João 5

¹ After that, there was a feast of the Iewes, and Iesus went vp to Hierusalem.

² There is no disease so old which Christ cannot heal.Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep [market] aOf which cattle drank, and used to be plunged in, since there was a great abundance of water at Jerusalem.pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongueThat is to say, the house of pouring out, because a great abundance of water was poured out into that place.Bethesda, having five porches.

³ In the which lay a great multitude of sicke folke, of blinde, halte, and withered, wayting for the mouing of the water.

⁴ For an Angel went downe at a certaine season into the poole, and troubled the water: whosoeuer then first, after the stirring of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoeuer disease he had.

⁵ And a certaine man was there, which had bene diseased eight and thirtie yeeres.

⁶ When Iesus sawe him lie, and knew that he nowe long time had bene diseased, he saide vnto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

⁷ The sicke man answered him, Sir, I haue no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the poole: but while I am coming, another steppeth downe before me.

⁸ Iesus said vnto him, Rise: take vp thy bed, and walke.

⁹ And immediately the man was made whole, and tooke vp his bed, and walked: and the same day was the Sabbath.

¹⁰ True religion is assaulted most cruelly by the pretence of religion itself.The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry [thy] bed.

¹¹ He answered them, He that made me whole, he said vnto me, Take vp thy bed, and walke.

¹² Then asked they him, What man is that which said vnto thee, Take vp thy bed and walke?

¹³ And he that was healed, knewe not who it was: for Iesus had conueied himselfe away from the multitude that was in that place.

¹⁴ And after that, Iesus founde him in the Temple, and said vnto him, Beholde, thou art made whole: sinne no more, lest a worse thing come vnto thee.

¹⁵ The man departed and tolde the Iewes that it was Iesus, which had made him whole.

¹⁶ And therefore the Iewes did persecute Iesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.

¹⁷ The work of God was never the breach of the sabbath, and the works of Christ are the works of the Father, both because they are one God, and also because the Father does not work except in the Son.But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

¹⁸ Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God wasThat is, his alone and no one else's, which they gather from his saying, «And I work», applying this word «work» to himself which properly belongs to God, and therefore makes himself equal to God.his Father, making himself equal with God.

¹⁹ Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothingNot only without his Father's authority, but also without his mighty working and power.of himself, but what heThis must be understood of the person of Christ, which consists of two natures, and not simply of his Godhead: so then he says that his Father moves and governs him in all things, but yet nonetheless, when he says he works with his Father, he confirms his Godhead.seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the SonIn like sort, jointly and together. Not because the Father does some things, and then the Son works after him and does the same, but because the might and power of the Father and the Son work equally and jointly together.likewise.

²⁰ For the Father loueth the Sonne, & sheweth him all things, whatsoeuer he himselfe doeth, and he will shewe him greater workes then these, that ye should marueile.

²¹ The Father makes no man partaker of everlasting life except in Christ, in whom alone also he is truly worshipped.For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth [them]; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

²² For the FatherThis word «judgeth» is taken by the figure of speech synecdoche to represent all governing.judgethThese words are not to be taken as though they simply denied that God governed the world, but rather they deny that he governed as the Jews imagined it, who separate the Father from the Son, whereas indeed, the Father does not govern the world, but only in the person of his Son, being made manifest in the flesh: so he says below in (Joh_5:30), that he came not to do his own will: that his doctrine is not his own, that the blind man and his parents did not sin (Joh_7:16; Joh_9:3), etc.no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

²³ Because that all men shoulde honour the Sonne, as they honour the Father: he that honoureth not the Sonne, the same honoureth not the Father, which hath sent him.

²⁴ The Father is not worshipped except by his Son's word apprehended by faith, which is the only way that leads to eternal life.Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

²⁵ We are all dead in sin and cannot be made alive by any other means, except by the word of Christ apprehended by faith.Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

²⁶ For as the Father hath life in himselfe, so likewise hath he giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe,

²⁷ And hath given himThat is, high and sovereign power to rule and govern all things, in so much that he has power over life and death.authority to execute judgment also, because he isThat is, he will not only judge the world as he is God, but also as he is man, he received this from his Father, to be judge of the world.the Son of man.

²⁸ All will eventually appear before the judgment seat of Christ to be judged.Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

²⁹ Faith and infidelity will be judged by their fruits.And shall comeFrom their graves.forth; they that have done good, unto theTo that resurrection which has everlasting life following it: against which is set the resurrection of condemnation, that is, which is followed by condemnation.resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

³⁰ The Father is the author and approver of all things which Christ does.I canSee above in (Joh_5:22).of mine own self do nothing:As my Father directs me, who dwells in me.as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

³¹ If I bear witness of myself, my witness is notFaithful, that is, worthy to be credited; see (Joh_8:14).true.

³² There is another that beareth witnesse of me, and I know that the witnesse, which he beareth of me, is true.

³³ Christ is declared to be the only Saviour by John's voice, and infinite miracles, and by the testimonies of all the prophets. But the world, being addicted to false prophets, and desirous to seem religious, does not see any of these things.Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

³⁴ But I receiue not the record of man: neuerthelesse these things I say, that ye might be saued.

³⁵ He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing forA little while.a season to rejoice in his light.

³⁶ But I haue greater witnesse then the witnesse of Iohn: for the workes which the Father hath giuen me to finish, the same workes that I doe, beare witnesse of me, that the Father sent me.

³⁷ And the Father himselfe, which hath sent me, beareth witnesse of me. Ye haue not heard his voyce at any time, neither haue ye seene his shape.

³⁸ And his worde haue you not abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye beleeued not.

³⁹ Searche the Scriptures: for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life, and they are they which testifie of me.

⁴⁰ But ye will not come to me, that ye might haue life.

⁴¹ I receiue not the prayse of men.

⁴² But I know you, that ye have not theLove toward God.love of God in you.

⁴³ I am come in my Fathers Name, and ye receiue me not: if another shall come in his owne name, him will ye receiue.

⁴⁴ How can ye beleeue, which receiue honour one of another, and seeke not the honour that commeth of God alone?

⁴⁵ This denial does not set aside that which is said here, but corrects it, as if Christ said, the most severe accuser the Jews will have is Moses, not him.Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is [one] that accuseth you, [even] Moses, in whom ye trust.

⁴⁶ For had ye beleeued Moses, ye would haue beleeued me: for he wrote of me.

⁴⁷ But if ye beleeue not his writings, how shal ye beleeue my wordes?