John 5
5
The Healing at the Pool of Bethesda
1 After these events,* there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Gate, a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, which has five covered colonnades. 3 In these were lying a large number of those who were invalid—blind, lame, and paralysed.** 5 And a certain man was there who had been in his invalid condition for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw this man* lying there and realised that he had been in that condition for a long time already, said to him, “Do you desire to be made well?” 7 The sick one answered him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. But while I am coming, another steps down ahead of me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Arise; take up your mat, and walk.” 9 And immediately, the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. (Now it was the Sabbath on that day.) 10 So the Jews were saying to the one who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up the mat.” 11 But he answered them, “The One who made me whole—that One said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 So they questioned him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your mat and walk?’ ”* 13 But the one who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had quietly withdrawn while a crowd was in the place. 14 After these events, Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you.” 15 The man went away and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who made him well. 16 And for this reason, the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus* replied to them, “My Father has been working until the present, and I also am working.”
The Co-equality of Jesus with God
18 For this reason, therefore, the Jews were seeking even more to kill Him, because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
The Authority of the Son
19 So Jesus replied and said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing on His own initiative, * except what He sees the Father doing. For whatever He does, these things also the Son does in the same way. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything that He is doing; and greater works than these He will show Him, so that you will marvel. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wills to give it. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 so that everyone may honour the Son, just as they honour the Father. The one who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you that the one who hears My word and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed * from death to life.
25 “Truly, truly, I say to you that an hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted to the Son to have life in Himself. 27 And He has granted Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, because an hour is coming when all those in the tombs will hear His voice 29 and they will come out, those who have done good things to the resurrection of life, but those who have practised evil things to the resurrection of judgment.
30 “I am able to do nothing on My own initiative. * Just as I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of the One who sent Me. *
Witnesses to Jesus
31 “If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not considered true. 32 There is another who bears testimony about Me, and I know that the testimony which He testifies about Me is true. 33 You have sent messengers to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 And I do not receive testimony from man, * but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 That one was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while * in his light. 36 “But I have a testimony greater than that of John. For the works which the Father has given Me to bring to completion—the very works which I am doing—testify about Me, 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 nor seen His form. 38 And you do not have His word dwelling in you, because you do not believe the One whom He has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, and it is these that bear witness about Me, 40 but you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. 41 I do not accept glory from men, * 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 I have come in the name of My Father, and you do not accept Me. If another comes in his own name, him you will accept. 44 How are you able to believe since you accept glory from one another, and do not seek the glory 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. 46 For if you believed Moses, 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?”
Notes
1 Greek things. So also v. 14
3 Some ancient manuscripts insert the participial phrase awaiting the stirring of the water
3 Some ancient manuscripts include v. 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
6 The word man is not found in the Greek text but is contextually implied. It is supplied in the translation for clarity regarding the subject
12 Three ancient Greek manuscripts omit the entire v. 12
17 Some ancient manuscripts read He instead of Jesus
19 Greek from Himself
24 Or crossed over
34 Or people , as the term is understood in a generic sense
35 Greek for an hour
41 Or people, as the term is understood in a generic sense
44 Greek is
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Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
