John 5

New International Version

The Healing at the Pool

5 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. ²Now 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. ³Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. ^[4]^[b] ⁵One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶When 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?”

⁷“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.”

⁸Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”^(C) ⁹At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,^(D) ¹⁰and 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)

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

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

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

¹⁴Later 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.” ¹⁵The man went away and told the Jewish leaders^(H) that it was Jesus who had made him well.

The Authority of the Son

¹⁶So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. ¹⁷In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father^(I) is always at his work^(J) to this very day, and I too am working.” ¹⁸For 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)

¹⁹Jesus 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. ²⁰For 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. ²¹For 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. ²²Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,^(R) ²³that 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) ²⁵Very 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. ²⁶For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life^(Z) in himself. ²⁷And 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 ²⁹and 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) ³⁰By 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) ³²There 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. ³⁴Not that I accept human testimony;^(AJ) but I mention it that you may be saved.^(AK) ³⁵John 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) ³⁷And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.^(AP) You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,^(AQ) ³⁸nor does his word dwell in you,^(AR) for you do not believe^(AS) the one he sent.^(AT) ³⁹You 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) ⁴⁰yet you refuse to come to me^(AX) to have life.

⁴¹“I do not accept glory from human beings,^(AY) ⁴²but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. ⁴³I 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. ⁴⁴How 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) ⁴⁶If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.^(BC) ⁴⁷But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”^(BD)

Footnotes

John 5:2 Some manuscripts Bethzatha; other manuscripts Bethsaida
John 5:4 Some manuscripts include here, wholly or in part, paralyzed—and they waited for the moving of the waters. ⁴From 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.
John 5:39 Or ³⁹Study
John 5:44 Some early manuscripts the Only One

Isaiah 57-60

New International Version

57 The righteous perish,^(A)
    and no one takes it to heart;^(B)
the devout are taken away,
    and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
    to be spared from evil.^(C)
²Those who walk uprightly^(D)
    enter into peace;
    they find rest^(E) as they lie in death.

³“But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,^(F)
    you offspring of adulterers^(G) and prostitutes!^(H)
⁴Who are you mocking?
    At whom do you sneer
    and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,^(I)
    the offspring of liars?
⁵You burn with lust among the oaks^(J)
    and under every spreading tree;^(K)
you sacrifice your children^(L) in the ravines
    and under the overhanging crags.
⁶The idols^(M) among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
    indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings^(N)
    and offered grain offerings.
    In view of all this, should I relent?^(O)
⁷You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;^(P)
    there you went up to offer your sacrifices.^(Q)
⁸Behind your doors and your doorposts
    you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
    you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,^(R)
    and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.^(S)
⁹You went to Molek^[a]^(T) with olive oil
    and increased your perfumes.^(U)
You sent your ambassadors^[b]^(V) far away;
    you descended to the very realm of the dead!^(W)
¹⁰You wearied^(X) yourself by such going about,
    but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’^(Y)
You found renewal of your strength,^(Z)
    and so you did not faint.

¹¹“Whom have you so dreaded and feared^(AA)
    that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered^(AB) me
    nor taken this to heart?^(AC)
Is it not because I have long been silent^(AD)
    that you do not fear me?
¹²I will expose your righteousness and your works,^(AE)
    and they will not benefit you.
¹³When you cry out^(AF) for help,
    let your collection of idols save^(AG) you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
    a mere breath will blow^(AH) them away.
But whoever takes refuge^(AI) in me
    will inherit the land^(AJ)
    and possess my holy mountain.”^(AK)

Comfort for the Contrite

¹⁴And it will be said:

“Build up, build up, prepare the road!^(AL)
    Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”^(AM)
¹⁵For this is what the high and exalted^(AN) One says—
    he who lives forever,^(AO) whose name is holy:
“I live in a high^(AP) and holy place,
    but also with the one who is contrite^(AQ) and lowly in spirit,^(AR)
to revive the spirit of the lowly
    and to revive the heart of the contrite.^(AS)
¹⁶I will not accuse^(AT) them forever,
    nor will I always be angry,^(AU)
for then they would faint away because of me—
    the very people^(AV) I have created.
¹⁷I was enraged by their sinful greed;^(AW)
    I punished them, and hid^(AX) my face in anger,
    yet they kept on in their willful ways.^(AY)
¹⁸I have seen their ways, but I will heal^(AZ) them;
    I will guide^(BA) them and restore comfort^(BB) to Israel’s mourners,
¹⁹    creating praise on their lips.^(BC)
Peace, peace,^(BD) to those far and near,”^(BE)
    says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
²⁰But the wicked^(BF) are like the tossing sea,^(BG)
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves cast up mire^(BH) and mud.
²¹“There is no peace,”^(BI) says my God, “for the wicked.”^(BJ)

