5:1 After this, there was a festival of the Prophets, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
5:2 Now in Jerusalem near the sheep gate there is a pool, called Bethesda in Hebrew, which is surrounded by five colonnades.
5:3 Within these lay a multitude of people who were sick, blind, paralyzed and withered.1
5:5 A man was there who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years.
5:6 Jesus saw him lying there and understood he had been in that condition for a long time, and asked him, "Are you willing to become whole?"
5:7 The paralytic replied, "Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is turbulent. When trying to enter the water, someone goes in ahead of me."
5:8 Jesus said to him, "Stand up, pick up your mat and walk."
5:9 And immediately the man's body was cured and he took up his mat and walked. This took place on the day of the Sabbath.
5:10 The Jewish officials told the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful to carry your mat."
5:11 He replied to them, "The man who made me well told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'"
5:12 Then they asked him, "Who is this man who told you to pick up your mat and walk?"
5:13 The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, as there were a great many people in that place.
5:14 Afterward, Jesus found him at the altar and said to him, "See, your body is now well. Sin no more so nothing worse happens to you."
5:15 The man departed and told the Jewish officials that it was Jesus who had made him well.
5:16 Thus, the Jewish officials harassed Jesus because he had done these things on the Sabbath.
5:17 Jesus answered them saying, "My LORD is always working, and I too am working."
5:18 Because of this they began a pursuit to murder Jesus; not only because he broke the Sabbath, but he called the Creator his own, equating himself with God.
5:19 Jesus answered them, saying, "Truly I say to you, a child can do nothing of himself, but what he sees his father doing, because whatever the father does the child also does.
5:20 Similarly, the Creator loves His Representative and shows him all the things He Himself does. Yes, and He will show him greater deeds than these, and you will marvel.
5:21 Thus, just as the Creator raises the dead and gives them life, His Representative gives life to whom he is pleased with.
5:22 Furthermore, neither does the Creator select anyone, but He has entrusted selection to the Loving Servant,
5:23 so that all may honor God's Representative just as they honor the Creator. He who does not honor God's Representative does not honor the Creator who sent him.
5:24 Truly I say to you, he that hears my teachings and trusts in Him who sent me, has eternal life and will not be judged, but crosses over from death into life.
5:25 Very truly I say, a time will come when the dead shall hear the sound of the Representative of God, those who hear will live.
5:26 For as the Creator has life in Himself, so He grants His Representative life in Himself.
5:27 And He entrusts him with the authority to choose because he is the Servant of Humanity.
5:28 Do not wonder about this, for the time will come when each person who passes away will hear His voice
5:29 and come forth: And those who have prepared well will rise to2 life and those who perpetuated wickedness will rise to2 be condemned.
5:30 By myself I can do nothing; As I hear, I make choices, and my choices are just because I do not seek to please myself but to please Him who sent me.
5:31 If I alone testify about myself, my testimony is not true.
5:32 There is another who testifies about me, and I know the testimony He brings is true.
5:33 You have dismissed John but he has testified to the truth.
5:34 But the testimony I receive is not from humans, but I say these things so that you may be delivered from suffering.
5:35 John was the lamp that shined and gave light, and you rejoiced for a time in his light.
5:36 Yet the testimony is more critical than that of John. For the work that the Creator has given me to finish — the very work I am doing — indicates that the Creator has sent me.
5:37 And the Creator who sent me has Himself testified about me. You do not hear His voice nor perceive His Form,
5:38 nor does His wisdom dwell within you, for you do not trust the person He sent.
5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these testify about me;
5:40 yet you refuse to follow me so that you may have life.
5:41 I don't accept honor from worldly people.
5:42 But I know you - that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
5:43 I have come in my LORD's Name, and you accept me not; but if another comes in his own name, you will accept him.
5:44 How can you believe when you accept blessings from one another but do not seek the blessings that come from the only God?
5:45 Do not think I will accuse you before the Creator; the one who accuses you is Moses, upon whom you put your hope.
5:46 For if you trusted Moses, you would trust me, for he wrote about me.
5:47 But since you do not trust his writings, how will you trust my words?"
Footnotes:
1. Verse 5.4 was added in later manuscripts – not part of the earliest texts.
2. Verse 5:29. The word translated to "rise to" may also be translated to "resurrect." This originates from the ancient Biblical teaching that the spirit or soul will rise up from the body at the time of death – as also described in Mark 15:37 and John 19:30.
