John

After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

1Some time later there was a Jewish festival, so Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

2In Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool called Bethesda in the Hebrew language. It has five covered porches.

NoteThe KJV says "sheep market," but the place was the Sheep Gate, an entrance in the city wall. The "porches" were covered walkways with columns, where people could lie out of the sun.

3In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

3Crowds of sick people lay on these porches. Some were blind, some could not walk, and some could not move at all. They were waiting for the water to move.

Note"Impotent" in 1611 English meant weak or unable to move, not what it means today. "Halt" meant lame, and "withered" meant a body part that was shrunken or paralyzed.

4For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

4People said that at certain times an angel came down to the pool and stirred the water. The first person to step in after that was healed of whatever illness he had.

ManuscriptsMost modern translations leave this verse out. It is in the Greek text the King James translators worked from, but not in the older manuscripts found since, so scholars generally take it as a copyist’s addition rather than part of the original.

5And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

5One man there had been sick for thirty-eight years.

6When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

6Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had been that way a long time. Jesus asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

7The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

7The sick man answered, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water moves. While I am on my way, someone else gets in first."

8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

8Jesus said to him, "Get up. Pick up your mat and walk."

NoteThe "bed" was a light sleeping mat, thin enough for one person to roll up and carry.

9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

9Right away the man was well. He picked up his mat and walked. This happened on the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest.

10The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

10So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath. The law does not allow you to carry your mat."

11He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.

11He answered, "The man who made me well told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'"

12Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

12They asked him, "Who is the man who told you to pick it up and walk?"

13And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

13But the healed man did not know who it was. A crowd was there, and Jesus had slipped away.

14Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

14Later Jesus found him at the temple and said, "Look, you are well now. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you."

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

15The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the one who had made him well.

16And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

16So the leaders began to attack Jesus, because he did these things on the Sabbath.

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

17But Jesus answered them, "My Father has never stopped working, and I am working too."

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

18This made them want to kill him even more. He was not only breaking their Sabbath rules. He also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

19Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

19So Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth. The Son can do nothing on his own. He only does what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son does the same.

20For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

20The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does. He will show him even greater works than these, and you will be amazed.

21For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

21The Father raises dead people and gives them life. In the same way, the Son gives life to anyone he chooses.

22For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

22The Father judges no one. He has handed all judging over to the Son.

23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

23He did this so that everyone would honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

24"I tell you the truth. Whoever listens to my words and trusts the One who sent me has life that never ends. He will not be condemned. He has already crossed over from death into life.

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

25I tell you the truth. A time is coming, and is already here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. Those who hear it will live.

26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

26The Father has life in himself. In the same way, he has given the Son to have life in himself.

27And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

27And he has given the Son the right to judge, because he is the Son of Man.

28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

28Do not be surprised at this. A time is coming when everyone in the graves will hear his voice,

29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

29and they will come out. Those who did good will rise to life. Those who did evil will rise to be judged and condemned.

30I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

30"On my own I can do nothing. I judge only as I hear from the Father, and my judging is fair. I do not try to please myself. I do what the One who sent me wants.

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

31If I am the only one who speaks up about myself, my word does not count as proof.

Note"My witness is not true" does not mean Jesus would be lying. In their law, one person's word about himself did not count as proof. He needed other witnesses, which he lists next.

32There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

32There is someone else who speaks up for me, and I know that what he says about me is true.

33Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

33You sent messengers to John, and he told you the truth.

34But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.

34I do not need any person to speak for me. I say this so that you can be saved.

35He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

35John was like a lamp that burned and gave light. For a while you were glad to enjoy his light.

36But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

36But I have something stronger than John's word. The works the Father gave me to finish, the works I am doing, show that the Father sent me.

37And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

37And the Father who sent me has spoken up for me himself. You have never heard his voice or seen what he looks like.

38And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

38His word does not stay in you, because you do not believe the one he sent.

39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

39You study the Scriptures carefully, because you think they give you life that never ends. And they are the very writings that tell about me.

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

40Yet you refuse to come to me so that you can have that life.

41I receive not honour from men.

41I do not look for praise from people.

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

42But I know you. I know you do not have God's love inside you.

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

43I have come with my Father's authority, and you do not accept me. If someone else comes on his own, you will accept him.

44How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

44You accept praise from each other, but you do not look for the praise that comes from the only God. So how can you believe?

45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

45Do not think I will be the one to accuse you before the Father. Moses accuses you, and Moses is the one you trust.

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

46If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.

47But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

47But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you ever believe what I say?"