True Fasting

58 “Shout it aloud,^(BK) do not hold back.
    Raise your voice like a trumpet.^(BL)
Declare to my people their rebellion^(BM)
    and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.^(BN)
²For day after day they seek^(BO) me out;
    they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
    and has not forsaken^(BP) the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
    and seem eager for God to come near^(BQ) them.
³‘Why have we fasted,’^(BR) they say,
    ‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled^(BS) ourselves,
    and you have not noticed?’^(BT)

“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please^(BU)
    and exploit all your workers.
⁴Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,^(BV)
    and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
    and expect your voice to be heard^(BW) on high.
⁵Is this the kind of fast^(BX) I have chosen,
    only a day for people to humble^(BY) themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed^(BZ)
    and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?^(CA)
Is that what you call a fast,
    a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶“Is not this the kind of fasting^(CB) I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice^(CC)
    and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed^(CD) free
    and break every yoke?^(CE)
⁷Is it not to share your food with the hungry^(CF)
    and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter^(CG)—
when you see the naked, to clothe^(CH) them,
    and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?^(CI)
⁸Then your light will break forth like the dawn,^(CJ)
    and your healing^(CK) will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[c]^(CL) will go before you,
    and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.^(CM)
⁹Then you will call,^(CN) and the Lord will answer;^(CO)
    you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
    with the pointing finger^(CP) and malicious talk,^(CQ)
¹⁰and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,^(CR)
then your light^(CS) will rise in the darkness,
    and your night will become like the noonday.^(CT)
¹¹The Lord will guide^(CU) you always;
    he will satisfy your needs^(CV) in a sun-scorched land^(CW)
    and will strengthen^(CX) your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,^(CY)
    like a spring^(CZ) whose waters never fail.
¹²Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins^(DA)
    and will raise up the age-old foundations;^(DB)
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,^(DC)
    Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

¹³“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath^(DD)
    and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight^(DE)
    and the Lord’s holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
    and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,^(DF)
¹⁴then you will find your joy^(DG) in the Lord,
    and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights^(DH) of the land
    and to feast on the inheritance^(DI) of your father Jacob.”
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.^(DJ)

Sin, Confession and Redemption

59 Surely the arm^(DK) of the Lord is not too short^(DL) to save,
    nor his ear too dull to hear.^(DM)
²But your iniquities have separated^(DN)
    you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
    so that he will not hear.^(DO)
³For your hands are stained with blood,^(DP)
    your fingers with guilt.^(DQ)
Your lips have spoken falsely,^(DR)
    and your tongue mutters wicked things.
⁴No one calls for justice;^(DS)
    no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely^(DT) on empty arguments, they utter lies;^(DU)
    they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.^(DV)
⁵They hatch the eggs of vipers^(DW)
    and spin a spider’s web.^(DX)
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
    and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
⁶Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
    they cannot cover themselves with what they make.^(DY)
Their deeds are evil deeds,
    and acts of violence^(DZ) are in their hands.
⁷Their feet rush into sin;
    they are swift to shed innocent blood.^(EA)
They pursue evil schemes;^(EB)
    acts of violence mark their ways.^(EC)
⁸The way of peace they do not know;^(ED)
    there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;^(EE)
    no one who walks along them will know peace.^(EF)

⁹So justice is far from us,
    and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;^(EG)
    for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
¹⁰Like the blind^(EH) we grope along the wall,
    feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble^(EI) as if it were twilight;
    among the strong, we are like the dead.^(EJ)
¹¹We all growl like bears;
    we moan mournfully like doves.^(EK)
We look for justice, but find none;
    for deliverance, but it is far away.

¹²For our offenses^(EL) are many in your sight,
    and our sins testify^(EM) against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
    and we acknowledge our iniquities:^(EN)
¹³rebellion^(EO) and treachery against the Lord,
    turning our backs^(EP) on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,^(EQ)
    uttering lies^(ER) our hearts have conceived.
¹⁴So justice^(ES) is driven back,
    and righteousness^(ET) stands at a distance;
truth^(EU) has stumbled in the streets,
    honesty cannot enter.
¹⁵Truth^(EV) is nowhere to be found,
    and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.

The Lord looked and was displeased
    that there was no justice.^(EW)
¹⁶He saw that there was no one,^(EX)
    he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;^(EY)
so his own arm achieved salvation^(EZ) for him,
    and his own righteousness^(FA) sustained him.
¹⁷He put on righteousness as his breastplate,^(FB)
    and the helmet^(FC) of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments^(FD) of vengeance^(FE)
    and wrapped himself in zeal^(FF) as in a cloak.
¹⁸According to what they have done,
    so will he repay^(FG)
wrath to his enemies
    and retribution to his foes;
    he will repay the islands^(FH) their due.
¹⁹From the west,^(FI) people will fear the name of the Lord,
    and from the rising of the sun,^(FJ) they will revere his glory.^(FK)
For he will come like a pent-up flood
    that the breath^(FL) of the Lord drives along.^[d]

²⁰“The Redeemer^(FM) will come to Zion,^(FN)
to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”^(FO)
declares the Lord.

²¹“As for me, this is my covenant^(FP) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,^(FQ) who is on you, will not depart from you,^(FR) and my words that I have put in your mouth^(FS) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

The Glory of Zion

60 “Arise,^(FT) shine, for your light^(FU) has come,
    and the glory^(FV) of the Lord rises upon you.
²See, darkness^(FW) covers the earth
    and thick darkness^(FX) is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.
³Nations^(FY) will come to your light,^(FZ)
    and kings^(GA) to the brightness of your dawn.

⁴“Lift up your eyes and look about you:
    All assemble^(GB) and come to you;
your sons come from afar,^(GC)
    and your daughters^(GD) are carried on the hip.^(GE)
⁵Then you will look and be radiant,^(GF)
    your heart will throb and swell with joy;^(GG)
the wealth^(GH) on the seas will be brought to you,
    to you the riches of the nations will come.
⁶Herds of camels^(GI) will cover your land,
    young camels of Midian^(GJ) and Ephah.^(GK)
And all from Sheba^(GL) will come,
    bearing gold and incense^(GM)
    and proclaiming the praise^(GN) of the Lord.
⁷All Kedar’s^(GO) flocks will be gathered to you,
    the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;
they will be accepted as offerings^(GP) on my altar,^(GQ)
    and I will adorn my glorious temple.^(GR)

⁸“Who are these^(GS) that fly along like clouds,^(GT)
    like doves to their nests?
⁹Surely the islands^(GU) look to me;
    in the lead are the ships of Tarshish,^[e]^(GV)
bringing^(GW) your children from afar,
    with their silver and gold,^(GX)
to the honor^(GY) of the Lord your God,
    the Holy One^(GZ) of Israel,
    for he has endowed you with splendor.^(HA)

¹⁰“Foreigners^(HB) will rebuild your walls,
    and their kings^(HC) will serve you.
Though in anger I struck you,
    in favor^(HD) I will show you compassion.^(HE)
¹¹Your gates^(HF) will always stand open,
    they will never be shut, day or night,
so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations^(HG)—
    their kings^(HH) led in triumphal procession.
¹²For the nation or kingdom that will not serve^(HI) you will perish;
    it will be utterly ruined.^(HJ)

¹³“The glory of Lebanon^(HK) will come to you,
    the juniper, the fir and the cypress together,^(HL)
to adorn my sanctuary;^(HM)
    and I will glorify the place for my feet.^(HN)
¹⁴The children of your oppressors^(HO) will come bowing before you;
    all who despise you will bow down^(HP) at your feet
and will call you the City^(HQ) of the Lord,
    Zion^(HR) of the Holy One^(HS) of Israel.

¹⁵“Although you have been forsaken^(HT) and hated,
    with no one traveling^(HU) through,
I will make you the everlasting pride^(HV)
    and the joy^(HW) of all generations.
¹⁶You will drink the milk of nations
    and be nursed^(HX) at royal breasts.
Then you will know^(HY) that I, the Lord, am your Savior,^(HZ)
    your Redeemer,^(IA) the Mighty One of Jacob.^(IB)
¹⁷Instead of bronze I will bring you gold,^(IC)
    and silver in place of iron.
Instead of wood I will bring you bronze,
    and iron in place of stones.
I will make peace^(ID) your governor
    and well-being your ruler.^(IE)
¹⁸No longer will violence^(IF) be heard in your land,
    nor ruin or destruction^(IG) within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation^(IH)
    and your gates Praise.^(II)
¹⁹The sun will no more be your light by day,
    nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the Lord will be your everlasting light,^(IJ)
    and your God will be your glory.^(IK)
²⁰Your sun^(IL) will never set again,
    and your moon will wane no more;
the Lord will be your everlasting light,
    and your days of sorrow^(IM) will end.
²¹Then all your people will be righteous^(IN)
    and they will possess^(IO) the land forever.
They are the shoot I have planted,^(IP)
    the work of my hands,^(IQ)
    for the display of my splendor.^(IR)
²²The least of you will become a thousand,
    the smallest a mighty nation.^(IS)
I am the Lord;
    in its time I will do this swiftly.”^(IT)

Footnotes

Isaiah 57:9 Or to the king
Isaiah 57:9 Or idols
Isaiah 58:8 Or your righteous One
Isaiah 59:19 Or When enemies come in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put them to flight
Isaiah 60:9 Or the trading ships