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After that, the Jews had a feast and Jesus went to Jerusalem.

In Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a wide water hole. The Jews called this water hole Bethesda. It had five places with roofs for people to stand under.

Many sick people were lying on these places. Some of them were blind. Some were lame. Some were very thin and stiff so that they could not move by themselves. All of them were waiting for the water to move.

An angel came down into the water at a certain time and made it move. The first person who stepped into the water when it moved was healed of any sickness that he had.

A man was there who had been sick for thirty eight years.

Jesus saw the man lying there. He knew that he had been sick for a long time. He said to him, `Do you want to be healed?'

The sick man said to him, `Sir, I have no man to put me into the water when it moves. While I am trying to get in, some other person comes and gets in before me.'

Jesus said, `Get up. Take up your bed and walk!'

The man was healed right away. He took up his bed and walked. This happened on the Sabbath day.

10 So the leaders of the Jews talked to the man who was healed. They said, `It is the Sabbath day. It is not right for you to carry your bed.'

11 But he answered them, `The man who healed me said to me, "Take up your bed and walk." '

12 They asked him, `Who is the man who told you to take up your bed and walk?'

13 The man who was healed said, `I do not know who he is.' Many people were at the place and Jesus had gone away.

14 After that, Jesus saw the man in the temple. He said to him, `See, you are healed. Do no more wrong things. If you do, something worse may happen to you.'

15 The man went away and told the leaders of the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

16 The Jewish leaders made trouble for Jesus because he did this on the Sabbath day.

17 But Jesus answered them, `My Father is still working and I am working also.'

18 This was why the leaders of the Jews tried much more to kill Jesus. He had broken the law of the Sabbath day. And also he called God his Father. In that way, he was making himself equal with God.

19 Jesus said to them, `l tell you the truth. The Son cannot do anything alone. He sees what his Father is doing and he does the same.

20 My Father loves his Son. He shows him all that he himself is doing. He will show his Son bigger works than these so that you may be surprised.

21 My Father raises people who were dead, and gives them life. So his Son gives life to anyone he wants to.

22 My Father judges no one, but he has made his Son to be the judge of everything.

23 He did this so that all people would respect the Son, just as they respect his Father. My Father has sent his Son. Anyone who does not respect his Son does not respect the Father.

24 `I tell you the truth. The person who hears what I say and believes in him that sent me will live for ever. He will not be judged. He has already passed from death to life.

25 `I tell you the truth. The time is coming. Yes, the time is here when the dead people will hear the voice of the Son of God. Those who hear his voice will live.

26 My Father has life in himself. And so he has made his Son to have life in himself.

27 He has given his Son power also to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28 Do not be surprised at what I say. The time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice.

29 They will come out of the graves. Those who have done what is good will come out to live. But those who have done what is wrong will come out to be punished.

30 `I have no right to do anything myself. I judge the way I am told to judge. The way I judge people is right. I do not do what I myself want to do, but I do what my Father wants me to do. He sent me.

31 `If I talk about myself, then what I say is not true.

32 But someone else also speaks about me. I know what he says about me is true.

33 You sent someone to John and he has told you the truth about me.

34 I do not need to listen to what a person says about me. But I tell you this so that you may be saved.

35 John was a light burning and shining. For a while you were happy to be in his light.

36 But I have something greater than John to talk for me. It is the works that I do. My Father has given me works to finish. The works that I do tell that he sent me.

37 And my Father who sent me has himself talked about me. You have never heard him speak and you do not know what he is like.

38 The word he talks is not in your hearts, because you do not believe the one he sent to you.

39 `You read holy writings carefully. You think that there you will find out how to live for ever. In the same writings you will read about me.

40 And yet you will not come to me for that life.

41 I do not want people to call me great.

42 But I know that you do not love God in your hearts.

43 I have come in my Father's name, but you will not receive me. If another person comes in his own name, then you will receive him.

44 How can you believe? You are always calling each other great, but you do not want the only God to make you great.

45 Do not think that I will carry a complaint against you to my Father. Moses has already carried the complaint against you. He is the very one you trust.

