the Christ comes, He will not perform more [ab](HL)signs than those which this man has, will He?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent (HM)officers to (HN)seize Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, (HO)For a little while longer I am with you, then (HP)I go to Him who sent Me. 34 (HQ)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” 35 (HR)The Jews then said to one another, “(HS)Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to (HT)the Dispersion among (HU)the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? 36 What is this statement that He said, (HV)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

37 Now on (HW)the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, [ac](HX)If anyone is thirsty, [ad]let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, (HY)as the Scripture said, ‘From [ae]his innermost being will flow rivers of (HZ)living water.’” 39 But this He spoke (IA)of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for (IB)the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet (IC)glorified.

Division of People over Jesus

40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is (ID)the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is [af]the Christ.” Still others were saying, “(IE)Surely [ag]the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from (IF)the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So (IG)a division occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44 (IH)Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

45 The (II)officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 46 The (IJ)officers answered, “(IK)Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” 47 The Pharisees then answered them, “(IL)You have not also been led astray, have you? 48 (IM)No one of (IN)the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.” 50 (IO)Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 51 (IP)Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” 52 They answered him, “(IQ)You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 53 [[ah]Everyone went to his home.

Footnotes

  1. John 5:2 I.e. Jewish Aramaic
  2. John 5:2 Some early mss read Bethsaida or Bethzatha
  3. John 5:3 Early mss do not contain the remainder of v 3, nor v 4
  4. John 5:5 Lit in his sickness
  5. John 5:19 Lit that One
  6. John 5:27 Or a son of man
  7. John 5:31 I.e. admissible as legal evidence
  8. John 5:35 Lit an hour
  9. John 5:39 Or (a command) Search the Scriptures!
  10. John 5:44 Or honor or fame
  11. John 5:44 Or honor or fame
  12. John 6:2 Or attesting miracles
  13. John 6:7 The denarius was equivalent to a day’s wages
  14. John 6:10 Lit recline(d)
  15. John 6:10 Lit recline(d)
  16. John 6:14 Or attesting miracle
  17. John 6:15 Or about
  18. John 6:19 Lit 25 or 30 stadia
  19. John 6:20 Or stop being afraid
  20. John 6:33 Or He who comes
  21. John 6:64 Or hand Him over
  22. John 6:71 Or was intending to
  23. John 7:4 Lit and
  24. John 7:21 Or work
  25. John 7:24 Lit judge the righteous judgment
  26. John 7:26 I.e. the Messiah
  27. John 7:31 I.e. the Messiah
  28. John 7:31 Or attesting miracles
  29. John 7:37 Vv 37-38 may also be read: If anyone is thirsty,...let him come..., he who believes in me as...
  30. John 7:37 Or let him keep coming to Me and let him keep drinking
  31. John 7:38 Lit out of his belly
  32. John 7:41 I.e. the Messiah
  33. John 7:41 I.e. the Messiah
  34. John 7:53 Later mss add the story of the adulterous woman, numbering it as John 7:53-8:11

The Healing at the Pool

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate(A) a pool, which in Aramaic(B) is called Bethesda[a] and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4] [b] One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”(C) At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,(D) 10 and so the Jewish leaders(E) said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”(F)

11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’

12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning(G) or something worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders(H) that it was Jesus who had made him well.

The Authority of the Son

16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father(I) is always at his work(J) to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him;(K) not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.(L)

19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself;(M) he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son(N) and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these,(O) so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life,(P) even so the Son gives life(Q) to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,(R) 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.(S)

24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me(T) has eternal life(U) and will not be judged(V) but has crossed over from death to life.(W) 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come(X) when the dead will hear(Y) 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 granted the Son also to have life(Z) in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge(AA) because he is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming(AB) when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.(AC) 30 By myself I can do nothing;(AD) I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just,(AE) for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.(AF)

Testimonies About Jesus

31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.(AG) 32 There is another who testifies in my favor,(AH) and I know that his testimony about me is true.

33 “You have sent to John and he has testified(AI) to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony;(AJ) but I mention it that you may be saved.(AK) 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light,(AL) and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John.(AM) For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing(AN)—testify that the Father has sent me.(AO) 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.(AP) You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,(AQ) 38 nor does his word dwell in you,(AR) for you do not believe(AS) the one he sent.(AT) 39 You study[c] the Scriptures(AU) diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.(AV) These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,(AW) 40 yet you refuse to come to me(AX) to have life.

