John 5

Io 5.1Post haec erat diēs fēstus Iūdaeōrum, et ascendit Iēsus Ierosolymam.

After these things there was a feast day of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Note. diēs fēstus Iūdaeōrum: John does not say which festival. ascendit … Ierosolymam: one 'goes up' to Jerusalem because the city stands on hills.

Io 5.2Est autem Ierosolymīs probatica piscīna, quae cognōminātur hebraicē Bēthsaida, quīnque porticūs habēns.

Now there is at Jerusalem a sheep pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethsaida, having five colonnades.

Note. probatica piscīna: 'the sheep pool', probably near the Sheep Gate of Jerusalem. The edition calls it Bethsaida; other manuscripts give Bethesda or Bethzatha. Remains of a pool with porticoes have been excavated north of the Temple. quīnque porticūs habēns: a present participle agreeing with piscīna.

Io 5.3In hīs iacēbat multitūdō magna languentium, caecōrum, claudōrum, āridōrum, exspectantium aquae mōtum.

In these was lying a great crowd of sick people, of blind, of lame, of withered, waiting for the movement of the water.

Note. languentium, caecōrum, claudōrum, āridōrum: genitives depending on multitūdō, adjectives and participles used as nouns: 'of the sick, the blind, the lame, the withered'. exspectantium: 'waiting for'.

Io 5.4Angelus autem Dominī dēscendēbat secundum tempus in piscīnam, et movēbātur aqua. Et quī prior dēscendisset in piscīnam post mōtiōnem aquae, sānus fīēbat ā quācumque dētinēbātur īnfirmitāte.

For an angel of the Lord used to go down at a certain time into the pool, and the water was moved. And whoever went down first into the pool after the moving of the water became healthy from whatever sickness he was held by.

Note. This verse, about the angel stirring the water, is missing from the oldest Greek manuscripts and is thought to have been added later as an explanation of verse 7. secundum tempus: 'at a (certain) time'. quī prior dēscendisset: the pluperfect subjunctive describes a repeated action in the past.

Io 5.5Erat autem quīdam homō ibi trīgintā et octō annōs habēns in īnfirmitāte suā.

And there was a certain man there having thirty-eight years in his sickness.

Note. trīgintā et octō annōs habēns in īnfirmitāte suā: 'having (spent) thirty-eight years in his illness'.

Io 5.6Hunc autem cum vīdisset Iēsus iacentem, et cognōvisset quia iam multum tempus habēret, dīcit eī: Vīs sānus fierī?

When Jesus had seen this man lying, and had come to know that he already had a long time, he says to him: Do you want to become healthy?

Note. Hunc … iacentem: the participle agrees with hunc: 'this man lying (there)'. quia … habēret: quia + subjunctive for reported knowledge. Vīs sānus fierī?: vīs is from volō, 'do you want?', and sānus is nominative because it is the complement of fierī.

Io 5.7Respondit eī languidus: Domine, hominem nōn habeō, ut, cum turbāta fuerit aqua, mittat mē in piscīnam: dum veniō enim ego, alius ante mē dēscendit.

The sick man answered him: Sir, I do not have a person, to put me into the pool when the water has been stirred: for while I am coming, another goes down before me.

Note. hominem nōn habeō, ut … mittat mē: a relative-type ut-clause, 'I have no one to put me in'. cum turbāta fuerit aqua: perfect subjunctive, 'when the water has been stirred'. dum veniō: dum + present, 'while I am coming'.

Io 5.8Dīcit eī Iēsus: Surge, tolle grabātum tuum et ambulā.

Jesus says to him: Rise, take up your mat and walk.

Note. Surge, tolle, ambulā: three imperatives. grabātus: a light camp bed or mat that could be rolled up and carried.

Io 5.9Et statim sānus factus est homō ille: et sustulit grabātum suum, et ambulābat. Erat autem sabbatum in diē illō.

And at once that man was made healthy: and he took up his mat, and was walking. Now it was the sabbath on that day.

Note. sānus factus est: 'was made well'. Erat autem sabbatum: the healing on the sabbath sets up the conflict that follows.

Io 5.10Dīcēbant ergō Iūdaeī illī quī sānātus fuerat: Sabbatum est, nōn licet tibi tollere grabātum tuum.

The Jews therefore were saying to him who had been healed: It is the sabbath, it is not permitted for you to carry your mat.

Note. illī quī sānātus fuerat: the dative illī with the relative clause, 'to the man who had been healed'. nōn licet tibi tollere: licet + dative + infinitive, 'it is not permitted for you to carry'. Carrying a load was counted as work forbidden on the sabbath.

