John 5 3

John 5:3 kjv

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:3 nkjv

In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.

John 5:3 niv

Here a great number of disabled people used to lie?the blind, the lame, the paralyzed.

John 5:3 esv

In these lay a multitude of invalids ? blind, lame, and paralyzed.

John 5:3 nlt

Crowds of sick people ? blind, lame, or paralyzed ? lay on the porches.

John 5 verses

John 5 3 Meaning

John 5:3 describes the grim scene at the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, where Jesus encountered a great number of people suffering from various physical afflictions. The verse explicitly states that a large crowd of "invalids" – specifically "blind, lame, and paralyzed" individuals – lay in the five porticos surrounding the pool. It paints a picture of widespread human suffering and helplessness, setting the stage for the demonstration of Jesus' divine power over disease and the human condition. The emphasis is on the sheer volume and severity of the maladies present.

John 5 3 Context

John 5 opens in Jerusalem, shortly after an unspecified Jewish festival. Jesus arrives at the Pool of Bethesda, located near the Sheep Gate, a well-known area of the city. This pool was architecturally distinctive, featuring five colonnaded porticos. It was here, by popular belief, that sick and infirm individuals gathered, holding a traditional expectation that at certain times an angel would stir the water, and the first person to enter afterward would be healed. Verse 3 directly describes the large congregation of sufferers who populated these porticos, providing a stark visual of widespread physical anguish and a common, though perhaps misguided, hope for supernatural intervention tied to the pool's waters. This scene contrasts human helplessness and their conventional methods of seeking healing with the immanent display of Jesus' unique, direct, and unconditional power over sickness, preparing for the dramatic healing of the man who had been ill for thirty-eight years (John 5:5-9). The belief in the stirring of the waters (often included in manuscripts as a part of verses 3b-4) is vital for understanding the motivation of the crowd described in verse 3.

John 5 3 Word analysis

• In these (ἐν τούτοις - en toutois):

  • Analysis: Refers directly to the "five roofed colonnades" or porticos mentioned in John 5:2. It indicates a specific, contained location where the events unfolded.
  • Significance: Establishes the setting; the crowd was not haphazardly scattered but confined to the structured architectural features of the pool area.

• lay (κατέκειτο - katekēito):

  • Analysis: Imperfect passive verb from katakeimai (κατάκειμαι), meaning "to lie down," "to recline," "to be laid up." The imperfect tense indicates a continuous or ongoing state.
  • Significance: Conveys a sense of permanence and stagnation for the sick individuals. They were not temporarily there, but had made this place their sustained dwelling, indicating severe conditions and dependence.

• a multitude (πλῆθος - plēthos):

  • Analysis: Denotes a large number, a great quantity. Often translated as "crowd" or "throng."
  • Significance: Emphasizes the extensive scale of suffering. This was not an isolated case but a pervasive human condition visible to all, underscoring the severity of the problem Jesus encounters.

• of invalids (ἀσθενούντων - asthenountōn):

  • Analysis: Participle from astheneō (ἀσθενέω), meaning "to be weak," "to be sick," "to be without strength." This is a general term for anyone suffering from physical weakness or illness.
  • Significance: Serves as a broad descriptor, encompassing all types of physical incapacitation, not just the specific ones listed subsequently. Highlights human frailty and dependency.

• blind (τυφλῶν - typhlōn):

  • Analysis: Genitive plural of typhlos (τυφλός), meaning "blind."
  • Significance: A specific and profound disability, symbolizing not only physical darkness but also often used metaphorically in Scripture for spiritual ignorance (e.g., Jn 9:39-41). One of the key signs of Messiah's coming (Isa 35:5).

• lame (χωλῶν - chōlōn):

  • Analysis: Genitive plural of chōlos (χωλός), meaning "lame," "crippled."
  • Significance: Inability to walk or move independently, leading to dependency and social marginalization. Another messianic sign (Isa 35:6) and a frequent subject of Jesus' healings (e.g., Mt 15:30-31).

• and paralyzed (ξηρῶν - xērōn):

  • Analysis: Genitive plural of xēros (ξηρός), literally "dry" or "withered." In a medical context, it implies paralysis, atrophy, or shriveled limbs (e.g., Mt 12:10; Mk 3:1).
  • Significance: Represents a severe form of physical disability, often leading to complete immobility. This category includes the man Jesus is about to heal, who could not move himself to the water.

• "a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed" (πλῆθος ἀσθενούντων, τυφλῶν, χωλῶν, ξηρῶν):

  • Analysis: This phrase describes a scene of collective suffering, where various physical disabilities are explicitly categorized. The transition from the general "invalids" to specific examples paints a vivid picture of the severity and diversity of ailments.
  • Significance: This grouping demonstrates the scope of Jesus' mission and power—not just over one type of illness, but over all categories of human suffering and physical limitations. It presents humanity at its most helpless and broken, perfectly poised for divine intervention.

John 5 3 Bonus section

• The Problem of Waiting: The "laying" (κατέκειτο) of these individuals indicates not merely a temporary rest but a sustained condition of waiting, often with a deep-seated despair rooted in the slowness or perceived capriciousness of the supposed healing mechanism of the pool. Their state of prostration underscores their utter helplessness and dependence on external factors for relief.
• Prophetic Fulfillment: The categories of "blind, lame, and paralyzed" align closely with Old Testament prophecies regarding the messianic era (e.g., Isa 35:5-6, Isa 61:1), where these specific afflictions would be removed. John's description subtly points to Jesus as the fulfillment of these expectations, demonstrating that the time of the Messiah has indeed arrived.
• Symbolic Meaning: Beyond physical ailments, these conditions can symbolically represent spiritual states. Spiritual blindness to the truth, lameness in following God's path, and paralysis in responding to His call are metaphors frequently used in Scripture. The physical healing at Bethesda can thus serve as a powerful allegory for the spiritual healing and restoration that Jesus offers.

John 5 3 Commentary

John 5:3 lays the groundwork for one of Jesus' profound demonstrations of divine authority. It establishes the vast human need present at Bethesda, where scores of people suffering from severe, often life-long, debilitating conditions such as blindness, lameness, and paralysis were gathered. They represented humanity's universal experience of pain, frailty, and the longing for relief. The detailed list of afflictions highlights the deep human brokenness that existed in stark contrast to the divine wholeness that Jesus embodies. These individuals lay in a state of continuous despair, likely for extended periods, hoping for a rare, perhaps unreliable, natural healing through the water. This verse subtly contrasts their passive expectation with Jesus' active, sovereign will to heal, setting the scene for a confrontation between popular superstition and the direct, undeniable power of God. It underlines the extent of sin's effects on the physical body and provides a poignant backdrop for Christ's transformative grace.