Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. New Living Translation One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. English Standard Version One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Berean Standard Bible One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Berean Literal Bible And a certain man was there, himself being thirty and eight years in infirmity. King James Bible And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. New King James Version Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. New American Standard Bible Now a man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. NASB 1995 A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. NASB 1977 And a certain man was there, who had been thirty-eight years in his sickness. Legacy Standard Bible And a man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. Amplified Bible There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. Christian Standard Bible One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. Holman Christian Standard Bible One man was there who had been sick for 38 years. American Standard Version And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. Contemporary English Version Beside the pool was a man who had been sick for 38 years. English Revised Version And a certain man was there, which had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. GOD'S WORD® Translation One man, who had been sick for 38 years, was lying there. Good News Translation A man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. International Standard Version One particular man was there who had been ill for 38 years. NET Bible Now a man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. New Heart English Bible A certain man was there, who had been sick for thirty-eight years. Webster's Bible Translation And a certain man was there, who had an infirmity thirty and eight years. Weymouth New Testament And there was one man there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleOne man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. World English Bible A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd there was a certain man there being in ailment thirty-eight years, Berean Literal Bible And a certain man was there, himself being thirty and eight years in infirmity. Young's Literal Translation and there was a certain man there being in ailment thirty and eight years, Smith's Literal Translation And a certain man was there, being in weakness thirty-eight years. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd there was a certain man there, that had been eight and thirty years under his infirmity. Catholic Public Domain Version And there was a certain man in that place, having been in his infirmity for thirty-eight years. New American Bible One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. New Revised Standard Version One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleA man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years. Aramaic Bible in Plain English But a certain man was there who had been diseased for thirty eight years. NT Translations Anderson New TestamentAnd a certain man was there, who had been sick thirty-eight years. Godbey New Testament And a certain man was there, being thirty-eight years in his infirmity; Haweis New Testament And there was a certain man there, who had a complaint of thirty years standing. Mace New Testament now a certain man was there, who had been sick eight and thirty years. Weymouth New Testament And there was one man there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Worrell New Testament And a certain man was there, who had been for thirty-eight years in his infirmity. Worsley New Testament And there was a man who had been under illness thirty eight years. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Pool of Bethesda… 5 One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and realized that he had spent a long time in this condition, He asked him, “Do you want to get well?”… Cross References John 9:1-7 Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, / and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” / Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him. ... Mark 2:3-12 Then a paralytic was brought to Him, carried by four men. / Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat. / When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ... Luke 13:11-13 and a woman there had been disabled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was hunched over and could not stand up straight. / When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your disability.” / Then He placed His hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and began to glorify God. Matthew 9:20-22 Suddenly a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak. / She said to herself, “If only I touch His cloak, I will be healed.” / Jesus turned and saw her. “Take courage, daughter,” He said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that very hour. Acts 3:2-8 And a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those entering the temple courts. / When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. / Peter looked directly at him, as did John. “Look at us!” said Peter. ... Luke 5:18-25 Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They tried to bring him inside to set him before Jesus, / but they could not find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. / When Jesus saw their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” ... Matthew 12:10-13 and a man with a withered hand was there. In order to