John 5
Jesus healed a man who had been sick for 38 years at the Pool of Bethesda, telling him to take up his stretcher and walk, which the man did. However, this act was done on the Sabbath, which led the Jews to persecute Jesus. Jesus defended his actions, stating that he was working as his Father worked, and that he was equal to God. He also explained that he had the authority to give life and to judge, and that those who heard his word and believed in him would have eternal life. Jesus then criticized the Jews for seeking glory from one another rather than from God, and for not believing in him despite the testimony of the scriptures and of Moses, who had written about him.
1After these things, there was a feast day of the Jews, and so Jesus ascended to Jerusalem2Now at Jerusalem is the Pool of Evidence, which in Hebrew is known as the Place of Mercy; it has five porticos3Along these lay a great multitude of the sick, the blind, the lame, and the withered, waiting for the movement of the water4Now 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 him5And there was a certain man in that place, having been in his infirmity for thirty-eight years6Then, 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?7The 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.8Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your stretcher, and walk.9And immediately the man was healed. And he took up his stretcher and walked. Now this day was the Sabbath10Therefore, 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.11He answered them, "The one who healed me, he said to me, ‘Take up your stretcher and walk.’ 12Therefore, they questioned him, "Who is that man, who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk?’ 13But the one who had been given health did not know who it was. For Jesus had turned aside from the crowd gathered in that place14Afterwards, 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.15This man went away, and he reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had given him health16Because of this, the Jews were persecuting Jesus, for he was doing these things on the Sabbath17But Jesus answered them, "Even now, my Father is working, and I am working.18And 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 God19Then 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, similarly20For 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 wonder21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wills22For the Father does not judge anyone. But he has given all judgment to the Son23so 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 him24Amen, 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 life25Amen, 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 live26For just as the Father has life in himself, so also has he granted to the Son to have life in himself27And he has given him the authority to accomplish judgment. For he is the Son of man28Do 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 God29And 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 judgment30I 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 me31If I offer testimony about myself, my testimony is not true32There is another who offers testimony about me, and I know that the testimony which he offers about me is true33You sent to John, and he offered testimony to the truth34But I do not accept testimony from man. Instead, I say these things, so that you may be saved35He was a burning and shining light. So you were willing, at the time, to exult in his light36But 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 me37And the Father who has sent me has himself offered testimony about me. And you have never heard his voice, nor have you beheld his appearance38And you do not have his word abiding in you. For the one whom he sent, the same you would not believe39Study the Scriptures. For you think that in them you have eternal life. And yet they also offer testimony about me40And you are not willing to come to me, so that you may have life41I do not accept glory from men42But I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you43I 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 accept44How are you able to believe, you who accept glory from one another and yet do not seek the glory that is from God alone45Do not consider that I might accuse you with the Father. There is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you hope46For if you were believing in Moses, perhaps you would believe in me also. For he wrote about me47But if you do not believe by his writings, how will you believe by my words?
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