46 If you really believed Moses, you would believe me too, because he wrote about me.

47 But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?'

Yesu Amponya Mtu Bwawani

Baadaye, Yesu akaenda Yerusalemu kwa ajili ya sikukuu maalumu ya Wayahudi. Huko Yerusalemu kulikuwa na bwawa lenye mabaraza matano. Kwa Kiaramu liliitwa Bethzatha.[a] Bwawa hili lilikuwa karibu na Lango la Kondoo. Wagonjwa wengi walikuwa wamelala katika mabaraza pembeni mwa bwawa. Baadhi yao walikuwa wasiyeona, wengine walemavu wa viungo, na wengine waliopooza mwili.[b] Nyakati zingine malaika wa Bwana alishuka bwawani na kuyatibua maji. Baada ya hapo, mtu wa kwanza aliyeingia bwawani aliponywa ugonjwa aliokuwa nao.[c] Mmoja wa watu waliolala hapo alikuwa mgonjwa kwa muda wa miaka thelathini na minane. Yesu alimwona akiwa amelala hapo na kutambua kuwa amekuwa mgonjwa kwa muda mrefu sana. Hivyo akamwuliza, “Je, unataka kuwa mzima?”

Yule mgonjwa akajibu, “Bwana, hakuna mtu wa kunisaidia kuingia kwenye bwawa mara maji yanapotibuliwa. Najitahidi kuwa wa kwanza kuingia majini. Lakini ninapojaribu, mtu mwingine huniwahi na kuingia majini kabla yangu.”

Kisha Yesu akasema, “Simama juu! Beba kirago chako na utembee.” Mara hiyo, mtu huyo akapona. Akabeba kirago chake na kuanza kutembea.

Siku yalipotokea haya yote ilikuwa ni Siku ya Sabato.[d] 10 Hivyo baadhi ya Wayahudi wakamwambia yule mtu aliyeponywa, “Leo ni Sabato. Kulingana na sheria yetu wewe hauruhusiwi kubeba mkeka katika siku ya Sabato!”

11 Lakini yeye akajibu, “Yule mtu aliyeniponya aliniambia, ‘Beba mkeka wako uende.’”

12 Wakamwuliza, “Ni nani aliyekuambia kubeba mkeka wako na kutembea?”

13 Lakini yule mtu aliyeponywa hakuwa amemfahamu ni nani. Walikuwepo watu wengi hapo, na Yesu alikwisha kuondoka.

14 Baadaye, Yesu akamwona huyo mtu Hekaluni na akamwambia, “Tazama, umepona sasa. Kwa hivyo uache kutenda dhambi tena, la sivyo jambo baya zaidi laweza kukupata.” 15 Kisha huyo mtu akaondoka na kurudi kwa wale Wayahudi waliomuuliza. Naye aliwaeleza kuwa Yesu ndiye aliyemponya.

16 Yesu alikuwa anayafanya yote haya katika siku ya Sabato. Hivyo Wayahudi hao wakaanza kumsumbua asiendelee. 17 Lakini yeye akawaambia, “Baba yangu hajawahi kuacha kufanya kazi, hivyo nami pia nafanya kazi.” 18 Hili likawafanya waongeze juhudi ya kumwua. Wakasema, “Mwanzoni mtu huyu alikuwa anavunja sheria kuhusu siku ya Sabato. Kisha akasema kwamba Mungu ni Baba yake! Yeye anajifanya kuwa yuko sawa na Mungu.”

Yesu Anayo Mamlaka ya Mungu

19 Lakini Yesu akajibu, “Hakika nawaambieni kuwa Mwana hawezi kufanya chochote peke yake. Bali hufanya tu yale anayoona Baba yake anayafanya. Kwa maana Mwana hufanya mambo ambayo Baba huyafanya. 20 Baba anampenda Mwana na humwonesha kila kitu anachofanya. Pia Baba atamwonesha Mwana mambo makuu ya kufanya kuliko hili. Kisha nyote mtashangazwa. 21 Baba huwafufua wafu na kuwapa uzima. Kwa njia hiyo hiyo, Mwana pia huwapa uzima wale anaowataka.”

22 “Vile vile, Baba hamhukumu mtu. Bali amempa Mwana nguvu ya kufanya hukumu zote. 23 Mungu alifanya hivi ili watu wote waweze kumheshimu Mwana kama vile wanavyomheshimu Baba. Mtu yeyote asiyemheshimu Mwana hamheshimu Baba. Kwani Baba ndiye aliyemtuma Mwana.

24 Kwa hakika nawaambia, yeyote anayesikia ninayosema na kumwamini yule aliyenituma anao uzima wa milele. Hawa hawatahukumiwa kuwa na hatia. Kwani tayari wameshaivuka mauti na kuingia ndani ya uzima. 25 Mniamini, wakati muhimu sana unakuja. Wakati huo tayari upo ambapo watu waliokufa wataisikia sauti ya Mwana wa Mungu. Na hao watakaoisikia watafufuka na kuwa hai. 26 Uzima huja kutoka kwa Baba mwenyewe. Na pia Baba amemruhusu Mwana kutoa uzima. 27 Na Baba amempa Mwana mamlaka ya kuwahukumu watu wote kwa sababu yeye ndiye Mwana wa Adamu.

