Jesus Heals at the Pool of Bethesda
1After this there was a feast of the Jews; and 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. 3In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 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. 5And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and 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? 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. 8Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 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. 15The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.
The Father and the Son
16And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 17But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
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.
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. 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. 21For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto 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.
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.
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. 26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, 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, 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.
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.
Testimonies about Jesus
31If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in 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.
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. 38And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
Witness of the Scripture
(Luke 16:19-31)
39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41I receive not honour from men. 42But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in 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. 44How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? 45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Pool of Bethesda
1 After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, “Bethesda,” having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water; 4 for an angel went down at certain times into the pool, and stirred up the water. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made whole of whatever disease he had. 5 A certain man was there, who had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had been sick for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to be made well?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, another steps down before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your mat, and walk.” 9 Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. 10 So the Jews said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat.” 11 He answered them, “He who made me well, the same said to me, ‘Take up your mat, and walk.’” 12 Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your mat, and walk’?” 13 But he who was healed didn’t know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you.” 15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
The Father and the Son
16 For this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.”
18 For this cause therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
19 Jesus therefore answered them, “Most certainly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father doing. For whatever things he does, these the Son also does likewise. 20 For the Father has affection for the Son, and shows him all things that he himself does. He will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires. 22 For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who doesn’t honor the Son doesn’t honor the Father who sent him.
24 “Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn’t come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
25 Most certainly, I tell you, the hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the Son of God’s voice; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself. 27 He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man. 28 Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice, 29 and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.
30 I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.
Testimonies about Jesus
31 “If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid. 32 It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true.
33 You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34 But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
36 But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me.
37 The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. 38 You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.
The Witness of Scripture
(Luke 16:19–31)
39 “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. 40 Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. 41 I don’t receive glory from men. 42 But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 “Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. 47 But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
The Pool of Bethesda
1 Some time later there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool with five covered colonnades, which in Hebrew a is called Bethesda. b 3 On these walkways c lay a great number of the sick, the blind, the lame, and the paralyzed. d
5 One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and realized that he had spent a long time in this condition, He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”
7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am on my way, someone else goes in before me.”
8 Then Jesus told him, “Get up, pick up your mat, and walk.”
9 Immediately the man was made well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk.
Now this happened on the Sabbath day, 10 so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath! It is unlawful for you to carry your mat.”
11 But he answered, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
12 “Who is this man who told you to pick it up and walk?” they asked.
13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while the crowd was there.
14 Afterward, Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”
15 And the man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
The Father and the Son
16 Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews began to persecute Him. 17 But Jesus answered them, “To this very day My Father is at His work, and I too am working.”
18 Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
19 So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does. 20 The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wishes.
22 Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
24 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment. Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
25 Truly, truly, I tell you, the hour is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so also He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. 27 And He has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.
28 Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice 29 and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. e
30 I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Testimonies about Jesus
31 If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. 32 There is another who testifies about Me, and I know that His testimony about Me is valid.
33 You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34 Even though I do not accept human testimony, I say these things so that you may be saved.
35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you were willing for a season to bask in his light. 36 But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works 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 never heard His voice nor seen His form, 38 nor does His word abide in you, because you do not believe the One He sent.
The Witness of Scripture
(Luke 16:19–31)
39 You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, 40 yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.
41 I do not accept glory from men, 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you have not received Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, in whom you have put your hope. 46 If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”
Footnotes:
2 a Or in Aramaic
2 b NA, NE, and WH Bethzatha
3 c Literally In these
3 d NE, BYZ, and TR include awaiting the moving of the waters. 4For from time to time an angel descended into the pool and stirred the water. As soon as it was stirred, the first to enter the pool would be healed of his disease.
29 e See Daniel 12:2.
Jesus Heals at the Pool of Bethesda
1After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,
2and there is in Jerusalem by the sheep -gate a pool that is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches, 3in these were lying a great multitude of the ailing, blind, lame, withered, waiting for the moving of the water, 4for a messenger at a set time was going down in the pool, and was troubling the water, the first then having gone in after the troubling of the water, became whole of whatever sickness he was held. 5and there was a certain man there being in ailment thirty and eight years, 6him Jesus having seen lying, and having known that he is already a long time, he saith to him, 'Dost thou wish to become whole?' 7The ailing man answered him, 'Sir, I have no man, that, when the water may be troubled, he may put me into the pool, and while I am coming, another doth go down before me.' 8Jesus saith to him, 'Rise, take up thy couch, and be walking;' 9and immediately the man became whole, and he took up his couch, and was walking, and it was a sabbath on that day, 10the Jews then said to him that hath been healed, 'It is a sabbath; it is not lawful to thee to take up the couch.' 11He answered them, 'He who made me whole -- that one said to me, Take up thy couch, and be walking;' 12they questioned him, then, 'Who is the man who is saying to thee, Take up thy couch and be walking?' 13But he that was healed had not known who he is, for Jesus did move away, a multitude being in the place. 14After these things, Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said to him, 'Lo, thou hast become whole; sin no more, lest something worse may happen to thee.' 15The man went away, and told the Jews that it is Jesus who made him whole,
The Father and the Son
16and because of this were the Jews persecuting Jesus, and seeking to kill him, because these things he was doing on a sabbath. 17And Jesus answered them, 'My Father till now doth work, and I work;'
18because of this, then, were the Jews seeking the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the sabbath, but he also called God his own Father, making himself equal to God.
19Jesus therefore responded and said to them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, The Son is not able to do anything of himself, if he may not see the Father doing anything; for whatever things He may do, these also the Son in like manner doth; 20for the Father doth love the Son, and doth shew to him all things that He himself doth; and greater works than these He will shew him, that ye may wonder. 21'For, as the Father doth raise the dead, and doth make alive, so also the Son doth make alive whom he willeth; 22for neither doth the Father judge any one, but all the judgment He hath given to the Son, 23that all may honour the Son according as they honour the Father; he who is not honouring the Son, doth not honour the Father who sent him.
