John 5:4

John 5:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

Context of John 5:4

2Now in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a pool, which is called in Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades). 3In these porticoes lay a great number of people who were sick, blind, lame, withered, [waiting for the stirring of the water; 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.] 5There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6When 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?”

John 5:4 word by word

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• an angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• went downκαταβαίνωkatabainō · to come/go downG2597
• at a certainκατάkata · according toG2596
• seasonκαιρόςkairos · time/right timeG2540
• intoἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the poolὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the poolκολυμβήθραkolumbēthra · poolG2861
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• troubledταράσσωtarassō · to troubleG5015
• the waterὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
• thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• firstπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
• afterμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
• the troublingταραχήtarachē · disturbanceG5016
• stepped inἐμβαίνωembainō · to climbG1684
• was madeγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• wholeὑγιήςhugiēs · healthyG5199
• ofνόσημαnosēma · diseaseG3553
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• whatsoeverδήποτεdēpote · whateverG1221
• he hadκατέχωkatechō · to hold back/fastG2722

Cross-references for John 5:4

• Psalms 119:60I hurried and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
• Proverbs 6:4Give no [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids;
• Proverbs 8:17I love those who love me; And those who seek me early and diligently will find me.
• Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) where you are going.
• Hosea 13:13The pains of childbirth come on him; But he is not a wise son, For it is not the time to delay [his chance at a new birth] as the womb opens [but he ignores the opportunity to change].
• Matthew 6:33But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
• Matthew 11:12From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize].
• Luke 13:24“Strive to enter through the narrow door [force aside unbelief and the attractions of sin]; for many, I tell you, will try to enter [by their own works] and will not be able.
• Luke 16:16“The Law and the [writings of the] Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the gospel of the kingdom of God has been and continues to be preached, and everyone tries forcefully to go into it.
• 2 Kings 5:10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.”
• Ezekiel 47:8Then he said to me, “These waters go out toward the eastern region and go down into the Arabah (the Jordan Valley); then they go toward the sea, being made to flow into the sea, and the waters of the Dead Sea shall be healed and become fresh.
• Zechariah 13:1“In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the people of Jerusalem for [cleansing from] sin and impurity.
• Zechariah 14:8And in that day living waters will flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea (Dead Sea) and half of them to the western sea (the Mediterranean); it will be in summer as well as in winter.
• 1 Corinthians 6:11And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].
• 1 John 1:7but if we [really] walk in the Light [that is, live each and every day in conformity with the precepts of God], as He Himself is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another [He with us, and we with Him], and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin [by erasing the stain of sin, keeping us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

Commentaries on John 5:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Angel - "Of the Lord," is added by AKL, about 20 others, the Ethiopic, Armenian, Slavonic, Vulgate, Anglo-Saxon, and six copies of the Itala: Cyril and Ambrose have also this reading. If this reading be genuine, and the authorities which support it are both ancient and respectable, it destroys Dr. Hammond's conjecture, that, by the angel, a messenger only, sent from the Sanhedrin, is meant, and that these cures were all performed in a natural way. Those…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4An angel - It is not affirmed that the angel did this “visibly,” or that they saw him do it. They judged by the “effect,” and when they saw the waters agitated, they concluded that they had healing properties, and descended to them. The Jews were in the habit of attributing all favors to the ministry of the angels of God, Genesis 19:15; Hebrews 1:14; Matthew 4:11; Matthew 18:10; Luke 16:22; Acts 7:53; Galatians 3:19; Acts 12:11. This fountain, it seems…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-40This chapter is structured like a courtroom case (a legal trial). It begins with a description of the event that led to the conflict (5:1–15). This is followed by the decision of the Jewish leaders to take action against Jesus (5:16). Next comes a statement of the charges against him (5:18). The chapter then presents the defense given by Jesus, where he explains his authority and his relationship with the Father (5:17, 19–40).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. an angel, &c.--This miracle differed in two points from all other miracles recorded in Scripture: (1) It was not one, but a succession of miracles periodically wrought: (2) As it was only wrought "when the waters were troubled," so only upon one patient at a time, and that the patient "who first stepped in after the troubling of the waters." But this only the more undeniably fixed its miraculous character. We have heard of many waters having a…Read the comment

Topics related to John 5:4

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Jesus, the Christ
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Folk
• Judgment
• Lest
• Light
• Pool
• Step
• Trouble
• Troubling
• Witness
• Angel

Commentaries on John 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings