John 5
1 After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem when the Jews were having [another] celebration.
2 Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, “Bethesda”, having five porches.
At one of the gates [into the city] called the Sheep Gate, there is a pool. In our language we call it Bethzatha. [Around the pool] were five open areas with roofs over them.
3 In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water;
Many people were lying there. They were people who were blind, lame, or paralyzed.
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 healed of whatever disease he had.
5 A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years.
One of those who was there had been paralyzed for 38 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?”
Jesus saw him lying there and found out that the man had been like that for a long time. He said to the man, “Do you want to become 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.”
The paralyzed man replied to him, “[Yes], sir, [I want to get well, but] there is no one to help me get down into the pool when the water is stirred {stirs}. While I am trying to get [to the pool], someone else always gets there before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your mat, and walk.”
Jesus said to him, “Get up! Then pick up your mat and walk!”
9 Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked. Now that day was a Sabbath.
The man immediately was healed. He picked up his mat and started walking! The day on which this happened was a Jewish day of rest.
10 So the Jews said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat.”
So the Jewish [leaders] said to the man who had been healed, “Today is (the Sabbath/our rest day), and [in our Jewish] laws [it is written that people should not work on our] ([Sabbath/rest day]), so you should not be carrying your mat!”
11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’”
The man replied to them, “The man who healed me, he himself said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk!’”
12 Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your mat and walk’?”
They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick it up and walk!’?”
13 But he who was healed didn’t know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place.
But since Jesus had disappeared in the crowd [without telling the man his name], the man did not know who it was [who had healed him].
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.”
Later, Jesus found the man in the Temple [courtyard]. He [told the man his name, and] said to him, “Listen! You are healed! So stop sinning! If you do not stop sinning, something will happen to you that will be worse [than the illness you had before]!”
15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
The man went away and told the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] that it was Jesus who had healed him.
16 For this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the Sabbath.
So the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] started to harass Jesus, because Jesus was doing these things (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day).
17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.”
Then Jesus replied to them, “My Father has always been working every day, [including] ([the Sabbath/the day of rest]), up until now. I am doing the same thing!”
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.
The Jewish leaders [SYN] considered that he was disobeying their rules about (the Sabbath/the day of rest), and that by saying that God was his Father, he was making himself equal with God. And they considered that both these things were grounds for killing him. So they tried even harder to find a way to kill him.
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.
Jesus replied to them by saying, “You need to know this: I can do nothing by my own [authority]. I do only the [kind of] things that I see [my] Father doing. Whatever kinds of things my Father is doing, those are the things I am doing.
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.
[My] Father loves me, and he shows me everything that he is doing. He will show me [the miracles] that [he wants me to do] that will be greater than the ones that [you have already seen me do], so that you may be amazed.
21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires.
[For example], just like [my] Father causes people who have died to become alive again, I will give [eternal] life to everyone that I want to.
22 For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son,
Furthermore, [my] Father is not the one who judges people [concerning their sins]. Instead, he has given to me the work of judging people,
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.
in order that all people may honor me, just like they honor [my] Father. [My] Father [considers that] anyone who does not honor me is not honoring [him], the one who sent me.
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. (aiōnios g166)
Listen to this carefully: Those who hear my message and believe that [God] is the one who sent me have eternal life. [God will] not (condemn them/say that he will punish them). They are no longer separated from God. Instead, they have [eternal] life. (aiōnios g166)
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.
Listen to this carefully: There will be a time when those who are (spiritually dead/separated from God) will hear the voice of me, (the Son of God/the man who is also God). In fact, it is that time already. Those who hear [and pay attention to my message] will have [eternal] life.
26 For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.
[My] Father has [power to] make things live. Similarly, he has given me the [power to enable] people to live [eternally].
27 He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.
Because I am the one who came from heaven, he has given me the authority to judge people [concerning their sins].
28 Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
Do not be surprised about that, because there will be a time when all people who have died will hear my 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.
and they will become alive again. Those who have lived good [lives] will rise [from their graves] and live forever. But those who have lived evil lives will rise, and I will (condemn them/declare that I will punish them [for their sins]).
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.
I do not do anything [like that] by my own authority. I judge people only according to what I hear [my Father tell me]. I will judge people fairly, because I do not want to please only myself. Instead, I want to please [my Father], who sent me.
31 “If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid.
If I were the [only] one to tell people about myself, [people could rightly say that] what I say is not true.
32 It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true.
But there is someone else who tells people about me. And I know that what he tells people about me is true.
33 You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.
As for you, when you sent messengers to John [the Baptizer to ask about me], he told the truth [about me].
34 But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved.
I do not [need that] people tell others [about me]. But instead, I am reminding [you about what John told people about me], in order that you will [believe it and] be saved {[God] will save you}.
35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
[John’s message about me] (OR, [John]) [MET] was [like] a lamp that shines brightly. For a short while you were willing to be made happy [by that message] {to let [that message] make you happy}.
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.
But there is something else that tells you about me. [It should prove who I am] more than what John [said about me]. The miracles [PRS] that [my] Father told me to do, the miracles that I am performing, show (OR, prove) to people that my Father 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.
Furthermore, [my] Father, who sent me, tells people about me. You have never heard his voice or seen him.
38 You don’t have his word living in you, because you don’t believe him whom he sent.
Furthermore, you have not believed in [me], the one he sent. So you have not [believed] his message in your inner beings.
39 “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. (aiōnios g166)
You carefully study (OR, Study) the Scriptures, because you think that by [studying] them you will [find the way to] have eternal life. And those Scriptures tell people about me! (aiōnios g166)
40 Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.
But you refuse (to come to me/to believe my message) in order that you may have [eternal] life.
41 I don’t receive glory from men.
It does not [matter to] me whether people praise me.
42 But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves.
But you [want people to praise you]. I know that within yourselves you do not love God.
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.
Although I have come to earth with my Father’s authority [MTY], you do not accept me. But if someone else comes with his own authority [MTY], you accept 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?
You accept your praising each other, but you do not try to do things that will result in God himself praising you. So (there is no way you can believe [in me]!/how can you believe [my message]?) [RHQ]
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.
But do not think that I am the one who will accuse you while [my] Father is listening! No, it is Moses who will accuse you! You thought that he would [defend you].
46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me.
Moses wrote about me, so if you had believed what he [wrote], you would have believed what I [said]
47 But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
But because you did not believe what he wrote [about me], (you will certainly not believe what I say!/how will you believe what I say?) [RHQ]”