24'Verily, verily, I say to you -- He who is hearing my word, and is believing Him who sent me, hath life age-during, and to judgment he doth not come, but hath passed out of the death to the life.
25'Verily, verily, I say to you -- There cometh an hour, and it now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and those having heard shall live; 26for, as the Father hath life in himself, so He gave also to the Son to have life in himself, 27and authority He gave him also to do judgment, because he is Son of Man. 28'Wonder not at this, because there doth come an hour in which all those in the tombs shall hear his voice, 29and they shall come forth; those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practised the evil things to a rising again of judgment.
30'I am not able of myself to do anything; according as I hear I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.
Testimonies about Jesus
31'If I testify concerning myself, my testimony is not true; 32another there is who is testifying concerning me, and I have known that the testimony that he doth testify concerning me is true;
33ye have sent unto John, and he hath testified to the truth. 34'But I do not receive testimony from man, but these things I say that ye may be saved; 35he was the burning and shining lamp, and ye did will to be glad, for an hour, in his light.
36'But I have the testimony greater than John's, for the works that the Father gave me, that I might finish them, the works themselves that I do, they testify concerning me, that the Father hath sent me.
37'And the Father who sent me Himself hath testified concerning me; ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor His appearance have ye seen; 38and His word ye have not remaining in you, because whom He sent, him ye do not believe.
Witness of the Scripture
(Luke 16:19-31)
39'Ye search the Writings, because ye think in them to have life age-during, and these are they that are testifying concerning me; 40and ye do not will to come unto me, that ye may have life; 41glory from man I do not receive, 42but I have known you, that the love of God ye have not in yourselves. 43'I have come in the name of my Father, and ye do not receive me; if another may come in his own name, him ye will receive; 44how are ye able -- ye -- to believe, glory from one another receiving, and the glory that is from God alone ye seek not? 45'Do not think that I will accuse you unto the Father; there is who is accusing you, Moses -- in whom ye have hoped; 46for if ye were believing Moses, ye would have been believing me, for he wrote concerning me; 47but if his writings ye believe not, how shall ye believe my sayings?'
The Healing at Bethesda
¹ Some time later, there was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ² Now, in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool called Bethesda, which in Hebrew means “House of Mercy.” It’s surrounded by five covered porches. ³ Crowds of people—those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed—were lying on the porches, hoping to be healed.* ⁴ From time to time, an angel of the Lord would come down and stir the waters. The first one to step into the pool after the water was stirred would be healed of whatever disease they had.*
⁵ Among them was a man who had been crippled for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there, knowing how long he had been in this condition, He asked him, “Do you want to be healed?”
⁷ The man answered, “Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. Every time I try to get in, someone else gets in before me.”
⁸ Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk!” ⁹ Immediately, the man was healed. He picked up his mat and began to walk!
Now, this happened on a Sabbath day. ¹⁰ So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It’s the Sabbath! The law forbids you to carry your mat.”* ¹¹ But the man replied, “The one who healed me told me to pick up my mat and walk.”
¹² They asked him, “Who is this man who told you to do this?” ¹³ But the man didn’t know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd.
¹⁴ Later, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Look, you are healed now. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.”* ¹⁵ The man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.
Jesus Defends His Authority
¹⁶ So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷ But Jesus responded, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” ¹⁸ This made the Jewish leaders even angrier. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was also calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He only does what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing. In fact, the Father will show Him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed! ²¹ Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son gives life to whom He pleases.
²² Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, ²³ 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.
²⁴ Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be judged, but has crossed over from death to life!
²⁵ I tell you the truth: a time is coming—and is now here—when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live! ²⁶ For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself. ²⁷ And He has given Him authority to judge, because He is the Son of Man.
²⁸ Don’t be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice ²⁹ and come out—those who have done good will rise to life, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
³⁰ I can do nothing on My own. I judge only as I hear, and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
Testimonies About Jesus
³¹ If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not valid. ³² But there is another who testifies about Me, and I know that His testimony about Me is true.
³³ You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. ³⁴ Not that I accept human testimony, but I mention it so that you may be saved. ³⁵ John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and for a time you chose to bask in his light.
³⁶ But I have a greater testimony than John’s: the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify that the Father has sent Me. ³⁷ And the Father who sent Me has Himself testified concerning Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form, ³⁸ nor does His word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one He sent.
³⁹ You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.
⁴¹ I do not accept praise from men, ⁴² but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. ⁴³ I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not accept Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. ⁴⁴ How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from God alone?
⁴⁵ But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. ⁴⁶ If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. ⁴⁷ But since you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?”
Footnotes:
5:3: It was believed that the waters of the pool were stirred by an angel, and whoever entered the water first after the stirring would be healed.
5:4: This verse, absent in some manuscripts, was commonly understood to explain the healing tradition at Bethesda—an angel would periodically stir the waters, and healing was said to occur.
5:10: The Jewish leaders referred to their strict interpretation of the Sabbath law, which forbade carrying loads as a form of “work.”
5:14: Jesus’ warning to the healed man implies that spiritual well-being is even more important than physical healing, with consequences that last for eternity.
5:25: Jesus speaks of both spiritual and physical resurrection, emphasizing that eternal life begins now for those who hear His voice and believe.
5:29: The resurrection to life and condemnation here refers to the final judgment when all will be raised, and their deeds will be exposed.
5:31: According to Jewish law, self-testimony was not legally sufficient; there had to be corroboration from other witnesses.
