John 5
1 After this there was a Festival 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 there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, called in Hebrew 'Bethesda.' It has five arcades.
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 there used to lie a great number of sick persons, and of people who were blind or lame or paralyzed.
Many people were lying there. They were people who were blind, lame, or paralyzed.
5 And there was one man there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
One of those who was there had been paralyzed for 38 years.
6 Jesus saw him lying there, and knowing that he had been a long time in that condition, He asked him, "Do you wish to have health and strength?"
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 "Sir," replied the sufferer, "I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is moved; but while I am coming some one else 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 "Rise," said Jesus, "take up your mat and walk."
Jesus said to him, “Get up! Then pick up your mat and walk!”
9 Instantly the man was restored to perfect health, and he took up his mat and began to walk.
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 That day was a Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, "It is the Sabbath: you must not carry your 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 who cured me," he replied, "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 "Who is it," they asked, "that 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 the man who had been cured did not know who it was; for Jesus had passed out unnoticed, there being a crowd 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 Afterwards Jesus found him in the Temple and said to him, "You are now restored to health. Do not sin any more, or a worse thing may befall 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 and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had restored him to health;
The man went away and told the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] that it was Jesus who had healed him.
16 and on this account the Jews began to persecute Jesus--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 His reply to their accusation was, "My Father works unceasingly, and so do I."
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 On this account then the Jews were all the more eager to put Him to death--because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also spoke of God as being in a special sense His Father, thus putting Himself on a level 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 "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that the Son can do nothing of Himself--He can only do what He sees the Father doing; for whatever He does, that the Son does in like manner.
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 loves the Son and reveals to Him all that He Himself is doing. And greater deeds than these will He reveal to Him, in order that you may wonder.
[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 just as the Father awakens the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wills.
[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 The Father indeed does not judge any one, but He has entrusted all judgement 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 honour the Son even as they honour the Father. The man who withholds honour from the Son withholds honour from 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 "In most solemn truth I tell you that he who listens to my teaching and believes Him who sent me, has the Life of the Ages, and does not come under judgement, but has passed over 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 "In most solemn truth I tell you that a time is coming--nay, has already come--when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it 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 just as the Father has life in Himself, so He has also given to the Son 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 And He has conferred on Him authority to act as Judge, because He is the 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 Wonder not at this. For a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and will come forth--
Do not be surprised about that, because there will be a time when all people who have died will hear my voice,
29 they who have done what is right to the resurrection of Life, and they whose actions have been evil to the resurrection of judgement.
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 my own self do nothing. As I am bidden, so I judge; and mine is a just judgement, because it is not my own will that guides me, but the will of Him 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 give testimony concerning myself, my testimony cannot be accepted.
If I were the [only] one to tell people about myself, [people could rightly say that] what I say is not true.
32 There is Another who gives testimony concerning me, and I know that the testimony is true which He offers concerning me.
But there is someone else who tells people about me. And I know that what he tells people about me is true.
33 "You sent to John, and he both was and still is a witness 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 on my behalf which I accept is not from man; though I say all this in order 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 lamp that burned and shone, and for a time you were willing to be gladdened by 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 weightier than that of John; for the work the Father has assigned to me for me to bring it to completion--the very work which I am doing--affords testimony concerning 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 And the Father who sent me, He has given testimony concerning me. None of you have ever either heard His voice or seen what He is like.
Furthermore, [my] Father, who sent me, tells people about me. You have never heard his voice or seen him.
38 Nor have you His word dwelling within you, for you refuse to believe Him whom He has 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 suppose that in them you will find the Life of the Ages; and it is those Scriptures that yield testimony concerning 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 and yet you are unwilling to 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 do not accept glory from man,
It does not [matter to] me whether people praise me.
42 but I know you well, and I know that in your hearts you do not really love God.
But you [want people to praise you]. I know that within yourselves you do not love God.
43 I have come as my Father's representative, and you do not receive me. If some one else comes representing only himself, him you will receive.
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 is it possible for you to believe, while you receive glory from one another and have no desire for 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 "Do not suppose that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, namely Moses, on whom your hope rests.
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 believe 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 disbelieve his writings, how are you to 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]”
