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who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat[i] and walk?’” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn while[j] a crowd was in the place.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

治好病了三十八年的人

這些事以後,到了猶太人的一個節期,耶穌就上耶路撒冷去。 在耶路撒冷靠近羊門有一個水池,希伯來話叫作畢士大,池邊有五條走廊。 在那裡躺著許多病人,有瞎眼的、瘸腿的和癱瘓的。(有些抄本有以下一段:“他們等候水動,4因為有主的使者按時下去攪動池水,水動之後,誰先下去,無論甚麼病,必得痊愈。”) 那裡有一個人,病了三十八年。 耶穌看見他躺著,知道他病了很久,就問他:“你要痊愈嗎?” 病人回答:“先生,水動的時候,沒有人把我放在池裡;自己想去的時候,總是給別人搶先。” 耶穌對他說:“起來,拿著你的褥子走吧。” 那人立刻痊愈,就拿起褥子走了。

那天正是安息日。 10 因此猶太人對那醫好了的人說:“今天是安息日,你拿著褥子是不可以的。” 11 他卻回答:“那使我痊愈的對我說:‘拿起你的褥子走吧’。” 12 他們就問:“那對你說‘拿起來走吧’的是誰?” 13 那醫好了的人不知道他是誰,因為那裡人很多,耶穌已經避開了。 14 後來,耶穌在殿裡遇見那人,對他說:“你已經痊愈了,不可再犯罪,免得招來更大的禍患。” 15 那人就去告訴猶太人,使他痊愈的就是耶穌。 16 從此猶太人就迫害耶穌,因為他常常在安息日作這些事。 17 耶穌卻對他們說:“我父作工直到現在,我也作工。” 18 因此猶太人就更想殺耶穌,因為他不但破壞安息日,而且稱 神為自己的父,把自己與 神當作平等。

人子的權柄

19 耶穌又對他們說:“我實實在在告訴你們,子靠著自己不能作甚麼,只能作他看見父所作的;因為父所作的事,子也照樣作。 20 父愛子,把自己所作的一切指示給他看,還要把比這些更大的事指示給他看,使你們驚奇。 21 父怎樣叫死人復活,使他們得生命,子也照樣隨自己的意思使人得生命。 22 父不審判人,卻已經把審判的權柄完全交給子, 23 使所有的人尊敬子好像尊敬父一樣。不尊敬子的,就是不尊敬那差他來的父。 24 我實實在在告訴你們,那聽見我的話又信那差我來的,就有永生,不被定罪,而是已經出死入生了。 25 我實實在在告訴你們,時候將到,現在就是了,死人要聽見 神兒子的聲音,聽見的人就要活了。 26 就如父是生命的源頭,照樣他也使子成為生命的源頭, 27 並且把執行審判的權柄賜給他,因為他是人子。 28 你們不要把這事看作希奇,因為時候將到,那時所有在墳墓裡的都要聽見他的聲音, 29 並且都要出來;行善的復活得生命,作惡的復活被定罪。

給耶穌作見證的

30 “我靠著自己不能作甚麼,我怎樣聽見,就怎樣審判。我的審判是公義的,因為我不尋求自己的意思,只求那差我來者的旨意。 31 我若為自己作證,我的見證就不真。 32 然而另有一位為我作證的,我知道他為我作的見證是真的。 33 你們曾經派人到約翰那裡,他為真理作過見證。 34 我不接受從人而來的見證,但我說這些事,是要你們得救。 35 約翰是一盞點亮的燈,你們情願暫時在他的光中歡樂。 36 但我有比約翰更大的見證,因為父賜給我要我完成的工作,就是我所要作的,證明我是父所差來的。 37 差我來的父親自為我作了見證。他的聲音,你們從沒有聽過;他的容貌,你們從沒有見過; 38 他的道,你們也不放在心裡,因為你們不信他所差來的那一位。 39 你們研究聖經,因為你們認為聖經中有永生,其實為我作證的就是這聖經, 40 然而你們卻不肯到我這裡來得生命。

41 “我不接受從人而來的稱讚; 42 我知道你們心裡沒有 神的愛。 43 我奉我父的名而來,你們不接待我;如果有別人以自己的名義而來,你們倒接待他。 44 你們彼此接受稱讚,卻不尋求從獨一的 神而來的稱讚,怎麼能信呢? 45 不要以為我要向父控告你們,有一位控告你們的,就是你們所仰賴的摩西。 46 你們若信摩西,也必信我,因為他所寫的書曾論及我。 47 你們若不信他所寫的,怎能信我的話呢?”

When these events were completed, Jesus led His followers to Jerusalem where they would celebrate a Jewish feast[a] together.

Jesus takes His disciples into one of the most miserable places they have ever seen. The suffering and impurity is frightening, but He comes to serve these precious people.

2-3 In Jerusalem they came upon a pool by the sheep gate surrounded by five covered porches. In Hebrew this place is called Bethesda.

Crowds of people lined the area, lying around the porches. All of these people were disabled in some way; some were blind, lame, paralyzed, or plagued by diseases[; and they were waiting for the waters to move. From time to time, a heavenly messenger would come to stir the water in the pool. Whoever reached the water first and got in after it was agitated would be healed of his or her disease].[b] 5-6 In the crowd, Jesus noticed one particular man who had been living with his disability for 38 years. He knew this man had been waiting here a long time.

Jesus (to the disabled man): Are you here in this place hoping to be healed?

Disabled Man: Kind Sir, I wait, like all of these people, for the waters to stir; but I cannot walk. If I am to be healed in the waters, someone must carry me into the pool. Without a helping hand, someone else beats me to the water’s edge each time it is stirred.

Jesus: Stand up, carry your mat, and walk.