28 Ninyi msishangazwe na hili. Wakati unakuja ambapo watu wote waliokufa na kuwamo makaburini mwao wataisikia sauti yake. 29 Kisha watatoka nje ya makaburi yao. Wale waliotenda mema watafufuka na kupata uzima wa milele. Lakini wale waliotenda maovu watafufuka na kuhukumiwa kwa kuwa na hatia.

30 Siwezi kufanya jambo lolote peke yangu. Ninahukumu kama vile ninavyoagizwa. Na hukumu yangu ni halali, kwa sababu sitafuti kujifurahisha mwenyewe. Bali ninataka tu kumfurahisha yeye aliyenituma.”

Yesu Asema Zaidi Na Viongozi wa Kiyahudi

31 “Endapo nitawaeleza watu mambo yangu mwenyewe, watu hawatakuwa na uhakika kama yale ninayosema ni kweli. 32 Lakini yupo mwingine anayewaeleza watu mambo yangu, nami nafahamu kuwa yale anayoyasema juu yangu ni kweli.

33 Mliwatuma watu kwa Yohana, naye akawaambia yaliyo kweli. 34 Hivyo sihitaji mtu yeyote wa kuwaeleza watu juu yangu, isipokuwa nawakumbusha ninyi yale aliyoyasema Yohana ili muweze kuokolewa. 35 Yohana alikuwa kama taa iliyowaka na kutoa mwanga, nanyi mlipata raha mkiufurahia mwanga wake japo kwa muda.

36 Hata hivyo uthibitisho nilionao mwenyewe juu yangu ni mkuu kuliko chochote alichokisema Yohana. Mambo ninayofanya ndiyo yanayonithibitisha. Haya ndiyo Baba aliyonipa kufanya. Nayo yanadhihirisha kuwa Baba alinituma. 37 Na Baba aliyenituma yeye mwenyewe ametoa uthibitisho juu yangu. Lakini hamjawahi kabisa kuisikia sauti yake. Hamjawahi pia kuuona uso wake jinsi ulivyo. 38 Mafundisho ya Baba hayakai ndani yenu, kwa sababu hamumwamini yule aliyetumwa na Baba. 39 Mnajifunza Maandiko kwa makini. Nanyi mnafikiri kuwa yanawapa uzima wa milele. Maandiko haya haya yanaeleza habari zangu! 40 Lakini mnakataa kuja kwangu kuupata huo uzima.

41 Sitaki kutukuzwa nanyi ama na mwanadamu mwingine yeyote. 42 Hata hivyo ninawajua ninyi, na ninajua kwamba hamna upendo kwa Mungu. 43 Nimekuja kutoka kwa Baba yangu nami ni msemaji wake, lakini hamnikubali. Lakini watu wengine wakija wakijisemea mambo yao tu, mnawakubali! 44 Ninyi mnapenda kupeana sifa kila mmoja kwa mwenzake. Lakini hamjaribu kupata sifa zinazotoka kwa Mungu wa pekee. Hivyo mtawezaje kuamini? 45 Msifikiri kwamba mimi ndiye nitakayesimama mbele za Baba na kuwashtaki. Musa ndiye atakayewashtaki. Na ndiye mliyetegemea angeliwaokoa. 46 Kama kwa hakika mlimwamini Musa, nami mlipaswa kuniamini, kwa sababu yeye aliandika habari juu yangu. 47 Lakini hamuyaamini aliyoyaandika, hivyo hamuwezi kuyaamini ninayoyasema.”

Footnotes

  1. 5:2 Bethzatha Pia huitwa Bethsaida au Bethesda. Ama bwawa la maji lililoko kaskazini mwa Hekalu kule.
  2. 5:3 Nakala zingine za Kiyunani zimeongeza, “na husubiri maji yatibuliwe”.
  3. 5:4 Nakala zingine za baadaye ziliongeza mstari wa 4, hivyo kutenganisha mstari wa 4 na wa 5: “Nyakati zingine malaika wa Bwana alishuka bwawani na kuyatibua maji. Baada ya hapo, mtu wa kwanza aliyeingia bwawani aliponywa ugonjwa aliokuwa nao.”
  4. 5:9 Siku ya Sabato Ilikuwa siku maalumu kwa Waisraeli na Wayahudi. Kwa amri ya Mungu siku hiyo ilitengwa kama siku ya mapumziko na ya kumheshimu Mungu.