John 5:17 kjv
But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.
John 5:17 nkjv
But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."
John 5:17 niv
In his defense Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working."
John 5:17 esv
But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working."
John 5:17 nlt
But Jesus replied, "My Father is always working, and so am I."
John 5 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 121:4 | Indeed, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. | God's ceaseless watchfulness and activity. |
| Isa 40:28 | ...The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. | God's tireless power in creation and providence. |
| Neh 9:6 | ...You, LORD, You alone are LORD... and You give life to all of them. | God's continuous giving of life and sustenance. |
| Acts 17:28 | for in Him we live and move and have our being... | God's active role in sustaining existence. |
| Col 1:17 | He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. | Christ's active role in sustaining creation. |
| Heb 1:3 | ...upholds the universe by the word of His power... | Christ's ongoing, active sustaining work. |
| John 10:30 | I and the Father are one. | Jesus' direct assertion of unity and equality with the Father. |
| John 14:9 | ...He who has seen Me has seen the Father... | Jesus embodying the Father, showing shared essence. |
| Phil 2:6 | ...who, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped... | Christ's pre-existence and divine nature. |
| Heb 1:1-3 | God... has in these last days spoken to us by His Son... through whom also He made the worlds... | The Son's role in creation and revelation, reflecting divine nature. |
| John 1:1 | In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. | Jesus' eternal pre-existence and divine identity. |
| John 8:58 | ...Before Abraham was, I AM. | Jesus' claim to eternal divine existence. |
| Mt 12:8 | For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. | Jesus' ultimate authority over the Sabbath law. |
| Mk 2:27-28 | And He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." | Jesus clarifies the Sabbath's purpose and asserts His authority over it. |
| Lk 13:14-16 | The ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath... "You hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey... And ought not this woman... be loosed from this bond... on the Sabbath day?" | Jesus rebukes legalism by appealing to humane practices allowed on Sabbath. |
| Lk 14:3-6 | And Jesus answered them, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?"... "Which of you, having a donkey... does not immediately pull him out... on the Sabbath day?" | Jesus challenges His accusers with their own practical inconsistencies. |
| John 9:16 | ...Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath."... | Illustrates the consistent accusation of Sabbath-breaking. |
| John 5:18 | For this reason, therefore, the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because... He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. | The immediate Jewish reaction confirming their understanding of His claim. |
| Mt 11:27 | All things have been delivered to Me by My Father... no one knows the Son except the Father... | Jesus' unique knowledge and authority from the Father. |
| Mt 28:18 | And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." | Jesus' supreme and universal authority. |
| 1 Cor 8:6 | ...yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. | Paul's theological affirmation of unity and distinction within the Godhead. |
| John 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son... | God's ultimate work of salvation through the Son. |
John 5 verses
John 5 17 Meaning
In John 5:17, Jesus defends His action of healing on the Sabbath, directly confronting His accusers. He asserts that His Heavenly Father is continuously at work, upholding creation and interacting with humanity, even on the Sabbath day. By stating "and I have been working," Jesus equates His own ongoing actions, specifically miraculous healings and works of mercy, with the Father's divine and continuous activity. This declaration reveals His unique, intimate relationship with God as His Son and unequivocally claims equality in power and authority with the Father, thereby asserting His divine nature.
John 5 17 Context
John 5:17 follows Jesus' healing of a paralyzed man at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath day. This act provoked the Jewish authorities because they viewed it as a violation of their strict interpretation of the Sabbath law. When confronted, Jesus provides His defense, asserting His right and authority to work on the Sabbath. This verse serves as a pivotal point, escalating the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders, as His declaration explicitly reveals His divine Sonship and equality with God, which they considered blasphemous. The entire chapter revolves around this claim and the evidence supporting Jesus' divine authority.
John 5 17 Word analysis
- But Jesus answered them: Indicates a direct, assertive, and authoritative rebuttal to His critics. This is not a meek response but a strong theological statement.
- My Father (Greek: ὁ πατρός μου, ho patros mou): Emphatically signifies a unique, exclusive, and intimate relationship with God that no other human could claim. It's not "our Father," but a singular, personal identification, pointing to His divine Sonship.
- has been working (Greek: ἐργάζεται, ergazetai): Present indicative verb, denoting continuous, ongoing action. This verb emphasizes perpetual activity. It highlights that God did not cease all activity after the six days of creation, but rather continued to sustain, govern, and interact with His creation.
- until now (Greek: ἕως ἄρτι, heōs arti): This phrase further stresses the uninterrupted nature of God's work. From creation to the present moment, God has always been actively engaged in providence, upholding the universe, giving life, and providing. This challenges the notion that the Sabbath strictly demanded cessation of all divine activity.
- and I (Greek: κἀγὼ, kagō, meaning "and I too" or "I also"): The prefix "ka-" emphasizes the "I," asserting Jesus' involvement in the same scope of activity as the Father. This is a direct parallel.
- have been working (Greek: ἐργάζομαι, ergazomai): The same verb used for the Father, reinforcing that Jesus participates in and exercises the same continuous, divine activity and authority.
Words-group analysis
- "My Father has been working until now": This phrase introduces a fundamental theological premise that counters the Jewish legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath. It implies that God's "rest" after creation was not an absence of activity, but a rest from creative formulation, while His providential, sustaining, and redemptive work continues ceaselessly. God is ever active in the world, bringing rain, causing crops to grow, preserving life, and bringing salvation.
- "and I have been working": This climactic statement directly parallels Jesus' work with the Father's. By using the same verb and declaring His participation in God's continuous activity, Jesus asserts His divine nature, shared power, and inherent equality with the Father. This claim, understood by the Jewish leaders, was considered blasphemous and hence reason for their intent to kill Him (John 5:18). It reveals Jesus' identity not just as a prophet or healer, but as God incarnate, participating in the divine governance of the cosmos.
John 5 17 Bonus section
The underlying Jewish argument regarding God's Sabbath rest (Gen 2:2-3) often missed the nuanced rabbinic discussions which allowed certain "works" by God (e.g., maintaining rain, healing, giving birth) even on the Sabbath, acknowledging God's ongoing involvement in providence. Jesus' claim extends beyond merely fitting into these categories; He declares a co-equal partnership in divine work, highlighting that His actions flow from the same ultimate authority as the Father's. The continuous "working" of God signifies a living, active God who is intimately involved in His creation, rather than a deistic entity who created and then withdrew. Jesus, as the Father's perfect reflection, thus actively participates in this life-giving, redeeming, and sustaining work.
John 5 17 Commentary
John 5:17 is a concise yet profound theological statement where Jesus articulates His divine authority and identity in response to the Sabbath controversy. He does not deny performing works on the Sabbath but asserts His divine prerogative to do so, explaining it through the Father's ongoing work. The Jews believed God rested on the seventh day from all work. Jesus corrects this misunderstanding by pointing out that God is eternally active in sustaining the universe and interacting with His creation (e.g., controlling nature, judging, providing for life). By stating that He too works in parallel to the Father, Jesus unequivocally claims to share the same nature, authority, and ongoing active ministry as God Himself. This isn't merely permission to do good on the Sabbath, but an assertion of being the divine Son who acts in perfect unity with His divine Father, operating by divine law, which supersedes man-made legal interpretations. His "work" includes acts of compassion, healing, and life-giving, all aligning with the Father's ultimate work of redemption.For example, when Jesus heals on the Sabbath, He demonstrates God's continuous, benevolent activity, which is not bound by human Sabbath restrictions when it comes to expressing divine life and mercy.