John 5

King James Version

Full text for John Chapter 5

1¶ After 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.

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

17¶ But 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.›

20‹For 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.›

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

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

23‹That 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.›

24‹Verily, 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.›

25‹Verily, 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.›

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

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

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

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

30‹I 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.›

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

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

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

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

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

36‹But 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.›

37‹And 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.›

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

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

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

41‹I receive not honour from men.›

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

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

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

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

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

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jesus travels to Jerusalem and miraculously heals an infirm man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath day, which provokes the Jews. When confronted, Jesus asserts his divine authority, declaring that he works in unity with the Father and possesses the power to give life and execute judgment. He then presents various witnesses to his identity, including John the Baptist, his own works, the Father, and the Scriptures.

Medium Summary

During a feast in Jerusalem, Jesus encounters a man who has been infirm for thirty-eight years at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus miraculously heals him, commanding him to take up his bed and walk, an act performed on the Sabbath. This healing incites the Jews, who accuse the man of breaking the Sabbath law and begin to persecute Jesus. In response, Jesus asserts his divine relationship with God, proclaiming that he works in conjunction with the Father and shares the Father's power to give life and administer judgment. He explains that the Father has committed all judgment to the Son, so that all men should honor the Son as they honor the Father. Jesus further substantiates his claims by citing the testimonies of John the Baptist, his own miraculous works, the direct witness of the Father, and the Old Testament Scriptures, which he states testify of him. He rebukes the Jews for their unbelief and their preference for human honor over divine truth.

Long Summary

Jesus journeyed to Jerusalem for a feast, where he visited the pool of Bethesda, a place known for its healing properties, particularly after the water was troubled by an angel. There, he encountered a man who had suffered from an infirmity for thirty-eight years. Jesus, knowing the man's long plight, asked if he desired to be made whole, and upon the man's lament about lacking assistance into the pool, Jesus commanded him to "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk." The man was instantly healed and obeyed, but because this occurred on the Sabbath, he was confronted by the Jews for carrying his bed, an act deemed unlawful. The healed man identified Jesus as his healer, leading the Jews to persecute Jesus for performing such a work on the holy day. In a profound defense, Jesus declared, "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work," a statement that intensified the Jews' desire to kill him, as they understood it to be a claim of equality with God. Jesus then expounded upon his intimate relationship with the Father, asserting that the Son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do, for the Father loves the Son and shows him all things. He revealed that the Son possesses the power to quicken whom he will, just as the Father raises the dead, and that the Father has committed all judgment unto the Son, so that all might honor the Son as they honor the Father. Jesus promised everlasting life to those who hear his word and believe in the Father who sent him, and foretold a future resurrection where all in the graves would hear his voice, leading to a resurrection of life for the good and damnation for the evil. He emphasized that his judgment is just, as he seeks not his own will but the Father's. To further validate his claims, Jesus presented several witnesses: John the Baptist, who bore witness to the truth; his own miraculous works, which testified that the Father had sent him; and the Father Himself, who had borne witness, though the Jews had neither heard his voice nor seen his shape. He also pointed to the Scriptures, which they diligently searched for eternal life, affirming that these very writings testified of him, yet they refused to come to him for life. Finally, Jesus admonished them for seeking honor from one another rather than from God, and warned that Moses, in whom they trusted, would be their accuser, for if they had believed Moses, they would have believed him, as Moses wrote of him.

Core Concepts

  • Sabbath ControversyJesus' healing of the infirm man at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath day directly challenged the Jewish interpretation of Sabbath law, leading to persecution and a deeper theological dispute regarding his authority.
  • Divine Sonship and Equality with GodJesus' declaration, 'My Father worketh hitherto, and I work,' and his subsequent discourse on his shared power with the Father, including giving life and executing judgment, were understood by the Jews as claims of equality with God.
  • The Son's Dependence and Unity with the FatherJesus repeatedly emphasizes that he does nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do, and that his judgment is just because he seeks the Father's will, illustrating a profound unity and dependence within the Godhead.
  • Authority to Give Life and JudgeJesus asserts his power to 'quicken whom he will' and states that the Father has committed all judgment to the Son, establishing his role as both life-giver and ultimate judge over humanity.
  • Resurrection of Life and DamnationThe chapter describes a future resurrection where all in the graves will hear Jesus' voice, resulting in a resurrection unto life for those who have done good, and a resurrection unto damnation for those who have done evil.
  • Witnesses to Jesus' IdentityJesus cites various testimonies to validate his divine mission, including John the Baptist, his own miraculous works, the direct witness of God the Father, and the Old Testament Scriptures, which he states testify of him.
  • Unbelief and Seeking Human HonorJesus critiques the Jews for their unbelief, their failure to receive him despite the Father's sending, and their preference for seeking honor from men rather than the honor that comes from God alone.