John 5 2

John 5:2 kjv

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:2 nkjv

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches.

John 5:2 niv

Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades.

John 5:2 esv

Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades.

John 5:2 nlt

Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches.

John 5 verses

John 5 2 Meaning

John 5:2 introduces the setting for a significant miracle performed by Jesus. It describes a specific location in Jerusalem: a pool called Bethesda, situated near the Sheep Gate, and notable for its architecture of five covered colonnades. This verse provides critical geographical and architectural context, preparing the reader for the subsequent narrative where Jesus encounters an invalid man by this very pool, often considered a place of perceived healing and hope for many. The name "Bethesda," meaning "House of Mercy" or "House of Grace," subtly foreshadows the profound act of divine mercy and grace that Jesus is about to perform.

John 5 2 Context

John 5 opens a new phase in Jesus' ministry, distinct from the Passover narrative of John 4. This chapter records Jesus' visit to Jerusalem during an unnamed feast, signifying a return to the religious heartland of Judaism. Verse 2 immediately situates the subsequent miraculous healing by providing specific geographical markers. Jerusalem was the hub of Jewish life and worship, especially during feasts. The "Sheep Gate" identifies a known entrance to the city, often associated with bringing sheep for temple sacrifices, highlighting its connection to ritual purity and atonement in the Mosaic Law. The "pool" and its descriptive name "Bethesda" and "five porticoes" paint a picture of a crowded, expectant place where many sick and afflicted people gathered, seeking miraculous healing, reflecting common beliefs in certain healing waters during that era. This vivid setup underscores the profound significance of Jesus' intervention, not merely as a physical cure, but as a deeper spiritual statement of His authority over law, sickness, and the very concept of "mercy."

John 5 2 Word analysis

• Now (Greek: δέ, de): A connecting particle, signaling a transition or continuation of the narrative. It subtly shifts the reader's attention to a new scene, marking a temporal or logical progression from the previous chapter.
• there is (Greek: ἔστιν, estin): A present tense verb, indicating continuous existence or presence. This emphasizes that the pool was a known and current feature of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus' visit.
• in Jerusalem (Greek: ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, en Hierosolymois): Pinpoints the setting within the holy city, a place of intense religious significance for the Jewish people, central to their worship and expectations of the Messiah. Its mention underscores the spiritual gravity of Jesus' actions there.
• by (Greek: ἐπὶ, epi): A preposition indicating location, meaning "at," "near," or "by." It positions the pool immediately adjacent to the specified gate.
• the Sheep Gate (Greek: τῇ Προβατικῇ, tē Probatikē): Refers to a specific, historically verifiable gate in Jerusalem, likely in the northeastern part of the city wall, leading towards the temple mount. The term Probaticē means "of sheep," indicating it was the route for sheep designated for temple sacrifices, thereby associating it with temple rituals, blood atonement, and the purity laws of the Old Covenant. This association with "sheep" carries prophetic weight, implicitly connecting to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29).
• a pool (Greek: κολυμβήθρα, kolymbēthra): A natural or man-made basin for water, primarily used for bathing or swimming. In the ancient world, certain springs and pools were believed to have medicinal or healing properties, leading to their use for therapeutic bathing.
• which is called (Greek: ἐπιλεγομένη, epilegomenē): A passive participle, indicating the name given to it by common usage. It’s not necessarily an official name but a widely recognized designation.
• in Hebrew (Greek: Ἑβραϊστί, Hebraisti): This indicates the local Aramaic/Hebrew language spoken by the people, affirming the authenticity of the local name given to the pool. John often includes such linguistic details for his Hellenistic audience.
• Bethesda (Greek: Βηθεσδά, Bethesda): While manuscripts vary (Beth-zatha, Beth-saida), Bethesda (Aramaic Beyt Ḥesdā or Beyt ’Ešdā) most commonly means "House of Mercy" or "House of Grace." This name is highly significant, contrasting the human longing for physical healing and the "mercy" of stirrings in the water with Jesus, the ultimate source of divine mercy and grace, standing directly amidst their suffering.
• having (Greek: ἔχουσα, echousa): A present participle, functioning descriptively to detail an attribute of the pool.
• five porticoes (Greek: πέντε στοάς, pente stoas): Describes the architectural feature of the pool. "Porticoes" (stoa) are covered colonnades or porches. These would have provided shelter for the numerous sick individuals who gathered there, protecting them from the sun or rain, further emphasizing the public nature and the multitude of afflicted people seeking aid at this location. The number five can be purely descriptive but also resonates with the five books of Moses (the Pentateuch/Law), creating a subtle theological tension between the Law and Jesus' grace.

John 5 2 Bonus section

Archaeological excavations in Jerusalem have identified the ruins of a complex double pool, surrounded by colonnades, near what is believed to be the Sheep Gate, strongly corroborating the geographical details given in John 5:2. The traditional site, now a complex of Byzantine and Crusader ruins near the Church of St. Anne, revealed the architectural elements described, including the distinctive "five porticoes," suggesting two pools with a central dividing wall that also had a colonnade. This physical evidence supports the historicity of John's account. The name Bethesda or variations like Bethzatha found in ancient manuscripts highlight scribal challenges with transliteration, but the primary theological understanding of "House of Mercy" remains central to the narrative's message.

John 5 2 Commentary

John 5:2 sets the stage for one of Jesus' profound acts of healing, deliberately choosing a setting replete with symbolic weight. The pool of Bethesda, whose name "House of Mercy" paradoxically hosted countless suffering individuals waiting for a fleeting chance at healing, becomes the backdrop for Jesus' ultimate expression of divine mercy and power. Located by the Sheep Gate, a passage frequented by sacrificial animals, the scene implicitly connects Jesus, the Lamb of God, with a place steeped in anticipation of relief—be it through ritual sacrifice or a mythical stirring of water. The five porticoes not only indicate a substantial gathering place for the afflicted but also echo the number associated with the Mosaic Law. In this context, Jesus' act of healing transcends a mere physical cure; it is an assertion of His divine authority, bringing true mercy and grace where ritual and human superstition previously held sway. He doesn't wait for a "stirring" of the waters; He directly commands, demonstrating that His Word alone is sufficient for salvation and healing, thereby fulfilling the very hope the name "Bethesda" invoked. It highlights Jesus as the true source of God's compassionate action, available directly, bypassing intermediary systems and beliefs.