5:2 Now in Jerusalem near the sheep gate there is a pool, called Bethesda in Hebrew, which is surrounded by five colonnades.
5:3 Within these lay a multitude of people who were sick, blind, paralyzed and withered.1
5:5 A man was there who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years.
5:6 Jesus saw him lying there and understood he had been in that condition for a long time, and asked him, "Are you willing to become whole?"
5:7 The paralytic replied, "Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is turbulent. When trying to enter the water, someone goes in ahead of me."
5:8 Jesus said to him, "Stand up, pick up your mat and walk."
5:9 And immediately the man's body was cured and he took up his mat and walked. This took place on the day of the Sabbath.
5:10 The Jewish officials told the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful to carry your mat."
5:11 He replied to them, "The man who made me well told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'"
5:12 Then they asked him, "Who is this man who told you to pick up your mat and walk?"
5:13 The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, as there were a great many people in that place.
5:14 Afterward, Jesus found him at the altar and said to him, "See, your body is now well. Sin no more so nothing worse happens to you."
5:15 The man departed and told the Jewish officials that it was Jesus who had made him well.
5:16 Thus, the Jewish officials harassed Jesus because he had done these things on the Sabbath.
5:17 Jesus answered them saying, "My LORD is always working, and I too am working."
5:18 Because of this they began a pursuit to murder Jesus; not only because he broke the Sabbath, but he called the Creator his own, equating himself with God.
5:19 Jesus answered them, saying, "Truly I say to you, a child can do nothing of himself, but what he sees his father doing, because whatever the father does the child also does.
5:20 Similarly, the Creator loves His Representative and shows him all the things He Himself does. Yes, and He will show him greater deeds than these, and you will marvel.
5:21 Thus, just as the Creator raises the dead and gives them life, His Representative gives life to whom he is pleased with.
5:22 Furthermore, neither does the Creator select anyone, but He has entrusted selection to the Loving Servant,
5:23 so that all may honor God's Representative just as they honor the Creator. He who does not honor God's Representative does not honor the Creator who sent him.
5:24 Truly I say to you, he that hears my teachings and trusts in Him who sent me, has eternal life and will not be judged, but crosses over from death into life.
5:25 Very truly I say, a time will come when the dead shall hear the sound of the Representative of God, those who hear will live.
5:26 For as the Creator has life in Himself, so He grants His Representative life in Himself.
5:27 And He entrusts him with the authority to choose because he is the Servant of Humanity.
5:28 Do not wonder about this, for the time will come when each person who passes away will hear His voice
5:29 and come forth: And those who have prepared well will rise to2 life and those who perpetuated wickedness will rise to2 be condemned.
5:30 By myself I can do nothing; As I hear, I make choices, and my choices are just because I do not seek to please myself but to please Him who sent me.
5:31 If I alone testify about myself, my testimony is not true.
5:32 There is another who testifies about me, and I know the testimony He brings is true.
5:33 You have dismissed John but he has testified to the truth.
5:34 But the testimony I receive is not from humans, but I say these things so that you may be delivered from suffering.
5:35 John was the lamp that shined and gave light, and you rejoiced for a time in his light.
5:36 Yet the testimony is more critical than that of John. For the work that the Creator has given me to finish — the very work I am doing — indicates that the Creator has sent me.
5:37 And the Creator who sent me has Himself testified about me. You do not hear His voice nor perceive His Form,
5:38 nor does His wisdom dwell within you, for you do not trust the person He sent.
5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these testify about me;
5:40 yet you refuse to follow me so that you may have life.
5:41 I don't accept honor from worldly people.
5:42 But I know you - that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
5:43 I have come in my LORD's Name, and you accept me not; but if another comes in his own name, you will accept him.
5:44 How can you believe when you accept blessings from one another but do not seek the blessings that come from the only God?
5:45 Do not think I will accuse you before the Creator; the one who accuses you is Moses, upon whom you put your hope.
5:46 For if you trusted Moses, you would trust me, for he wrote about me.
5:47 But since you do not trust his writings, how will you trust my words?"
Footnotes:
1. Verse 5.4 was added in later manuscripts – not part of the earliest texts.
2. Verse 5:29. The word translated to "rise to" may also be translated to "resurrect." This originates from the ancient Biblical teaching that the spirit or soul will rise up from the body at the time of death – as also described in Mark 15:37 and John 19:30.
