JHN 5

The Healing at the Pool of Bethesda

1 After these events had taken place, there was a feast of the Jews being observed, and Jesus travelled up to the city of Jerusalem to participate in it.

2 There is located in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, a pool called in the Hebrew language Bethesda, which is surrounded by five covered colonnades providing shelter.

3 In these colonnades were lying a great multitude of those who were invalid and infirm—people who were blind, lame, and paralysed, waiting for healing.*

5 A certain man was present there who had been in his invalid and disabled condition for thirty-eight years, suffering from chronic illness.

6 When Jesus observed this man lying there helpless and realised that he had been in that condition for a long period of time already, He said to him, "Do you desire to be made well?"

7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no one, no friend or helper, to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up and agitated. But while I am making my way towards it, another person steps down ahead of me and enters before I can reach it."

8 Jesus said to him with authority, "Arise and stand up. Take up your mat, and walk."

9 Immediately, at that very moment, the man was made completely well. He took up his mat and began to walk about. (Now it was the Sabbath day on that particular day.)

10 So the Jewish religious authorities were saying to the one who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath day, and it is not lawful or permissible for you to carry your mat on this day."

11 But he answered them in his defence, "The One who made me whole and restored my health—that very One gave me this instruction and said to me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'"

12 So they questioned him further, demanding to know, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your mat and walk,' violating the Sabbath?"

13 But the one who had been healed did not know who Jesus was or His identity, for Jesus had quietly withdrawn while a crowd was gathered in that place.

14 After these events had occurred, Jesus found the healed man at the temple and said to him, "Look, you have been made completely well. Sin no more from this time forward, so that nothing worse than your previous condition happens to you."

15 The man went away from the temple and reported to the Jewish authorities that it was Jesus who had made him well and healed him.

16 For this reason and on this account, the Jewish leaders were persecuting Jesus and seeking to harm Him, because He was doing these healing works on the Sabbath day.

17 But Jesus replied to them in His defence, "My Father has been working until the present moment, and I also am working in the same manner."

The Co-equality of Jesus with God

18 For this reason, on account of this statement, the Jewish leaders were seeking even more earnestly to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath regulations in their view, but He was also calling God His own Father in a unique sense, thereby making Himself equal with God in nature and authority.

The Authority of the Son

19 So Jesus replied and said to them, "I tell you with absolute certainty and truth: The Son is able to do nothing on His own initiative or authority, acting independently, except what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, these same things the Son also does in the same manner and with the same authority.

20 For the Father loves the Son with infinite love and shows Him everything that He Himself is doing. And greater works than these miracles He will show Him, so that you will marvel.

21 For just as the Father raises the dead from their graves and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wills and chooses to give it.

22 For the Father judges no one directly, but has entrusted the entire work of judgment to the Son,

23 so that everyone may honour the Son in the same way and to the same degree as they honour the Father. The one who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him into the world.

24 I tell you with absolute certainty and truth: The one who hears My word and believes and trusts the One who sent Me has eternal life at this present moment, and does not come into judgment or condemnation, but has crossed over and passed from death into life.

25 I tell you with absolute certainty and truth: An hour is coming, and has now arrived, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God speaking to them, and those who hear and respond will live.

26 For just as the Father has life in Himself as an inherent possession, so also He has granted to the Son to have life in Himself as an inherent possession.

27 And He has granted Him authority to execute judgment over all humanity, because He is the Son of Man, sharing in human nature.

28 Do not marvel at this truth, because an hour is coming when all those who are in the tombs and graves will hear His voice calling them forth

29 and they will come out from their graves—those who have done good things and righteous deeds will come forth to the resurrection that leads to life, but those who have practised evil things and wickedness will come forth to the resurrection that leads to judgment and condemnation.

30 I am able to do nothing on My own initiative or by My own independent authority. Just as I hear instruction from the Father, I judge accordingly, and My judgment is just and righteous, because I do not seek My own will or desire, but rather the will of the One who sent Me into the world."

Witnesses to Jesus

31 If I testify about Myself alone, My testimony is not considered legally valid or true by your standards.

32 There is another witness who bears testimony about Me and My identity, and I know with certainty that the testimony which He testifies about Me is true and reliable.

33 You have sent messengers and a delegation to John the Baptist, and he has borne witness to the truth concerning Me.

34 I do not receive or depend upon testimony from any human source for validation, but I say these things so that you may be saved and come to eternal life.

35 That man John was the burning and shining lamp, illuminating truth, and you were willing to rejoice for a brief time in his light and teaching.

36 But I have a testimony that is greater and more authoritative than that of John. For the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish and bring to completion—the very works which I am doing at this moment—testify about Me, confirming that the Father has sent Me.

37 And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time in your lives nor seen His visible form.

38 You do not have His word dwelling in you permanently, because you do not believe and trust the One whom He has sent to you.

39 You search and examine the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you possess eternal life, and it is these very Scriptures that testify about Me.

40 Yet you are not willing to come to Me so that you may have life and experience it.

41 I do not accept or receive glory and honour from human beings as My source of validation.

42 But I know you and understand your hearts, that you do not have the love of God dwelling in yourselves.

43 I have come in the name and authority of My Father, and you do not accept Me. If another comes in his own name and authority, promoting himself, him you will receive.

44 How are you able to believe and place your faith in Me since you accept glory and honour from one another, and do not seek the glory and honour which comes from the only God?

45 Do not think that I will bring charges against you before the Father. The one who brings charges against you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope and confidence.

46 For if you truly believed Moses and trusted his writings, you would believe Me, for that one wrote about Me.

47 But if you do not believe the writings of that one, how will you believe My words and teaching?"

Notes

3 Some ancient manuscripts add verse 4, which reads: “ For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water. Then, he who stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made whole from whatever disease he had at that time.”

Currently Selected:

JHN 5: AFINT

Highlight

Copy

Compare