John 5
The New Consensus Bible is an AI-generated contemporary rendering, built from seven public-domain translations and the 20-tradition consensus. See all the work behind this chapter.
1After these things there was the feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethzatha, having five porticoes. 3In these lay a great multitude of the ailing, the unseeing, the limping, the withering, waiting for the stirring of the water; 4for an angel at a set time went down into the pool, and stirred the water. The first one therefore to step in after the stirring of the water became well, from whatever disease he was held by. 5And a certain man was there, having thirty-eight years in his infirmity. 6Jesus, seeing this one lying there, and knowing that he already had been a long time, says to him, "Do you want to become well?" 7The ailing man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool whenever the water is stirred; but while I am coming, another goes down before me." 8Jesus says to him, "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk." 9And immediately the man became well, and picked up his mat, and was walking. Now it was a Sabbath on that day. 10Therefore the Jews said to the one having been cured, "It is a Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to pick up your mat." 11But he answered them, "The one having made me well, that one said to me, 'Pick up your mat, and walk.'" 12Therefore they asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Pick up your mat, and walk'?" 13But the healed one did not know who it was, for Jesus slipped away, there being a crowd in the place. 14After these things Jesus finds him in the temple and said to him, "Look, you have become well; sin no more, so that something worse does not happen to you." 15The man went away and announced to the Jews that Jesus is the one having made him well. 16And because of this the Jews were persecuting Jesus and were seeking to kill him, because he was doing these things on a Sabbath. 17But Jesus answered them, "My Father works until now, and I work." 18Because of this, therefore, the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God. 19Jesus therefore answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of himself, unless he sees the Father doing something. For whatever things that one does, these the Son also does in like manner. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may marvel. 21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also the Son gives life to whom he desires. 22For neither does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, 23so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one not honoring the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24"Truly, truly, I say to you that the one hearing my word and believing the one who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25Truly, truly, I say to you that an hour comes, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those having heard will live. 26For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son to have life in himself; 27and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28Do not marvel at this, because an hour comes in which all those in the tombs will hear his voice 29and will come out: those doing the good things to a resurrection of life, but those practicing the evil things to a resurrection of judgment. 30I can do nothing of myself. Just as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is righteous, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the Father who sent me. 31If I testify concerning myself, my testimony is not true. 32It is another who is testifying concerning me, and I know that the testimony which he testifies concerning me is true. 33You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. 34But the testimony I receive is not from a man; rather, I say these things so that you may be saved. 35That one was the lamp, the burning one and shining one, and you were willing to rejoice for an hour in his light. 36But I have the testimony greater than John's; for the works which the Father has given me so that I might complete them, those very works that I do, testify concerning me that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me, that one has testified concerning me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form, 38and you do not have his word remaining in you, because as for the one whom that one sent, him you do not believe. 39You search the Scriptures, because you think you have eternal life in them; and those are the ones testifying concerning me, 40and you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life. 41I do not receive glory from men; 42but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive that one. 44How are you able to believe, receiving glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father; the one accusing you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. 46For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for that one wrote concerning me. 47But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?
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John 5: The Healing at Bethesda
At the pool of Bethesda, Jesus heals a man paralyzed for thirty-eight years on the Sabbath, sparking intense persecution and prompting a profound declaration of His equality with the Father.
The New Consensus Bible text of John 5, read aloud over the chapter’s eight scenes. The words appear below as they are read.
Film, illustrations and song are AI-generated from this chapter’s consensus — not a depiction any tradition has approved. The imagery is deliberately neutral on the points the traditions dispute, and every word spoken or printed is the New Consensus Bible quoted verbatim.