accuse Jesus, they asked Him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” / He replied, “If one of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? / How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” ... Acts 9:33-34 There he found a man named Aeneas who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. / “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and put away your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up, Isaiah 35:5-6 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. / Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. / But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. Psalm 103:2-3 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds— / He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases, Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me, and I will be saved, for You are my praise. Exodus 15:26 saying, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His eyes, and pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, then I will not bring on you any of the diseases I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.” 2 Kings 5:1-14 Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. / At this time the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken a young girl from the land of Israel, and she was serving Naaman’s wife. / She said to her mistress, “If only my master would go to the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his leprosy.” ... Matthew 15:30-31 Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them. / The crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they glorified the God of Israel. Treasury of Scripture And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. thirty. John 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. John 9:1,21 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth… Mark 9:21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child. Jump to Previous Ailment Eight Ill Infirmity Invalid Sick Suffering Thirty Thirty-EightJump to Next Ailment Eight Ill Infirmity Invalid Sick Suffering Thirty Thirty-EightJohn 5 1. Jesus on the Sabbath day cures him who was diseased thirty-eight years.10. The Jews therefore object, and persecute him for it. 17. He answers for himself, and reproves them, showing by the testimony of his Father, 31. of John, 36. of his works, 39. and of the Scriptures, who he is. One man there This phrase introduces a specific individual among the multitude of sick people at the Pool of Bethesda. The focus on one man highlights the personal nature of Jesus' ministry, emphasizing His compassion and attention to individual needs. This setting is significant as it reflects the broader theme of Jesus' ministry to the marginalized and suffering. had been an invalid for thirty-eight years Persons / Places / Events 1. The Invalid ManA man who had been suffering from a debilitating condition for thirty-eight years. His long-term illness symbolizes human suffering and the need for divine intervention. 2. Bethesda Pool Located in Jerusalem, this pool was believed to have healing properties when its waters were stirred. It represents a place of hope and desperation for many seeking healing. 3. Jesus The central figure in this account, who later heals the man, demonstrating His divine authority and compassion. 4. Jerusalem The city where this event takes place, significant as a religious and cultural center for the Jewish people. 5. The Sabbath The healing occurs on the Sabbath, which later becomes a point of contention with the Jewish leaders, highlighting the tension between Jesus' ministry and traditional Jewish law. Teaching Points The Power of PerseveranceThe invalid man's long-term suffering teaches us about enduring faith and the hope that God can intervene at any moment. Jesus' Compassion Jesus' willingness to heal the man shows His deep compassion and readiness to meet us in our suffering. Divine Timing God's timing is perfect. The man's healing after thirty-eight years reminds us that God's plans unfold according to His divine schedule, not ours. Challenge of Tradition Jesus' actions on the Sabbath challenge us to consider how traditions and rules should not hinder acts of love and mercy. Faith and Obedience The man's response to Jesus' command to "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk" (John 5:8) illustrates the importance of faith and obedience in experiencing God's power. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of John 5:5?2. How does John 5:5 demonstrate Jesus' compassion for the suffering? 3. What can we learn about faith from the man's healing in John 5:5? 4. How does John 5:5 connect with Jesus' other miracles in the Gospels? 5. How can we apply the lesson of perseverance from John 5:5 today? 6. In what ways does John 5:5 encourage us to trust in God's timing? 7. What is the significance of the 38 years mentioned in John 5:5? 8. How does John 5:5 relate to the concept of divine healing? 9. Why was the man at the pool for so long according to John 5:5? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from John 5? 11. What insights does Day 38 offer on spiritual growth? 12. What insights does Day 38 offer on spiritual growth? 13. What is the Gift of Healing? 