John 5:5
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.

Majority Standard Bible
One man there had been an invalid for thirty-eight 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.

World English Bible
A certain man was there who had been sick for thirty-eight years.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And 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 Bible
And 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 Bible
A 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 Testament
And 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-Eight
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Ailment Eight Ill Infirmity Invalid Sick Suffering Thirty Thirty-Eight
John 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
This phrase introduces us to a specific individual among the multitude of sick people at the Pool of Bethesda. The Greek word used here is "ἄνθρωπος" (anthrōpos), which is a general term for "man" or "human being." This highlights the personal nature of Jesus' ministry, focusing on individual needs amidst the crowd. It reminds us that God sees each person uniquely and personally, emphasizing the value of every human life.

there
The word "there" situates the man in a specific location, the Pool of Bethesda, which was known for its healing waters. Archaeological discoveries have confirmed the existence of this pool, providing historical context to the narrative. This setting is significant as it was a place where many sought physical healing, yet this man's healing would come not from the water, but from Jesus Himself, illustrating the superiority of divine intervention over traditional beliefs.

had been
This phrase indicates a continuous state, suggesting that the man's condition was not temporary but a long-standing affliction. The Greek verb "ἔχω" (echō) implies possession or holding, indicating that the man had been "holding" this condition for a significant period. This highlights the chronic nature of his suffering and sets the stage for the miraculous change Jesus would bring.

an invalid
The term "invalid" translates the Greek word "ἀσθενέω" (astheneō), meaning to be weak, feeble, or sick. This word underscores the man's helplessness and inability to change his situation on his own. It reflects the broader human condition of spiritual and physical weakness, pointing to the need for a Savior who can restore and heal.

for thirty-eight years
The specific mention of "thirty-eight years" emphasizes the duration and severity of the man's condition. In biblical numerology, the number thirty-eight can symbolize a period of trial or testing. This long duration of suffering highlights the depth of the miracle Jesus performs, as it demonstrates His power to overcome even the most entrenched afflictions. It also serves as a reminder of God's perfect timing and the hope that persists even after prolonged hardship.

(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
One
τις (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.


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NT Gospels: John 5:5 A certain man was there who had (Jhn Jo Jn)
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