The Gospel According to St. John

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 5 -

After these things, there was a feast day of the Jews, and so Jesus ascended to Jerusalem.

Now at Jerusalem is the Pool of Evidence, which in Hebrew is known as the Place of Mercy; it has five porticos.(a)

(b)

Along these lay a great multitude of the sick, the blind, the lame, and the withered, waiting for the movement of the water.

Now at times an Angel of the Lord would descend into the pool, and so the water was moved. And whoever descended first into the pool, after the motion of the water, he was healed of whatever infirmity held him.

And there was a certain man in that place, having been in his infirmity for thirty-eight years.

Then, when Jesus had seen him reclining, and when he realized that he had been afflicted for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?”

The invalid answered him: “Lord, I do not have any man to put me in the pool, when the water has been stirred. For as I am going, another descends ahead of me.”

Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your stretcher, and walk.”

And immediately the man was healed. And he took up his stretcher and walked. Now this day was the Sabbath.

Therefore, the Jews said to the one who had been healed: “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to take up your stretcher.”

He answered them, “The one who healed me, he said to me, ‘Take up your stretcher and walk.’ ”

Therefore, they questioned him, “Who is that man, who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk?’ ”

But the one who had been given health did not know who it was. For Jesus had turned aside from the crowd gathered in that place.

Afterwards, Jesus found him in the temple, and he said to him: “Behold, you have been healed. Do not choose to sin further, otherwise something worse may happen to you.”

This man went away, and he reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had given him health.

The Father and the Son

Because of this, the Jews were persecuting Jesus, for he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

But Jesus answered them, “Even now, my Father is working, and I am working.”

And so, because of this, the Jews were seeking to kill him even more so. For not only did he break the Sabbath, but he even said that God was his Father, making himself equal to God.

Then Jesus responded and said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son is not able to do anything of himself, but only what he has seen the Father doing. For whatever he does, even this does the Son do, similarly.

For the Father loves the Son, and he shows him all that he himself does. And greater works than these will he show him, so much so that you shall wonder.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wills.

For the Father does not judge anyone. But he has given all judgment to the Son,

so that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent him.

Amen, amen, I say to you, that whoever hears my word, and believes in him who sent me, has eternal life, and he does not go into judgment, but instead he crosses from death into life.

Amen, amen, I say to you, that the hour is coming, and it is now, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear it shall live.

For just as the Father has life in himself, so also has he granted to the Son to have life in himself.

And he has given him the authority to accomplish judgment. For he is the Son of man.

Do not be amazed at this. For the hour is coming in which all who are in the grave shall hear the voice of the Son of God.

And those who have done good shall go forth to the resurrection of life. Yet truly, those who have done evil shall go to the resurrection of judgment.(c)

I am not able to do anything of myself. As I hear, so do I judge. And my judgment is just. For I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

Testimonies about Jesus

If I offer testimony about myself, my testimony is not true.

There is another who offers testimony about me, and I know that the testimony which he offers about me is true.

You sent to John, and he offered testimony to the truth.

But I do not accept testimony from man. Instead, I say these things, so that you may be saved.

He was a burning and shining light. So you were willing, at the time, to exult in his light.

But I hold a greater testimony than that of John. For the works which the Father has given to me, so that I may complete them, these works themselves that I do, offer testimony about me: that the Father has sent me.

And the Father who has sent me has himself offered testimony about me. And you have never heard his voice, nor have you beheld his appearance.

And you do not have his word abiding in you. For the one whom he sent, the same you would not believe.

The Witness of Scripture

(Luke 16:19–31)

Study the Scriptures. For you think that in them you have eternal life. And yet they also offer testimony about me.(d)

And you are not willing to come to me, so that you may have life.

I do not accept glory from men.

But I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you.

I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not accept me. If another will arrive in his own name, him you will accept.(e)

How are you able to believe, you who accept glory from one another and yet do not seek the glory that is from God alone?

Do not consider that I might accuse you with the Father. There is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you hope.

For if you were believing in Moses, perhaps you would believe in me also. For he wrote about me.

But if you do not believe by his writings, how will you believe by my words?”

Footnotes

(a)5:2 The word Probatica in Latin certainly refers to evidence or proof of something. This pool was proof of the existence of Angels. In Hebrew, the term is most likely ‘Bethesda’ (Place of Mercy). The five porticos are symbolic of the Five Wounds of Christ, which have the power to heal us in body and soul.(Conte)

(b)5:2 Probatica:That is, the sheep pond; either so called, because the sheep were washed therein, that were to be offered up in sacrifice in the temple, or because it was near the sheep gate. That this was a pond where miracles were wrought is evident from the sacred text; and also that the water had no natural virtue to heal, as one only of those put in after the motion of the water was restored to health; for if the water had the healing quality, the others would have the like benefit, being put into it about the same time.(Challoner)

(d)5:39 Or:You search the scriptures. “Scrutamini” It is not a command for all to read the scriptures; but a reproach to the Pharisees, that reading the scriptures as they did, and thinking to find everlasting life in them, they would not receive him to whom all those scriptures gave testimony, and through whom alone they could have that true life.(Challoner)

(e)5:43 This last part refers to the Antichrist. Those who reject Christ, who comes in the name of the Father, will accept the Antichrist, who exalts himself and who comes in his own name.(Conte)

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

Now in Jerusalem by the sheep gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew, “Bethesda”, having five porches.

In these lay a great multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, or paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water;

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.(a)

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

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?”

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.”

Jesus said to him, “Arise, take up your mat, and walk.”

Immediately, the man was made well, and took up his mat and walked. Now that day was a Sabbath.

So the Jews said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath. It is not lawful for you to carry the mat.”

He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’ ”

Then they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your mat and walk’?”

But he who was healed didn’t know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a crowd being in the place.

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.”

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

The Father and the Son

For this cause the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him, because he did these things on the Sabbath.

But Jesus answered them, “My Father is still working, so I am working, too.”

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.

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.

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.

For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom he desires.

For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son,

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.

“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.

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.

For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.

He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.

Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice

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.

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.

Testimonies about Jesus

“If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid.

It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true.

You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.

But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved.

He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

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.

The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form.

You don’t have his word living in you, because you don’t believe him whom he sent.

The Witness of Scripture

(Luke 16:19–31)

“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me.

Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life.

I don’t receive glory from men.

But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves.

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.

How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?

“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.

For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me.

But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

Footnotes

(a)5:4 NU omits from “waiting” in verse 3 to the end of verse 4.