At the moment Jesus uttered these words, a healing energy coursed through the man and returned life to his limbs—he stood and walked for the first time in 38 years. But this was the Sabbath Day; and any work, including carrying a mat, was prohibited on this day.

It is impossible to imagine this man’s excitement. His entire life has been defined by his illness. Now he is free from it. Free from the pain and weakness. Free from the depression that gripped his soul. Free, too, from the shame he always knew. Now he does not just walk—he runs and celebrates with friends and family. Everyone is rejoicing with him, except for some of the Jewish leaders. Instead, they drill him with questions as if they can disregard this miracle.

Jewish Leaders (to the man who had been healed): 10 Must you be reminded that it is the Sabbath? You are not allowed to carry your mat today!

Formerly Disabled Man: 11 The man who healed me gave me specific instructions to carry my mat and go.

Jewish Leaders: 12 Who is the man who gave you these instructions? How can we identify Him?

13 The man genuinely did not know who it was that healed him. In the midst of the crowd and the excitement of his renewed health, Jesus had slipped away. 14 Some time later, Jesus found him in the temple and again spoke to him.

Jesus: Take a look at your body; it has been made whole and strong. So avoid a life of sin, or else a calamity greater than any disability may befall you.

15 The man went immediately to tell the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the mysterious healer. 16 So they began pursuing and attacking Jesus because He performed these miracles on the Sabbath.

Jesus (to His attackers): 17 My Father is at work. So I, too, am working.

This issue keeps arising from the Jewish leaders. They do not appreciate the good things Jesus does on the Sabbath. Most Jews cower at the rebuke from these men, but Jesus does not. He is very clear about this. He cares for the poor, the sick, and the marginalized more than He cares for how some people may interpret and apply God’s law. It is easy to follow a set of rules; it is much harder to care for the things of the heart. He also makes it clear that those who follow His path are put on earth to serve. His followers’ service comes out of love for Him. All who follow Him are to love and to serve, especially on the Sabbath.

18 He was justifying the importance of His work on the Sabbath, claiming God as His Father in ways that suggested He was equal to God. These pious religious leaders sought an opportunity to kill Jesus, and these words fueled their hatred.

Jesus: 19 The truth is that the Son does nothing on His own; all these actions are led by the Father. The Son watches the Father closely and then mimics the work of the Father. 20 The Father loves the Son, so He does not hide His actions. Instead, He shows Him everything, and the things not yet revealed by the Father will dumbfound you. 21 The Father can give life to those who are dead; in the same way, the Son can give the gift of life to those He chooses.

22 The Father does not exert His power to judge anyone. Instead, He has given the authority as Judge to the Son. 23 So all of creation will honor and worship the Son as they do the Father. If you do not honor the Son, then you dishonor the Father who sent Him.

24 I tell you the truth: eternal life belongs to those who hear My voice and believe in the One who sent Me. These people have no reason to fear judgment because they have already left death and entered life.

25 I tell you the truth: a new day is imminent—in fact, it has arrived—when the voice of the Son of God will penetrate death’s domain, and everyone who hears will live. 26-27 You see, the Father radiates with life; and He also animates the Son of God with the same life-giving beauty and power to exercise judgment over all of creation. Indeed, the Son of God is also the Son of Man. 28 If this sounds amazing to you, what is even more amazing is that when the time comes, those buried long ago will hear His voice through all the rocks, sod, and soil 29 and step out of decay into resurrection. When this hour arrives, those who did good will be resurrected to life, and those who did evil will be resurrected to judgment.

30 I have not ever acted, and will not in the future act, on My own. I listen to the directions of the One who sent Me and act on these divine instructions. For this reason, My judgment is always fair and never self-serving. I’m committed to pursuing God’s agenda and not My own.

31 If I stand as the lone witness to My true identity, then I can be dismissed as a liar. 32 But if you listen, you will hear another testify about Me, and I know what He says about Me is genuine and true. 33 You sent messengers to John, and he told the truth to everyone who would listen. 34 Still his message about Me originated in heaven, not in mortal man. I am telling you these things for one reason—so that you might be rescued. 35 The voice of John the Baptist, the wandering prophet, is like a light in the darkness; and for a time, you took great joy and pleasure in the light he offered.

36 There’s another witness standing in My corner who is greater than John or any other man. The mission that brings Me here, and the things I am called to do, demonstrate the authenticity of My calling which comes directly from the Father. 37 In the act of sending Me, the Father has endorsed Me. None of you really knows the Father. You have never heard His voice or seen His profile. 38 His word does not abide in you because you do not believe in the One sent by the Father.

39 Here you are scouring through the Scriptures, hoping that you will find eternal life among a pile of scrolls. What you don’t seem to understand is that the Scriptures point to Me. 40 Here I am with you, and still you reject the truth contained in the law and prophets by refusing to come to Me so that you can have life.

Jesus is the source of life, the animating energy of creation that humanity desperately lacks.

41 This kind of glory does not come from mortal men. 42 And I see that you do not possess the love of God. 43 I have pursued you, coming here in My Father’s name, and you have turned Me away. If someone else were to approach you with a different set of credentials, you would welcome him. 44 That’s why it is hard to see how true faith is even possible for you: you are consumed by the approval of other men, longing to look good in their eyes; and yet you disregard the approval of the one true God. 45 Don’t worry that I might bring you up on charges before My Father. Moses is your accuser even though you’ve put your hope in him 46 because if you believed what Moses had to say, then you would believe in Me because he wrote about Me. 47 But if you ignore Moses and the deeper meaning of his writings, then how will you ever believe what I have to say?

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 Perhaps Passover
  2. 5:4 Some early manuscripts omit the end of verse 3 and all of verse 4.