14. In John 17:5, how can Jesus claim to share glory 'before the world existed' if science shows the universe had a singular origin billions of years ago? What Does John 5:5 Mean One man• The verse begins by narrowing our attention to a single individual in a multitude. In John 5:3 we read that “a great number of the sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed were lying” at Bethesda, yet verse 5 highlights just “one man.” • Scripture often shows the Lord focusing on one needy soul: “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51) to blind Bartimaeus, or the shepherd leaving ninety-nine to find one sheep (Luke 15:4-7). • John 3:16 promises salvation to “whoever believes,” stressing the worth of the individual. Here, before any miracle occurs, we are reminded that God sees each person personally. there • “There” anchors the man in a real place—Bethesda, beside the Sheep Gate pool (John 5:2). This is not a parable or myth; it is a historical setting. • Acts 17:26 teaches that God “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings.” The man’s presence at that pool on that day was no accident; divine providence had arranged the meeting with Jesus. • Scripture repeatedly ties encounters with God to specific locations—Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-2) or Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:16-17)—underscoring that God works within tangible history. had been • These words point to a long-standing condition, not a recent mishap. The verb hints at years of disappointment, unanswered hopes, and perhaps fading faith. • The man born blind in John 9:1-3 had likewise “been blind from birth,” and Jesus used that extended suffering “so that the works of God might be displayed.” • Galatians 6:9 urges believers not to grow weary “for at the proper time we will reap a harvest.” Decades of waiting did not disqualify this man from God’s timing; instead, they set the stage for a greater revelation. an invalid • His specific ailment is unnamed, but the term conveys helplessness. He could not reach the water himself (John 5:7). • Physical infirmity often pictures spiritual need. In Matthew 9:2 Jesus told a paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” Healing the body pointed to healing the soul. • Psalm 103:2-3 praises the Lord “who forgives all your iniquity and heals all your diseases,” reminding us that both kinds of healing flow from the same compassionate heart. for thirty-eight years • The length is striking—almost four decades. Israel wandered thirty-eight of its forty wilderness years after Kadesh-barnea (Deuteronomy 2:14); both narratives highlight prolonged waiting caused by human limitation. • Acts 3:2 mentions a man “lame from birth” who was over forty when healed, showing again that no span of time is too great for God to break in. • Second Peter 3:8 notes that “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years,” encouraging patience. God’s delay is never neglect; it serves His perfect purpose. summary John 5:5 draws our eyes to one specific, real man—helpless, long-suffering, and seemingly forgotten—whom Jesus is about to transform. Every detail underscores God’s personal care, sovereign timing, and power to redeem years of pain in a moment. The verse invites us to trust that the Lord who noticed and healed this man still sees, knows, and is able to act in our lives today. (5) Thirty and eight years.--The period expresses, not his age on the one hand, nor the time of his being at Bethesda on the other, but the time during which he had suffered from the infirmity. Helpless and friendless, having spent half the lot of human life in that condition, he appeals without an uttered word to the Mercy which is present in the House of Mercy; and to him alone of those He healed does Christ of His own accord address the first question. The infirmity was in some way connected with youthful sin (John 5:14), and the sufferer and his history would be well known to those at Jerusalem. The exact knowledge of the writer tells us that for thirty-eight years he had paid sin's. penalty.Verse 5. - And a certain man was there, who had been thirty and eight years in his infirmity. He had not lost all his powers - he crawled probably from some near home to the healing well; but for thirty-eight years be had been dragging out his impotent existence. The length implies the inveteracy of the disease. Hengstenberg, Wordsworth, Westcott (in part), imply a marked correspondence between these thirty-eight years and the similar period of time during which Israel was compelled to wander in the wilderness. It is not said how long the man had lain in the five porches waiting listlessly for healing, but that the malady was of old standing, and to all human appearance incurable. Thoma finds allegorical meaning in "Bethesda" - a synonym of the metropolls, and keeps up a series of comparisons with Acts 3.Parallel Commentaries ... Greek Oneτις (tis) Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object. man ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being. there ἐκεῖ (ekei) Adverb Strong's 1563: (a) there, yonder, in that place, (b) thither, there. Of uncertain affinity; there; by extension, thither. had been ἔχων (echōn) Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold. [an] invalid ἀσθενείᾳ (astheneia) Noun - Dative Feminine Singular Strong's 769: From asthenes; feebleness; by implication, malady; morally, frailty. [for] thirty-eight τριάκοντα (triakonta) Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural Strong's 5144: Thirty. The decade of treis; thirty. years. ἔτη (etē) Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural Strong's 2094: A year. Apparently a primary word; a year. Links John 5:5 NIVJohn 5:5 NLT John 5:5 ESV John 5:5 NASB John 5:5 KJV John 5:5 BibleApps.com John 5:5 Biblia Paralela John 5:5 Chinese Bible John 5:5 French Bible John 5:5 Catholic Bible NT Gospels: John 5:5 A certain man was there who had (Jhn Jo Jn) |
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