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After that, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went to Jerusalem.

And there is at Jerusalem, by the sheep gate, a pool called in Hebrew, ‘Bethesda’, having five porches.

In these lay a great multitude of sick folk; of blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and stirred the water. Whoever then first stepped in, after the stirring of the water, was made whole of whatever disease he had.

And a certain man was there who had been diseased 38 years.

When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had now been diseased a long time, He said to him, “Will you be made whole?”

The sick one answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred. But while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

Jesus said to him, “Rise. Take up your bed and walk.”

And immediately the man was made whole. And he took up his bed and walked. And the same day was the Sabbath.

10 Therefore, the Jews said to him who was made whole, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

11 He answered them, “The One who made me whole, He said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’”

12 Then they asked him, “What Man is that who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?”

13 And the one who was healed did not know Who it was. For Jesus had withdrawn from the multitude that was in that place.

14 And after that, Jesus found him in the Temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are made whole. Sin no more, lest a worse thing happen to you.”

15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had made him whole.

16 And therefore the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, “My father has been working until now, and I work.”

18 Therefore, the Jews sought to kill Him even more, not only because He had broken the Sabbath, but also because He said that God was his Father. And He made himself equal with God.

19 Then Jesus answered, and said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you. The Son can do nothing of Himself, except that He sees the Father do. For whatever things He does, the same things the Son also does in like manner.

20 “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things, whatever He Himself does. And He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

21 “For just as the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them, so the Son quickens whom He will.

22 “For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

23 “that all should honor the Son as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son, the same does not honor the Father Who has sent Him.

24 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him Who sent Me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

25 “Truly, truly I say to you, the hour shall come, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who hear it shall live.

26 “For as the Father has life in Himself, so likewise has He given to the Son, to have life in Himself.

27 “And has also given Him power to execute judgment, in that He is the Son of man.

28 “Do not marvel at this. For the hour shall come in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice.

29 “And those who have done good shall come forth to the resurrection of life; but those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

30 “I can do nothing of My own Self. As I hear, I judge. And My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will, but the will of the Father Who has sent Me.

31 “If I should bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.

32 “There is Another that bears witness of Me. And I know that the witness which He bears of Me is true.

33 “You sent to John, and he bore witness to the truth.

34 “But I do not receive the testimony of man. Nevertheless, these things I say that you might be saved.

35 “He was a burning and shining lamp. And you were, for a season, willing to rejoice in his light.

36 “But I have greater witness than the witness of John. For the works which the Father has given Me to finish (the same works that I do) bear witness of Me, that the Father sent Me.

37 “And the Father Himself, Who has sent Me, bears witness of Me. You have not heard His voice at any time, nor have you seen His shape.

38 “And His word you do not have abiding in you. For Whom He has sent, Him you did not believe.

39 “You search the Scriptures. For in them you think to have eternal life. And they are they which testify of Me.

40 “But you will not come to Me, that you might have life.

41 “I do not receive the praise of man.

42 “But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

43 “I have come in My Father’s Name, and you do not receive Me. If another shall come in his own name, him you will receive!

44 How can you believe, when you receive honor one from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from God alone?

45 “Do not think that I will accuse you to My Father. There is one who accuses you - Moses, in whom you trust.

46 “For had you believed Moses you would have believed Me. For he wrote of Me.

47 “But if you do not believe his writings, how shall you believe My words?”

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)

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