Luke 5

Passage overview

John 5 begins with a miracle in which Jesus heals a sick man who has been ill for 38 years by the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem. As a result of this, Jesus enters into deep debate with Jewish religious leaders and explains his authority and your relationship with God the Father.

1verseNow while the multitude pressed on him and heard the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.

2verseHe saw two boats standing by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.

3verseHe entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

4verseWhen he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

5verseSimon answered him, “Master, we worked all night and caught nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.”

6verseWhen they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net was breaking.

7verseThey beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

8verseBut Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”

9verseFor he was amazed, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had caught;

10verseand so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people alive.”

11verseWhen they had brought their boats to land, they left everything, and followed him.

12verseWhile he was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”

13verseHe stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy left him.

14verseHe commanded him to tell no one, “But go your way and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing according to what Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

15verseBut the report concerning him spread much more, and great multitudes came together to hear and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

16verseBut he withdrew himself into the desert and prayed.

17verseOn one of those days, he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by who had come out of every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was with him to heal them.

18verseBehold, men brought a paralyzed man on a cot, and they sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus.

19verseNot finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus.

20verseSeeing their faith, he said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

21verseThe scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

22verseBut Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, answered them, “Why are you reasoning so in your hearts?

23verseWhich is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’?

24verseBut that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, arise, take up your cot, and go to your house.”

25verseImmediately he rose up before them, and took up that which he was laying on, and departed to his house, glorifying God.

26verseAmazement took hold on all, and they glorified God. They were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”

27verseAfter these things he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and said to him, “Follow me!”

28verseHe left everything, and rose up and followed him.

29verseLevi made a great feast for him in his house. There was a great crowd of tax collectors and others who were reclining with them.

30verseTheir scribes and the Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?”

31verseJesus answered them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do.

32verseI have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

33verseThey said to him, “Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray, likewise also the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink?”

34verseHe said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them?

35verseBut the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast in those days.”

36verseHe also told a parable to them. “No one puts a piece from a new garment on an old garment, or else he will tear the new, and also the piece from the new will not match the old.

37verseNo one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled and the skins will be destroyed.

38verseBut new wine must be put into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.

39verseNo man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’”

Healing the Sick Man at the Pool of Bethesda (Verses 1-16)

At the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, many sick people gathered. Among them, Jesus approaches and heals the one who had been ill for 38 years. Because this healing took place on the Sabbath, controversy arose, and the Jews accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath regulations.

Jesus’ Authority and His Relationship with the Father (Verses 17-30)

In response to the criticism from the Jews, Jesus calls God “Father” and states that he has authority to carry out God’s work (giving life and executing judgment). This is a crucial passage revealing that Jesus is the Son of God, and because of it the Jews want to kill Jesus even more.

Explanation of the Evidence (Verses 31-47)

Jesus emphasizes that he is not only testifying on his own behalf; John the Baptist, God the Father, and the Scriptures (the writings of Moses) also bear witness to his ministry and identity. He says that although the Jews study the Scriptures to obtain eternal life, what the Scriptures truly testify to is Jesus himself.

Points for Reflection

  • Jesus went to a sick man who was in despair and healed him. We can also consider whether our faith has been any different from that person—whether we are waiting and growing frustrated for a long time.
  • Jesus declares that he is equal to the Father and reveals that he has authority over life and judgment. We too should think more deeply about who Jesus is and check our faith.

Applying It to Me

  • Even today, you can believe that Jesus comes to me in my situation and is the one who brings healing and new strength, and you can look forward to the Lord’s presence.
  • When reading the Bible, remember that its essence is to know Jesus more deeply and follow him, and check your life so you do not remain in a merely formal faith.

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