John 5:16–47

The Authority of the Son

¹⁶So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. ¹⁷In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father^c is always at his work^d to this very day, and I too am working.” ¹⁸For this reason they tried all the more to kill him;^e not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.^f

¹⁹Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself;^g he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. ²⁰For the Father loves the Son^h and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these,ⁱ so that you will be amazed. ²¹For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life,^j even so the Son gives life^k to whom he is pleased to give it. ²²Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,^{l 23}that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.^m

²⁴“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent meⁿ has eternal life^o and will not be judged^p but has crossed over from death to life.^{q 25}Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come^r when the dead will hear^s the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. ²⁶For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life^t in himself. ²⁷And he has given him authority to judge^u because he is the Son of Man.

²⁸“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming^v when all who are in their graves will hear his voice ²⁹and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.^{w 30}By myself I can do nothing;^x I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just,^y for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.^z

Testimonies About Jesus

³¹“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.^{a 32}There is another who testifies in my favor,^b and I know that his testimony about me is true.

³³“You have sent to John and he has testified^c to the truth. ³⁴Not that I accept human testimony;^d but I mention it that you may be saved.^{e 35}John was a lamp that burned and gave light,^f and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

³⁶“I have testimony weightier than that of John.^g For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing^h—testify that the Father has sent me.^{i 37}And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.^j You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,^{k 38}nor does his word dwell in you,^l for you do not believe^m the one he sent.^{n 39}You study^c the Scriptures^o diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.^p These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,^{q 40}yet you refuse to come to me^r to have life.

⁴¹“I do not accept glory from human beings,^{s 42}but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. ⁴³I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. ⁴⁴How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God^d?^t

⁴⁵“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses,^u on whom your hopes are set.^{v 46}If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.^{w 47}But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”^x