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John 5:5
ESV One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
NIV One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.
NASB Now a man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
CSB One man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years.
NLT One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.
KJV And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.
NKJV Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.

What does John 5:5 mean?

The Pool of Bethesda is described as a gathering place. With five roofed porches—colonnades—it would have been a popular place to escape the sun. It was also near the temple, making it an ideal place for beggars to sit, hoping for charity. The number of people with disabilities in this area was described as "a multitude" (John 5:3).

According to this verse, the man Jesus is about to heal has been suffering for nearly forty years with his infirmity. Considering that more people died of illness and injury in the ancient world, this was literally a lifetime of suffering. The Bible doesn't explain the man's condition. Based on what Jesus says later (John 5:14), some speculate the man's disability was the result of a personal sin. This might have resulted in an injury or a disease. However, this is only speculation.

Upcoming verses will paint a puzzling picture of this man. Rather than asking to be healed, or saying he wants to be healed, the man will simply complain that he has no helpers. Later, he will quickly shift blame for his actions onto Jesus. Details are scarce in this passage, but there are reasons to think this man might not have wanted to be healed. This makes Jesus' choice of him—among all the many people there—an even more interesting one.
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