Io 5.11Respondit eīs: Quī mē sānum fēcit, ille mihi dīxit: Tolle grabātum tuum et ambulā.

He answered them: He who made me healthy, that one said to me: Take up your mat and walk.

Note. Quī mē sānum fēcit, ille …: the relative clause comes first and ille picks it up: 'the one who made me well, he …'. sānum is a predicate adjective after fēcit, 'made me well'.

Io 5.12Interrogāvērunt ergō eum: Quis est ille homō quī dīxit tibi: Tolle grabātum tuum et ambulā?

They asked him therefore: Who is that man who said to you: Take up your mat and walk?

Io 5.13Is autem quī sānus fuerat effectus, nesciēbat quis esset. Iēsus enim dēclīnāvit ā turbā cōnstitūtā in locō.

But he who had been made healthy did not know who it was. For Jesus had slipped away from the crowd set in the place.

Note. quī sānus fuerat effectus: 'who had been made well'. fuerat effectus is a variant of effectus erat, common in Late Latin. dēclīnāvit: 'slipped away'.

Io 5.14Posteā invēnit eum Iēsus in templō, et dīxit illī: Ecce sānus factus es; iam nōlī peccāre, nē dēterius tibi aliquid contingat.

Afterwards Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him: Look, you have been made healthy; now do not sin any more, lest something worse happen to you.

Note. nōlī peccāre: nōlī + infinitive is the usual negative command, 'do not sin'. nē dēterius tibi aliquid contingat: a negative purpose clause, 'so that nothing worse may happen to you'; dēterius is the neuter comparative adjective.

Io 5.15Abiit ille homō, et nūntiāvit Iūdaeīs quia Iēsus esset, quī fēcit eum sānum.

That man went away, and reported to the Jews that it was Jesus who made him healthy.

Note. quia Iēsūs esset: quia + subjunctive for reported speech.

Io 5.16Proptereā persequēbantur Iūdaeī Iēsum, quia haec faciēbat in sabbatō.

On this account the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the sabbath.

Note. persequēbantur: deponent, 'were pursuing, persecuting'.

Io 5.17Iēsus autem respondit eīs: Pater meus usque modo operātur, et ego operor.

But Jesus answered them: My Father is working until now, and I am working.

Note. ūsque modo: 'up to now, until now'. operātur, operor: deponent verbs, 'work'.

Io 5.18Proptereā ergō magis quaerēbant eum Iūdaeī interficere: quia nōn sōlum solvēbat sabbatum, sed et patrem suum dīcēbat Deum, aequālem sē faciēns Deō. Respondit itaque Iēsus, et dīxit eīs:

For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him: because not only was he breaking the sabbath, but he was also calling God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus therefore answered, and said to them:

Note. nōn sōlum … sed et: 'not only … but also'. solvēbat sabbatum: 'was breaking (literally loosening) the sabbath'. patrem suum dīcēbat Deum: double accusative, 'he was calling God his father'. aequālem sē faciēns Deō: 'making himself equal to God', with aequālis + dative.

Io 5.19Āmēn, āmēn dīcō vōbīs: nōn potest Fīlius ā sē facere quidquam, nisi quod vīderit Patrem facientem: quaecumque enim ille fēcerit, haec et Fīlius similiter facit.

Amen, amen I say to you: the Son cannot do anything from himself, except what he sees the Father doing: for whatever things that one does, these things the Son also does in the same way.

Note. Āmēn, āmēn: Hebrew 'truly'; John doubles it. ā sē: 'of himself, on his own'. nisi quod vīderit Patrem facientem: perfect subjunctive in a subordinate clause, with the participle facientem after vīderit, 'except what he sees the Father doing'.

Io 5.20Pater enim dīligit Fīlium, et omnia dēmōnstrat eī quae ipse facit: et maiōra hīs dēmōnstrābit eī opera, ut vōs mīrēminī.

For the Father loves the Son, and shows him all the things which he himself does: and greater works than these he will show him, so that you may wonder.

Note. maiōra hīs … opera: 'greater works than these', hīs being an ablative of comparison. ut vōs mīrēminī: a purpose (or result) clause; mīror is deponent.

Io 5.21Sīcut enim Pater suscitat mortuōs, et vīvificat, sīc et Fīlius, quōs vult, vīvificat.

For just as the Father raises the dead, and makes them alive, so also the Son makes alive those whom he wishes.

Note. Sīcut … sīc et: 'just as … so also'. vīvificat: a Christian Latin compound, 'makes alive' (vīvus + faciō).

Io 5.22Neque enim Pater iūdicat quemquam: sed omne iūdicium dedit Fīliō,

For neither does the Father judge anyone: but all judgement he has given to the Son,

Note. omne iūdicium dedit Fīliō: 'he has given all judgement to the Son'.

