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Healing at the Pool of Bethesda

Illustration of Healing at the Pool of Bethesda
A man had waited 38 years by the healing pool; Jesus healed him with a single command - no water, no waiting - on the Sabbath.

At the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, where many sick people waited for the stirring of the water, Jesus found a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. Rather than helping him into the pool, Jesus simply asked, 'Wilt thou be made whole?' and then commanded him to rise, take up his bed, and walk - and immediately the man was healed. Because it happened on the Sabbath, the healing provoked conflict with the religious leaders, becoming one of the signs in John's Gospel that reveal Jesus' identity and authority over both sickness and the Sabbath.

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Details

Category
Healing
Testament
New Testament
Performed by
Jesus

Key Chapters

Key Passages

Rise, Take Up Thy Bed, and Walk

John 5:1-15

A1fter this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. 9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. 11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk. 12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? 13 And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. 15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

Did You Know?

1

The man had been an invalid for 38 years.

2

Jesus healed him with a word, without the pool the man was waiting for.

3

It happened on the Sabbath, sparking conflict with the leaders.

4

Archaeologists have uncovered the five-porch pool John describes.