John 5

1After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

1A little later, there was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheepgatea pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches.

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

3In these lay a multitude of them that were sick, blind, halt, withered.

3A large number of sick people were lying under these porches—people who were blind, lame, or paralyzed.

4

4[This verse is omitted in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts.]

5And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity.

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

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

6When Jesus saw him lying there and realized he had been in that condition for a long time, he asked him, 'Do you want to get well?'

7The sick 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 don't have anyone to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get there, someone else steps down ahead of me.'

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

8Jesus said to him, 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk.'

9And straightway the man was made whole, and took up his bed and walked. Now it was the sabbath on that day.

9Immediately the man was healed; he picked up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was the Sabbath.

10So the Jews said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed.

10So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been cured, 'It is the Sabbath! It is against our law for you to carry your mat.'

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

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

12They asked him, Who is the man that 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?'

13But he that was healed knew not who it was; for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place.

13The man who was healed didn’t know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the large crowd that was there.

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

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

15The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him whole.

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

16And for this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath.

16Because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.

17But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh even until now, and I work.

17But Jesus responded to them, 'My Father is always working, even until now, and I am working too.'

18For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only brake the sabbath, but also called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

18This made the leaders try even harder to kill him. Not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

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

19Jesus said to 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 does the same.

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

20For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. He will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.

21For as the Father raiseth the dead and giveth them life, even so the Son also giveth life to whom he will.

21Just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, the Son also gives life to anyone he chooses.

22For neither doth the Father judge any man, but he hath given all judgment unto the Son;

22The Father does not judge anyone, but he has given the Son full authority to judge,

23that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.

23so that everyone may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who 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 him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life.

24I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life. They will not be judged, but have already crossed over from death to life.

25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, 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, the time is coming—and is already here—when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will live.

26For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:

26Just as the Father has life in himself, he has granted the Son the power to have life in himself as well.

27and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.

27And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,

28Don't be surprised at this. The time is coming when everyone in their 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 judgment.

29They will come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be judged.

30I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

30I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I am told, and my judgment is fair because I am not trying to please myself, but the one who sent me.

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

31If I were the only one testifying about myself, my testimony would not be considered valid.

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

32But there is someone else who testifies about me, and I know that what he says about me is true.

33Ye have sent unto John, and he hath borne witness unto the truth.

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

34But the witness which I receive is not from man: howbeit I say these things, that ye may be saved.

34I don't need human testimony to prove who I am, but I am telling you this so that you might be saved.

35He was the lamp that burneth and shineth; and ye were willing to rejoice for a season in his light.

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

36But the witness which I have is greater than that of John; for the works which the Father hath given me to accomplish, the very works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

36But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father gave me to finish—the very things I am doing—prove that the Father sent me.

37And the Father that sent me, he hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.

37And the Father who sent me has testified 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 sent, him ye believe not.

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

39Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me;

39You study the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures are actually talking about me!

40and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.

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

41I receive not glory from men.

41I do not accept praise from people.

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

42But I know you, and I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.

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 in my Father’s name, and you do not welcome me. But if someone else comes in his own name, you will welcome him.

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

44How can you believe when you are only looking for praise from each other and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?

45Think not that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, on whom ye have set your hope.

45Do not think that I will be the one to accuse you before the Father. Moses is the one who accuses you—the very one you have put your hope in.

46For if ye believed Moses, ye would believe 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 since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?