Io 5.23ut omnēs honōrificent Fīlium, sīcut honōrificant Patrem; quī nōn honōrificat Fīlium, nōn honōrificat Patrem, quī mīsit illum.

so that all may honour the Son, just as they honour the Father; he who does not honour the Son does not honour the Father, who sent him.

Note. ut omnēs honōrificent: a purpose clause. honōrificō is a late compound (honor + faciō), 'to honour'.

Io 5.24Āmēn, āmēn dīcō vōbīs, quia quī verbum meum audit, et crēdit eī quī mīsit mē, habet vītam aeternam, et in iūdicium nōn venit, sed trānsiit ā morte in vītam.

Amen, amen I say to you, that he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has crossed over from death into life.

Note. quia here introduces the content of what is said, like 'that'. trānsiit: perfect, 'has crossed over'.

Io 5.25Āmēn, āmēn dīcō vōbīs, quia venit hōra, et nunc est, quandō mortuī audient vōcem Fīliī Deī: et quī audierint, vīvent.

Amen, amen I say to you, that the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God: and those who shall have heard will live.

Note. quī audierint: future perfect, 'those who shall have heard'. vīvent: future of vīvō, 'will live'.

Io 5.26Sīcut enim Pater habet vītam in sēmetipsō, sīc dedit et Fīliō habēre vītam in sēmetipsō:

For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has given also to the Son to have life in himself:

Note. in sēmetipsō: sēmetipse is an emphatic form of sē, 'in himself'. dedit … Fīliō habēre vītam: dō + infinitive, 'granted the Son to have life'.

Io 5.27et potestātem dedit eī iūdicium facere, quia Fīlius hominis est.

and he has given him power to do judgement, because he is the Son of man.

Note. potestātem … iūdicium facere: the infinitive explains potestātem, 'power to carry out judgement'. Fīlius hominis: 'Son of man', a Hebrew idiom that Jesus uses of himself.

Io 5.28Nōlīte mīrārī hoc, quia venit hōra in quā omnēs quī in monumentīs sunt audient vōcem Fīliī Deī:

Do not wonder at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God:

Note. Nōlīte mīrārī: negative command, plural. in monumentīs: 'in the tombs'.

Io 5.29et prōcēdent quī bona fēcērunt, in resurrēctiōnem vītae; quī vērō mala ēgērunt, in resurrēctiōnem iūdiciī.

and those who have done good things will come forth into a resurrection of life; but those who have done bad things, into a resurrection of judgement.

Note. quī bona fēcērunt … quī vērō mala ēgērunt: two relative clauses acting as subjects. in resurrēctiōnem vītae … iūdiciī: genitives of purpose or result, 'a resurrection that leads to life … to judgement'.

Io 5.30Nōn possum ego ā mēipsō facere quidquam. Sīcut audiō, iūdicō: et iūdicium meum iūstum est, quia nōn quaerō voluntātem meam, sed voluntātem eius quī mīsit mē.

I cannot do anything from myself. As I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

Note. ā mēipsō: 'from myself, on my own'. Sīcut audiō, iūdicō: 'as I hear, so I judge'.

Io 5.31Sī ego testimōnium perhibeō dē mēipsō, testimōnium meum nōn est vērum.

If I bear witness about myself, my witness is not true.

Note. Sī … perhibeō, … nōn est vērum: a simple condition with present indicatives. By Jewish legal custom, a person's testimony about himself needed support from other witnesses.

Io 5.32Alius est quī testimōnium perhibet dē mē: et sciō quia vērum est testimōnium, quod perhibet dē mē.

There is another who bears witness about me: and I know that the witness which he bears about me is true.

Note. Alius: 'another', meaning the Father. scio quia: 'I know that'.

Io 5.33Vōs mīsistis ad Iōannem, et testimōnium perhibuit vēritātī.

You sent to John, and he bore witness to the truth.

Note. Vōs mīsistis ad Iōannem: the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites to question John the Baptist (chapter 1). perhibuit vēritātī: 'bore witness to the truth', with the dative.

Io 5.34Ego autem nōn ab homine testimōnium accipiō: sed haec dīcō ut vōs salvī sītis.

But I do not receive witness from a man: but I say these things so that you may be saved.

Note. ut vōs salvī sītis: 'so that you may be saved', literally 'may be safe'.

Io 5.35Ille erat lucerna ārdēns et lūcēns: vōs autem voluistis ad hōram exsultāre in lūce eius.

That man was a lamp burning and shining: but you were willing to rejoice for an hour in his light.

