^5:10So the Jewish leaders²¹ said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to carry your mat.”²²^5:11But he answered them, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat²³ and walk.’ ” ^5:12They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat²⁴ and walk’?”²⁵^5:13But the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped out, since there was a crowd in that place.

^5:14After this Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “Look, you have become well. Don’t sin any more,²⁶ lest anything worse happen to you.” ^5:15The man went away and informed the Jewish leaders²⁷ that Jesus was the one who had made him well.

Responding to Jewish Leaders

^5:16Now because Jesus was doing these things²⁸ on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders²⁹ began persecuting³⁰ him. ^5:17So he³¹ told³² them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.”³³

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Footnotes

18 Grk “became well.”
19 Or “pallet,” “mattress,” “cot,” or “stretcher.” See the note on “mat” in the previous verse.
20 Grk “Now it was Sabbath on that day.” This is a parenthetical note by the author.
21 Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term Ἰουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. Here the author refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders in Jerusalem. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “ ‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” 26 [1975]: 401–9).
22 Or “pallet,” “mattress,” “cot,” or “stretcher.” See the note on “mat” in v. .
23 Or “pallet,” “mattress,” “cot,” or “stretcher.” See the note on “mat” in v. .
24 While a number of , especially the later ones (Ac C3 D Θ Ψ f1, 13 33 𝔐 latt sy), include the words τον κραβ(β) ατ(τ) ον σου (ton krab(b) at(t) on sou, “your mat”) here, the earliest and best (𝔓66, 75 א B C* L) do not. Nevertheless, in the translation, it is necessary to supply the words due to the demands of English style, which does not typically allow for understood or implied direct objects as Greek does.
25 Grk “Pick up and walk”; the object (the mat) is implied but not repeated.
26 Since this is a prohibition with a present imperative, the translation “stop sinning” is sometimes suggested. This is not likely, however, since the present tense is normally used in prohibitions involving a general condition (as here) while the aorist tense is normally used in specific instances. Only when used opposite the normal usage (the present tense in a specific instance, for example) would the meaning “stop doing what you are doing” be appropriate.
27 Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. .
28 Note the plural phrase these things which seems to indicate that Jesus healed on the Sabbath more than once (cf. John 20:30). The synoptic gospels show this to be true; the incident in 5:1–15 has thus been chosen by the author as representative.
29 Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. .
30 Or “harassing.”
31 Most witnesses (𝔓66 A D L Θ Ψ f1, 13 33 𝔐 latt co) have Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous, “Jesus”) here, while generally better witnesses (𝔓75 א B W {0141} 892 1241 pbo) lack the name. Although it is possible that Alexandrian scribes deleted the name due to proclivities to prune, this is not as likely as other witnesses adding it for clarification, especially since multiple strands of the Alexandrian text are represented in the shorter reading. places the word in brackets, indicating some doubts as to authenticity.
32 Grk “answered.”
33 “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” What is the significance of Jesus’ claim? A preliminary understanding can be obtained from John 5:18, noting the Jewish authorities’ response and the author’s comment. They sought to kill Jesus, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God. This must be seen in the context of the relation of God to the Sabbath rest. In the commandment (Exod 20:11) it is explained that “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth … and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Philo, based on the translation of Exod 20:11, denied outright that God had ever ceased his creative activity. And when Rabban Gamaliel II, R. Joshua, R. Eleazar ben Azariah, and R. Akiba were in Rome, a.d. 95, they gave as a rebuttal to sectarian arguments evidence that God might do as he willed in the world without breaking the Sabbath because the entire world was his private residence. So even the rabbis realized that God did not really cease to work on the Sabbath: Divine providence remained active on the Sabbath, otherwise, all nature and life would cease to exist. As regards men, divine activity was visible in two ways: Men were born and men died on the Sabbath. Since only God could give life and only God could deal with the fate of the dead in judgment, this meant God was active on the Sabbath. This seems to be the background for Jesus’ words in 5:17. He justified his work of healing on the Sabbath by reminding the Jewish authorities that they admitted God worked on the Sabbath. This explains the violence of the reaction. The Sabbath privilege was peculiar to God, and no one was equal to God. In claiming the right to work even as his Father worked, Jesus was claiming a divine prerogative. He was literally making himself equal to God, as 5:18 goes on to state explicitly for the benefit of the reader who might not have made the connection.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’ ” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”

So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Instantly the man got well, picked up his mat, and started to walk.

Now that day was the Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “This is the Sabbath. The law prohibits you from picking up your mat.”

He replied, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’

“Who is this man who told you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk’?” they asked. But the man who was healed did not know who it was, because Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

After this, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse doesn’t happen to you.” The man went and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began persecuting Jesus because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.

Jesus responded to them, “My Father is still working, and I am working also.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath! The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”

But he replied, “The man who healed me told me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”

“Who said such a thing as that?” they demanded.

The man didn’t know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.

So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And immediately the man became well and picked up his mat and began to walk. (Now it was the Sabbath on that day.)

So the Jews were saying to the one who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permitted for you to pick up the mat!” But he answered them, “The one who made me well—that one said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk!’ ” So they asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your mat and walk?’ ” But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn while a crowd was in the place.

After these things Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “Look, you have become well! Sin no longer, lest something worse happen to you.” The man went and reported to the Jews that Jesus was the one who made him well. And on account of this the Jews began to persecute Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But he answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

KJV 1900King James Version

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.

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