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

Some time later, there was a religious gathering of the Jews. Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 N ow there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

In Jerusalem there is a pool with five porches called Bethesda near the sheep gate.

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

Inside these porches lay many sick people. Some were blind. Some could not walk. Some could not move their bodies.

4 F or 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.

(An angel of the Lord came at certain times and made the water move. All of them were waiting for it to move. Whoever got in the water first after it was moving was healed of whatever sickness he had.)

5 A nd a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

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

6 W hen 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?

Jesus saw him lying there and knew the man had been sick a long time. Jesus said to him, “Would you like to be healed?”

7 T he 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.

The sick man said, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is moving. While I am coming, another one gets in first.”

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

Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your bed and walk.”

9 A nd immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

At once the man was healed and picked up his bed and walked. This happened on the Day of Rest.

10 T he Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

The Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Day of Rest. It is against the Law for you to carry your bed.”

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

He said to them, “The Man Who healed me said to me, ‘Pick up your bed and walk.’

12 T hen asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?

Then the Jews asked him, “What man said to you, ‘Pick up your bed and walk’ ?”

13 A nd he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.

The man who had been healed did not know Who He was. Jesus had gone away while many people were there.

14 A fterward 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.

Later Jesus found the man who had been healed in the house of God. He said to him, “Listen! You have been healed. Stop sinning or something worse will come to you.”

15 T he man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus Who had healed him. The Jews Want to Kill Jesus

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

Because Jesus did these things on the Day of Rest, the Jews made it very hard for Him.

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

Jesus said to them, “My Father is still working all the time so I am working also.”

18 T herefore 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.

The Jews tried all the more to kill Him, not only because He had worked on the Day of Rest, but because He had also called God His Own Father. This made Him the same as God. Jesus Tells How He Works

19 T hen 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.

Then Jesus said to them, “For sure, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself. He does what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son does also.

20 F or 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.

The Father loves the Son and shows the Son everything He does. The Father will show Him greater works than these. They will surprise you.

21 F or as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

The Father raises up the dead and makes them live. The Son also gives life to anyone He chooses.

22 F or the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

The Father does not say who is guilty. He gives this to the Son to do.

23 t hat 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.

He does this so that all people will honor the Son as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father Who sent Him.

24 V erily, 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.

“For sure, I tell you, anyone who hears My Word and puts his trust in Him Who sent Me has life that lasts forever. He will not be guilty. He has already passed from death into life. The Good People and the Sinful People Are Raised from the Dead

25 V erily, 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.

“For sure, I tell you, the time is coming. Yes, the time is here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. Those who hear will live.

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

The Father has life in Himself. He has given power to the Son to have life in Himself.

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

God has given Him the right and the power to say if people are guilty, because He is the Son of Man.

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

Do not be surprised at this. The time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice.

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

They will come out. Those who have done good will be raised again and will have new life. Those who have been sinful will be raised again and will be told they are guilty and will be punished. Jesus Tells of John and of Himself

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.

“I can do nothing by Myself. I say who is guilty only as My Father tells Me. That way, what I say is right, because I am not trying to do what I want to do. I am doing what the Father, Who sent Me, wants Me to do.

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

If I tell about Myself, My words are worth nothing.

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

There is another One Who tells about Me. I know the words He says about Me are true.

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

“You sent to John the Baptist and he told you the truth.

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

I do not need words from men to say I am right. I say this that you might be saved from the punishment of sin.

35 H e was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

John the Baptist was a burning and shining light. You were willing for awhile to be glad in his light.

36 B ut 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.

I have something greater than John which tells of Me. I am doing works the Father has given Me to do and they are proving that the Father has sent Me.

37 A nd 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.

The Father has told of Me and has sent Me. You have never heard His voice. You have never seen Him.

38 A nd ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.

You do not have His Word living in your hearts because you do not put your trust in the One He sent.

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

“You do read the Holy Writings. You think you have life that lasts forever just because you read them. They do tell of Me.

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

But you do not want to come to Me so you might have life.

41 I receive not honour from men.

I do not take any honor from men.

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

I know you and you do not have the love of God in your hearts.

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.

I have come in the name of My Father. You do not receive Me. If another person comes in his own name, you will receive him.

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

How can you believe when you are always wanting honor from each other? And yet you do not look for the honor that comes from the only God.

45 D o not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.

“Do not think that I will tell the Father you are guilty. The one who says you are guilty is Moses. You trust him.

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

If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me. For Moses wrote about Me.

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

If you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe My Words?”