English Standard Version
John 5:18
18This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
John 5:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God.
Context of John 5:18
16And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. 17But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.
Read all of John 5John 5:18 word by word
διὰ τοῦτο οὖν μᾶλλον ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀποκτεῖναι, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἔλυεν τὸ σάββατον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πατέρα ἴδιον ἔλεγεν τὸν θεὸν ἴσον ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν τῷ θεῷ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Thereforeδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- ·οὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- the JewsἸουδαῖοςIoudaios · JewG2453
- soughtζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
- the moreμᾶλλονmallon · moreG3123
- to killἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- heλύωluō · to looseG3089
- notοὐou · noG3756
- onlyμόνονmonon · onlyG3440
- the sabbathσάββατονsabbaton · SabbathG4521
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- was hisἴδιοςidios · one's own/privateG2398
- Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
- makingποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- himselfἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- equalἴσοςisos · equalG2470
Cross-references for John 5:18
- John 7:19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?"
- John 7:22Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath.
- Matthew 12:5Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?
- John 5:23that 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.
- John 8:54Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'
- John 10:30I and the Father are one."
- John 14:9Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?
- Zechariah 13:7"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me," declares the Lord of hosts. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.
- Philippians 2:6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
- Revelation 21:22And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
- Revelation 22:1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
Commentaries on John 5:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Making himself equal with God - This the Jews understood from the preceding verse: nor did they take a wrong meaning out of our Lord's words; for he plainly stated that, whatever was the Father's work, his was the same; thus showing that He and the Father were One. They had now found out two pretenses to take away his life: one was that he had broken the Sabbath - , dissolved, as they pretended, the obligation of keeping it holy. The other was that he was…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18The more to kill him - The answer of Jesus was suited greatly to irritate them. He did not deny what he had done, but he “added” to that what he well knew would highly offend them. That he should claim the right of dispensing with the law, and affirm that, in regard to its observance, he was in the same condition with God, was eminently suited to enrage them, and he doubtless knew that it might endanger his life. We may learn from his answer: 1.that we…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-23Verses 17-23 The Divine power of the miracle proved Jesus to be the Son of God, and he declared that he worked with, and like unto his Father, as he saw good. These ancient enemies of Christ understood him, and became more violent, charging him not only with sabbath-breaking, but blasphemy, in calling God his own Father, and making himself equal with God. But all things now, and at the final judgment, are committed to the Son, purposely that all men might…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. 17-1817-18. My Father worketh hitherto and I work--The "I" is emphatic; "The creative and conservative activity of My Father has known no sabbath-cessation from the beginning until now, and that is the law of My working."Read the comment
Topics related to John 5:18
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries