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John 5:17-19
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
John 5:17-19
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
17 [a]But Jesus answered them,(A) “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.(B)
The Work of the Son. 19 [b]Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing;(C) for what he does, his son will do also.
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- 5:17 Sabbath observance (Jn 5:10) was based on God’s resting on the seventh day (cf. Gn 2:2–3; Ex 20:11). Philo and some rabbis insisted that God’s providence remains active on the sabbath, keeping all things in existence, giving life in birth and taking it away in death. Other rabbis taught that God rested from creating, but not from judging (= ruling, governing). Jesus here claims the same authority to work as the Father, and, in the discourse that follows, the same divine prerogatives: power over life and death (Jn 5:21, 24–26) and judgment (Jn 5:22, 27).
- 5:19 This proverb or parable is taken from apprenticeship in a trade: the activity of a son is modeled on that of his father. Jesus’ dependence on the Father is justification for doing what the Father does.
John 5:17-19
New International Version
John 5:17-19
New International Version
17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father(A) is always at his work(B) to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him;(C) not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.(D)
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself;(E) he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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