THE POOL OF BETHESDA
[Sidenote: St. John 5]
AFTER this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem.
Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called
in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a
great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for
the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season
into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the
troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease
he had.
And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight
years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long
time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The
impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is
troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another
steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed,
and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed,
and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day:
it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, He that
made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. Then
asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy
bed, and walk? And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus
had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place.
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.
The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made
him whole.
And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him,
because he had done these things on the sabbath day.
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only
had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making
himself equal with God.
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for
what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the
Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth:
and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For
as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the
Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the
Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son
honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 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. 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. For as the Father hath life in
himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; and hath
given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of
man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that
are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that
have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done
evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
I can of mine own self do nothing: 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. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not
true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that
the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and
he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man:
but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and
a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his
light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works
which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do,
bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father
himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither
heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his
word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
[Sidenote: St. Matthew 12]
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and
they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye
might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that
ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and
ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will
receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and
seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will
accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses,
in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me:
for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye
believe my words?