John 5

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

1Some time later there was a Jewish feast day. Jesus went up to the city of 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 there is a pool near the Sheep Gate. Its Hebrew name is Bethesda. It has five covered porches.

NoteThe KJV says "sheep market," but this was the Sheep Gate, a gate in the city wall of Jerusalem.

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

3Many sick people lay on those porches. Some were blind. Some could not walk. Some could not move their bodies. They were waiting for the water to move.

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 an angel came down at times and stirred the water. The first person to step in after that was healed of whatever sickness 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.

NoteThe oldest copies of John do not have this verse. It was probably a note someone added later to explain what the sick people in verse 3 were waiting for.

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. He knew the man had been sick 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 said, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water moves. While I am on my way, someone else always steps in first."

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

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

Note"Bed" here means a sleeping mat, light enough for a 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. That day was 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 healed man, "This is the Sabbath. Our law says you may not carry your mat."

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

11He answered them, "The man who made me well told me to pick up my 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 quietly 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, God's house in Jerusalem. Jesus 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 it was Jesus 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.

16Because Jesus did these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to give him trouble and wanted to kill him.

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

17But Jesus told them, "My Father is still working today. 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.

18That made them want to kill him even more. He had broken their Sabbath rules. He also called God his own Father, which made him 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 his 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.

20"The Father loves the Son. He shows the Son 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.

21"The Father raises the dead 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:

22"The 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.

23"This is so that everyone will 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 hears my word and trusts the One who sent me has life forever. He will not be judged guilty. He has already crossed over from death to 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.

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

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

26"The Father has life in himself. He has given the Son the same thing: life in himself."

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

27"He has also 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,

28"Do 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.

29"They will come out. Those who did good will rise to life. Those who did evil will rise to be judged guilty."

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"I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear from the Father. My judging is fair, because I do not want my own way. I want what the Father who sent me wants."

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

31"If I am the only one who speaks for me, my word alone is not proof."

Note"My witness is not true" does not mean Jesus is lying. In that time, one person's word about himself did not count as proof in court. He needed someone else to speak for him.

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

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

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

33"You sent men to ask John, and John told the truth."

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

34"I do not need people 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.

35"John 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.

36"But I have something stronger than what John said. My Father gave me work to finish. The work I am doing shows 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.

37"The Father who sent me has spoken about 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.

38"His word does not stay in you. That is 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.

39"You study the Scriptures, God's holy writings. You think they give you life forever. Those very writings tell about me."

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

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

41I receive not honour from men.

41"I do not look for praise from people."

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

42"But I know you. 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.

43"I have come speaking for my Father, and you do not welcome me. If someone comes speaking only for himself, you will welcome him."

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

44"You love getting praise from each other. 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.

45"Do not think I will accuse you in front of the Father. Moses is the one who accuses you, and Moses is the one you trust."

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

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

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

47"You do not believe what Moses wrote. So how will you believe what I say?"