John 5 5

John 5:5 kjv

And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

John 5:5 nkjv

Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.

John 5:5 niv

One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

John 5:5 esv

One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.

John 5:5 nlt

One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.

John 5 verses

John 5 5 Meaning

John 5:5 introduces a key figure in the healing narrative at the pool of Bethesda: a specific man who had been suffering from an invalidating illness for a very long period—thirty-eight years. This detail underscores the chronic, long-term nature of his affliction, highlighting the man's desperate situation and deep-seated hopelessness. The verse sets the stage for a profound demonstration of Jesus' divine authority and power, which transcends human limitations and the efficacy of traditional means of healing. It also subtly introduces the theme of a long period of waiting and unfulfillment that is about to be dramatically broken by the direct action of Christ.

John 5 5 Context

John 5:5 is part of Jesus' third sign miracle in the Gospel of John, taking place at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem (John 5:1-18). The pool was a place where many sick and infirmed people gathered, believing that the periodic stirring of the waters by an angel brought healing to the first person who entered. This belief highlights the human inclination to rely on rituals or physical phenomena for spiritual or physical restoration. The chapter immediately before this event sets up the general context of Jesus' ministry, demonstrating His authority over illness and distance (healing the official's son in John 4). The context for this verse specifically introduces a man whose chronic, almost lifelong, suffering contrasts sharply with the immediate and sovereign power of Jesus. His 38 years of infirmity foreshadow the impending conflict with the Jewish authorities, as Jesus' healing on the Sabbath would provoke controversy, revealing a deeper tension between rigid adherence to the Law and the liberating grace and divine authority of the Son of God. This narrative unfolds against the backdrop of Jewish feasts, implying a special time of gathering and heightened religious observance.

John 5 5 Word analysis

• And (καί - kai): A simple conjunction, yet in this context, it smoothly continues the narrative flow, moving from the description of the setting (the pool of Bethesda) to introducing a specific individual crucial to the story. It indicates a direct transition to the subject of Jesus' miraculous act.
• a certain man (ἄνθρωπος τις - anthrōpos tis): The Greek phrase literally means "a man, certain." The anonymity of the man (he is never named in the narrative) is significant. It suggests he represents not just an individual case, but potentially a broader segment of humanity: the forgotten, the hopeless, those under long-term affliction. His anonymity allows readers to identify with his condition and see Jesus' action as a universal act of mercy and power.
• was there (ἦν ἐκεῖ - ēn ekei): ēn is the imperfect tense of "to be," indicating a continuous state or presence in the past. This implies the man had been there, perhaps day after day, week after week, embodying a prolonged state of waiting and helplessness at the pool. Ekei means "there," referring to the location at the pool, a place associated with fleeting hope and frequent disappointment.
• who had been an invalid (ἔχων ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ - echōn en astheneia):
  • echōn (present participle of echō) means "having."
  • en astheneia means "in weakness" or "in sickness." Astheneia (ἀσθενείᾳ) is a significant term. It's often translated as "infirmity," "weakness," or "sickness." It goes beyond mere paralysis, suggesting a broader state of physical incapacity, debility, and helplessness. This weakness implies not just inability to walk but a systemic, profound, and long-standing state of brokenness that has incapacitated him from normal life and prevented him from accessing the pool's supposed benefits himself.
• for thirty-eight years (τριάκοντα ὀκτὼ ἔτη ἔχων - triakonta oktō etē echōn):
  • triakonta oktō means "thirty-eight."
  • etē means "years."
  • echōn (repeated from above) emphasizes "having had" or "being in this state for." This precise number is highly significant for scholars. It directly echoes the 38 years Israel wandered in the wilderness between Kadesh Barnea and crossing the Zered Valley before entering the Promised Land (Deut 2:14). This period represented a time of divine judgment due to unbelief, a generation condemned to die in the wilderness, unable to enter God's promised rest. For John's audience, this would strongly symbolize the long period of waiting under the Old Covenant or the Law, which, despite its promises, could not ultimately bring true healing, freedom, or salvation for deeply entrenched spiritual and physical "infirmity."

Words-group Analysis

• "a certain man... an invalid for thirty-eight years": This entire phrase encapsulates the profound tragedy of the man's condition and serves as a poignant representation of humanity's long-suffering and desperate need. The combination of his anonymity, chronic "invalid" state (astheneia), and the precisely specified duration of "thirty-eight years" works powerfully to paint a picture of enduring futility and a need that far exceeds human remedy. It sets the narrative framework for Jesus as the divine intervener, whose coming ends protracted suffering, both personal and, symbolically, the long wait of Israel for ultimate redemption and true spiritual freedom beyond the Law. The duration underlines the greatness of the miracle to follow and implies that only God Himself could accomplish such a complete restoration.

John 5 5 Bonus section

The specific details in John 5:5, especially the duration of 38 years, set up an immediate contrast between the inefficacy of waiting on superficial "stirrings" (as the pool's legend suggests) and the immediate, powerful, and unconditional intervention of Jesus. The man's condition was one of utter helplessness, rendering him unable to avail himself of the alleged healing property of the agitated water; he relied entirely on others, highlighting humanity's inability to save itself. Jesus' encounter with this man is therefore not just a physical healing but a vivid theological statement about salvation: it comes not from human initiative, self-help, or adherence to flawed systems, but through the direct and unmerited grace of Christ. This miracle demonstrates Jesus' compassion for the longest-suffering and His unique power to deliver from conditions that are beyond human remedy, marking a decisive end to old eras of prolonged spiritual barrenness or wandering.

John 5 5 Commentary

John 5:5 is succinct but packed with profound meaning, serving as the immediate setup for one of Jesus' most significant miracles and the ensuing Sabbath controversy. By detailing the man's long-term "invalid" state for "thirty-eight years," the Gospel intentionally highlights the gravity of his suffering. This extensive period signifies that the man's condition was not transient but deeply ingrained and, humanly speaking, irreversible. His chronic debilitation represents the ultimate futility of human effort and the limitations of the traditional remedies, even those associated with religious hope like the pool of Bethesda.

Beyond the physical, the mention of "thirty-eight years" carries significant symbolic weight, often interpreted as an allusion to Israel's 38-year wandering in the wilderness (Deut 2:14) after their unbelief prevented immediate entry into the Promised Land. This numerical parallel subtly casts the invalid man's prolonged paralysis as a symbol of Israel's spiritual stagnation under the Old Covenant, unable to enter fully into God's promises due to sin and lack of faith, constantly waiting for true redemption that the Law could not provide. Just as Israel experienced a long period of stagnation before a new generation could enter the promised land, so this man's healing by Jesus signifies the breaking of such spiritual "wilderness wandering" and the advent of a new era of immediate divine intervention and spiritual liberation under Christ's authority. Jesus' act of seeking out and commanding this particular man (John 5:6-8) is a divine initiative, emphasizing that healing and salvation are not achieved by human effort or ritualistic compliance (like entering the water first) but by the sovereign will and power of God in Christ. The miracle itself transcends the man's ability or worthiness, underscoring grace as the basis for restoration.