41 “I do not accept glory from human beings,(AY) 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but 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 do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[d]?(AZ)

45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses,(BA) on whom your hopes are set.(BB) 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.(BC) 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”(BD)

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand(BE)

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs(BF) he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside(BG) and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival(BH) was near.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip,(BI) “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[e] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,(BJ) spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”(BK)

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks,(BL) and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign(BM) Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”(BN) 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king(BO) by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.(BP)

Jesus Walks on the Water(BQ)

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[f] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water;(BR) and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”(BS) 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake(BT) realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.(BU) 23 Then some boats from Tiberias(BV) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.(BW) 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the Bread of Life

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi,(BX) when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,(BY) not because you saw the signs(BZ) I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures(CA) to eternal life,(CB) which the Son of Man(CC) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal(CD) of approval.”

28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe(CE) in the one he has sent.”(CF)

30 So they asked him, “What sign(CG) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?(CH) What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna(CI) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[g](CJ)

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven(CK) and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”(CL)

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am(CM) the bread of life.(CN) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes(CO) in me will never be thirsty.(CP) 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me(CQ) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven(CR) not to do my will but to do the will(CS) of him who sent me.(CT) 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,(CU) but raise them up at the last day.(CV) 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son(CW) and believes in him shall have eternal life,(CX) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,(CY) whose father and mother we know?(CZ) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”(DA)

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,(DB) and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[h](DC) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;(DD) only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.(DE) 48 I am the bread of life.(DF) 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.(DG) 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,(DH) which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread(DI) that came down from heaven.(DJ) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”(DK)

52 Then the Jews(DL) began to argue sharply among themselves,(DM) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh(DN) of the Son of Man(DO) and drink his blood,(DP) you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.(DQ) 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.(DR) 57 Just as the living Father sent me(DS) and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”(DT) 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples(DU) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”(DV)

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?(DW) 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man(DX) ascend to where he was before!(DY) 63 The Spirit gives life;(DZ) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[i] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known(EA) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.(EB) 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”(EC)

66 From this time many of his disciples(ED) turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.(EE)

68 Simon Peter answered him,(EF) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.(EG) 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”(EH)

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,(EI) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”(EJ) 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,(EK) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)(EL)

Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want[j] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders(EM) there were looking for a way to kill him.(EN) But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles(EO) was near, Jesus’ brothers(EP) said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him.(EQ)

Therefore Jesus told them, “My time(ER) is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me(ES) because I testify that its works are evil.(ET) You go to the festival. I am not[k] going up to this festival, because my time(EU) has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.

10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus(EV) and asking, “Where is he?”

12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.”

Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.”(EW) 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.(EX)

Jesus Teaches at the Festival

14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach.(EY) 15 The Jews(EZ) there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning(FA) without having been taught?”(FB)

16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.(FC) 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out(FD) whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory,(FE) but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. 19 Has not Moses given you the law?(FF) Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?”(FG)

20 “You are demon-possessed,”(FH) the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”

21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle,(FI) and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision(FJ) (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs),(FK) you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”(FL)

Division Over Who Jesus Is

25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?(FM) 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities(FN) really concluded that he is the Messiah?(FO) 27 But we know where this man is from;(FP) when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts,(FQ) cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from.(FR) I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true.(FS) You do not know him, 29 but I know him(FT) because I am from him and he sent me.”(FU)

30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him,(FV) because his hour had not yet come.(FW) 31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him.(FX) They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs(FY) than this man?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time,(FZ) and then I am going to the one who sent me.(GA) 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”(GB)

35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered(GC) among the Greeks,(GD) and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”(GE)

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival,(GF) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.(GG) 38 Whoever believes(GH) in me, as Scripture has said,(GI) rivers of living water(GJ) will flow from within them.”[l](GK) 39 By this he meant the Spirit,(GL) whom those who believed in him were later to receive.(GM) Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.(GN)

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”(GO)

41 Others said, “He is the Messiah.”

Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee?(GP) 42 Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants(GQ) and from Bethlehem,(GR) the town where David lived?” 43 Thus the people were divided(GS) because of Jesus. 44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.(GT)

Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

45 Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

46 “No one ever spoke the way this man does,”(GU) the guards replied.

47 “You mean he has deceived you also?”(GV) the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him?(GW) 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

50 Nicodemus,(GX) who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”(GY)


[The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]

53 Then they all went home,

Footnotes

  1. John 5:2 Some manuscripts Bethzatha; other manuscripts Bethsaida
  2. John 5:4 Some manuscripts include here, wholly or in part, paralyzed—and they waited for the moving of the waters. From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had.
  3. John 5:39 Or 39 Study
  4. John 5:44 Some early manuscripts the Only One
  5. John 6:7 Greek take two hundred denarii
  6. John 6:19 Or about 5 or 6 kilometers
  7. John 6:31 Exodus 16:4; Neh. 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25
  8. John 6:45 Isaiah 54:13
  9. John 6:63 Or are Spirit; or are spirit
  10. John 7:1 Some manuscripts not have authority
  11. John 7:8 Some manuscripts not yet
  12. John 7:38 Or me. And let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.”