Later on there was ^aa Jewish feast (festival) , and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now in Jerusalem, near ^athe Sheep Gate, there is a ¹pool, which is called ^bin Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades) . 3 In these porticoes lay a great number of people who were sick, blind, lame, withered, [¹waiting for the stirring of the water; 4 for an angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed seasons and stirred up the water; the first one to go in after the water was stirred was healed of his disease.] 5 There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus noticed him lying there helpless, knowing that he had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 The invalid answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when ^athe water is stirred up, and while I am coming to get into it myself, someone else steps down ahead of me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “^aGet up; pick up your pallet and walk.” 9 Immediately the man was healed and recovered his strength, and ¹picked up his pallet and walked.

^aNow that day was the Sabbath. 10 So ^athe Jews kept saying to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and ^byou are not ¹permitted to pick up your pallet because it is unlawful.” 11 He answered them, “The Man who healed me and gave me back my strength was the One who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the Man who told you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” 13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away unnoticed since there was a crowd in that place. 14 Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Stop ^asinning or ^bsomething worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told ^athe Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. 16 For this reason ^athe Jews began to persecute Jesus continually because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now He has never ceased working, and I too am working.”

18 This made ^athe Jews ^bmore determined than ever to kill Him, for not only was He breaking the Sabbath from their viewpoint, but He was also calling God His own Father, ^cmaking Himself equal with God.

19 So Jesus answered them by saying, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, ^athe Son ¹can do nothing of Himself of His own accord, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever things the Father does, the Son in His turn also does in the same way. 20 ^aFor the Father dearly loves the Son and shows Him everything that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him ^bgreater works than these, so that you will be filled with wonder. 21 Just as the Father raises the dead and ^agives them life and allows them to live on, even so ^bthe Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22 For the Father judges no one, but ^ahas given all judgment that is, the prerogative of judging to the Son placing it entirely into His hands, 23 so that all will give honor (reverence, homage) to the Son just as they give honor to the Father. In fact ^athe one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who has sent Him.

24 “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word the one who heeds My message, and ^abelieves and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life that is, eternal life actually begins—the believer is transformed, and ^bdoes not come into judgment and condemnation, but has ^cpassed over from death into life.

25 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, ^aa time is coming and is here now, when ^bthe dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who ^chear it will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in Himself and is self-existent, even so He has ^agiven to the Son to have life in Himself and be self-existent. 27 And He has given Him authority to ^aexecute judgment, because He is a Son of Man sinless humanity, qualifying Him to sit in judgment over mankind. Dan 7:13, 14 28 Do not be surprised at this; for ^aa time is coming when ^ball those who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and they will come out—^athose who did good things will come out to a resurrection of new life, but those who did evil things will come out to a resurrection of judgment that is, to be sentenced. Dan 12:2; Rev 20:11-15

30 “^aI can do nothing on my own initiative or authority. Just as I hear, I judge; and ^bMy judgment is just (fair, righteous, unbiased) , because I do not seek My own will, but only ^cthe will of Him who sent Me.

31 “^aIf I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not ¹valid. 32 There is ^aanother My Father who testifies about Me, and I know without any doubt that His testimony on My behalf is true and valid.

33 You have sent an inquiry to ¹John the Baptist and he ^ahas testified as an eyewitness to the truth. 34 But ^athe testimony I receive is not from man a merely human witness; but I say these things so that you may be saved that is, have eternal life. 35 John was ^athe lamp that kept on burning and shining to show you the way, and you ^bwere willing for a while to rejoice in his light. John 1:23-25

36 But the testimony which I have is far greater than the testimony of John; for ^athe works that the Father has given Me ^bto finish—the very same works that is, the miracles and proofs of My deity that I am now doing—testify about Me, by providing evidence that the Father ^chas sent Me.

37 And the Father who sent Me ^ahas Himself testified about Me. You have never heard His voice nor seen His form His majesty and greatness—what He is like. 38 You do not have ^aHis word (Scripture) abiding in you actually living in your hearts and minds, because you do not believe in Him whom He has ^bsent.

39 ^1aYou search and keep on searching and examining the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and yet it is ^bthose very Scriptures that testify about Me; 40 and still you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. 41 ^aI do not receive glory and approval from men; 42 but I know you and recognize that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 I have come in My Father’s name and with His power, and you do not receive Me because your minds are closed; but ^aif another comes in his own name and with no authority or power except his own, you will receive him and give your approval to an imposter. 44 How can you believe in Me, when you seek and ^areceive glory and approval from one another, and yet you do not seek ^bthe glory and approval which comes from ^cthe one and only God? 45 Do not think that I am the One who will accuse you before the Father. There already is one who accuses you: ^aMoses, the very one in whom you have placed your hope for salvation. 46 For if you believed and relied on the Scriptures written by Moses, you would believe Me, for ^ahe wrote about Me personally. Gen 3:15; 22:18; 49:10; Num 24:17; Deut 18:15 47 But ^aif you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”