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After these things was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Now there is in Jerusalem, at the sheepgate, a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

In these lay a multitude of sick, blind, lame, withered, [awaiting the moving of the water.

For an angel descended at a certain season in the pool and troubled the water. Whoever therefore first went in after the troubling of the water became well, whatever disease he laboured under.]

But there was a certain man there who had been suffering under his infirmity thirty and eight years.

Jesus seeing this [man] lying [there], and knowing that he was [in that state] now a great length of time, says to him, Wouldest thou become well?

The infirm [man] answered him, Sir, I have not a man, in order, when the water has been troubled, to cast me into the pool; but while I am coming another descends before me.

Jesus says to him, Arise, take up thy couch and walk.

And immediately the man became well, and took up his couch and walked: and on that day was sabbath.

10 The Jews therefore said to the healed [man], It is sabbath, it is not permitted thee to take up thy couch.

11 He answered them, He that made me well, *he* said to me, Take up thy couch and walk.

12 They asked him [therefore], Who is the man who said to thee, Take up thy couch and walk?

13 But he that had been healed knew not who it was, for Jesus had slidden away, there being a crowd in the place.

14 After these things Jesus finds him in the temple, and said to him, Behold, thou art become well: sin no more, that something worse do not happen to thee.

15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 And for this the Jews persecuted Jesus [and sought to kill him], because he had done these things on sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto and I work.

18 For this therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he had not only violated the sabbath, but also said that God was his own Father, making himself equal with God.

19 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of himself save whatever he sees the Father doing: for whatever things *he* does, these things also the Son does in like manner.

20 For the Father loves the Son and shews him all things which he himself does; and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may wonder.

21 For even as the Father raises the dead and quickens [them], thus the Son also quickens whom he will:

22 for neither does the Father judge any one, but has given all judgment to the Son;

23 that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He who honours not the Son, honours not the Father who has sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that he that hears my word, and believes him that has sent me, has life eternal, and does not come into judgment, but is passed out of death into life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that an hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that have heard shall live.

26 For even as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son also to have life in himself,

27 and has given him authority to execute judgment [also], because he is Son of man.

28 Wonder not at this, for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice,

29 and shall go forth; those that have practised good, to resurrection of life, and those that have done evil, to resurrection of judgment.

30 I cannot do anything of myself; as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my will, but the will of him that has sent me.

31 If I bear witness concerning myself, my witness is not true.

32 It is another who bears witness concerning me, and I know that the witness which he bears concerning me is true.

33 Ye have sent unto John, and he has borne witness to the truth.

34 But I do not receive witness from man, but I say this that *ye* might be saved.

35 *He* was the burning and shining lamp, and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

36 But I have the witness [that is] greater than [that] of John; for the works which the Father has given me that I should complete them, the works themselves which I do, bear witness concerning me that the Father has sent me.

37 And the Father who has sent me himself has borne witness concerning me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor have seen his shape,

38 and ye have not his word abiding in you; for whom *he* hath sent, him ye do not believe.

39 Ye search the scriptures, for ye think that in them ye have life eternal, and they it is which bear witness concerning me;

40 and ye will not come to me that ye might have life.

41 I do not receive glory from men,

42 but I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another come in his own name, him ye will receive.

44 How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and seek not the glory which [comes] from God alone?

45 Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] who accuses you, Moses, on whom ye trust;

46 for if ye had believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me.

47 But if ye do not believe his writings, how shall ye 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