Note. lucerna ārdēns et lūcēns: two present participles, 'a lamp burning and shining'. ad hōram: 'for an hour', that is, for a short time.

Io 5.36Ego autem habeō testimōnium maius Iōanne. Opera enim quae dedit mihi Pater ut perficiam ea: ipsa opera, quae ego faciō, testimōnium perhibent dē mē, quia Pater mīsit mē:

But I have a witness greater than John. For the works which the Father has given me that I should complete them: these very works, which I do, bear witness about me, that the Father has sent me:

Note. testimōnium maius Iōanne: Iōanne is an ablative of comparison. Opera … ipsa opera: the subject opera is stated, interrupted by a relative clause, then taken up again by ipsa opera. ut perficiam ea: 'that I should complete them'.

Io 5.37et quī mīsit mē Pater, ipse testimōnium perhibuit dē mē: neque vōcem eius umquam audīstis, neque speciem eius vīdistis:

and the Father who sent me, he himself has borne witness about me: neither have you ever heard his voice, nor have you seen his form:

Note. quī mīsit mē Pater, ipse: again the relative clause comes first and ipse resumes it. speciem: 'appearance, form'.

Io 5.38et verbum eius nōn habētis in vōbīs manēns: quia quem mīsit ille, huic vōs nōn crēditis.

and you do not have his word remaining in you: because the one whom that one sent, him you do not believe.

Note. verbum eius … manēns: the participle agrees with verbum, 'his word remaining in you'. quem mīsit ille, huic: 'the one whom he sent, him (you do not believe)', with huic dative after crēditis.

Io 5.39Scrūtāminī Scrīptūrās, quia vōs putātis in ipsīs vītam aeternam habēre: et illae sunt quae testimōnium perhibent dē mē:

Search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life: and they are the ones which bear witness about me:

Note. Scrūtāminī may be read as an imperative ('search!') or as an indicative ('you search'); the Greek has the same ambiguity. It is coded here as the imperative, the traditional reading of the Latin. in ipsīs: 'in them'.

Io 5.40et nōn vultis venīre ad mē ut vītam habeātis.

and you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

Note. nōn vultis venīre: 'you are not willing to come'. ut vītam habeātis: purpose clause.

Io 5.41Clāritātem ab hominibus nōn accipiō.

Glory from men I do not receive.

Note. Clāritātem: in the Vulgate clāritās often means 'glory, honour', like glōria.

Io 5.42Sed cognōvī vōs, quia dīlēctiōnem Deī nōn habētis in vōbīs.

But I have come to know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

Note. cognōvī vōs, quia …: 'I know you, that …', the object vōs anticipating the quia-clause. dīlēctiōnem Deī: 'love for God' (or 'God's love'); dīlēctiō is a Christian word from dīligō.

Io 5.43Ego vēnī in nōmine Patris meī, et nōn accipitis mē; sī alius vēnerit in nōmine suō, illum accipiētis.

I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not receive me; if another shall have come in his own name, him you will receive.

Note. sī alius vēnerit …, illum accipiētis: future perfect in the condition, future in the conclusion: 'if another comes, you will receive him'.

Io 5.44Quōmodo vōs potestis crēdere, quī glōriam ab invicem accipitis, et glōriam quae ā sōlō Deō est, nōn quaeritis?

How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and the glory which is from God alone you do not seek?

Note. Quōmodo vōs potestis crēdere: 'how can you believe'. ab invicem: 'from one another'. ā sōlō Deō: 'from God alone'.

Io 5.45Nōlīte putāre quia ego accūsātūrus sim vōs apud Patrem: est quī accūsat vōs Mōysēs, in quō vōs spērātis.

Do not think that I am going to accuse you before the Father: there is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you hope.

Note. accūsātūrus sim: the future active participle with sim forms a future subjunctive in reported speech, 'that I will accuse'. est quī accūsat vōs Mōysēs: 'there is one who accuses you: Moses'. in quō vōs spērātis: 'in whom you put your hope'.

Io 5.46Sī enim crēderētis Mōysī, crēderētis forsitan et mihi: dē mē enim ille scrīpsit.

For if you believed Moses, you would perhaps believe me also: for that man wrote about me.

Note. Sī … crēderētis …, crēderētis: present contrary-to-fact condition with the imperfect subjunctive, 'if you believed …, you would believe'. Mōysī is dative after crēdō.

Io 5.47Sī autem illīus litterīs nōn crēditis, quōmodo verbīs meīs crēdētis?

But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?

Note. illīus litterīs: 'his writings', dative after crēditis. verbīs meīs crēdētis: future indicative, 'will you believe my words'.