January 24th, 2026

The season of Epiphany continues on. This Sunday is the Third Sunday after the Epiphany. And with the Gospel Reading, and with this year being Series A, this Sunday’s Gospel Reading is from the Gospel according to Matthew (4:12-25), and that focus will continue for a little while. Currently with the writings of this website, we are going through the Gospel according to John. In last week’s writings, the focus was on the rest of what is currently understood as chapter four of that Gospel account. And God willing, we will continue to press on to the end of this account at the end of this church year.

One of the difficulties that comes along with the chapter and verse divisions that have been added at a later date is that, with those constantly growing additions of chapter and verse, the reader is reminded that he or she is moving farther away from the very beginning of the work. It should be said rather clearly that even more important than the beginning is the ending of the writing, where it is leading the reader. Certainly the direction of the reading may be hinted at in its very beginning. But nearer to the end are almost always the more significant events. And that is certainly seen in the Gospel accounts. What may also be useful is a halfway point. (And it may be said that the Gospel according to Matthew is known for its halfway points.)

A structure may be seen within the rest of the Gospel according to John. Although chapter five is certainly not a halfway point, the first significant part of this Gospel account is over. At the end of the so-called fourth chapter, a second of two signs was given. And the two signs may be seen as two hands being raised to give a blessing. People believed at the end of each sign. And at a blessing of the Lord’s man, people may believe and receive the gifts that the Lord is giving out.

Those gifts are given out by the Lord within Services, and therefore it should not be a surprise that the next section of this Gospel account has to do with liturgical structure, a structure of the festivals that were important for the Jews. This so-called fifth chapter starts with a “feast,” usually understood to be the Passover. Time marches on, and the text does the same thing. At so-called chapter six the Passover is described as “near” (6:4).  That feast is during the springtime. Then there is the time described as the Feast of Booths or Tabernacles that is also described as being near (7:2). And that happens a little later in the year. Finally, there is the Feast of Dedication, at a time when it is winter (10:22). This is a very concrete progression of the text, and it is one that is seen in some very special days.

If you have been to this website in the past and are familiar with the type of translation that is below, you may skip this and the following paragraphs. The translation below may be described as EXTREMELY literal. It is designed to help the reader give a new perspective on a text, one that may work well with the translation of the bible or study bible that the reader also uses.

The first thing to mention is that the verse numbers will not be included. Hopefully that does not make it too difficult to study. Secondly, it should be noted that the words with hyphens occur when more than one English word is used to describe a single word of the ancient Greek. And the words chosen below are meant to point out the close connection that sometimes occurs between the English and Greek languages. Also important to mention is that the order of the words below is also the same order that is in the ancient Greek. The exception to this is that there are a couple of words that are usually second or third in a sentence that are meant to be first when translated. One more thing to mention is that the verbs in capital letters are called HISTORICAL PRESENTS, and in the Gospel according to John they basically remind us that small things are important to God. (The living creature that is connected to this Gospel account is the eagle, and the eagle can see the small but important things rather easily.)
Why follow the order of the Greek language? It may help to show what are the more important words of the sentences. In general, the verbs appear slightly earlier in the sentence than we have in English. The verbs are in such a special form that they do not need the subject before them in the sentence, as we have in English. Other words that are first are important. And hopefully all these points have been helpful.

There are many ways to translate many words. With all of that for an introduction, what follows is what was promised, an EXTREMELY literal translation of John 5:1-23:

After  these-things,  it-was  a-feast  of-the  Jews,  and  he-went-up,  Jesus,  into  Jerusalem.  Now  it-is  in  the  Jerusalem,  upon  the  Sheepgate,  a-swimming-place,  the-one  being-surnamed  in-Hebrew,  Bethesda,  five  stoas  having.  In  these,  lying-down,  a-multitude  of-the  without-strength-ones,  blind,  lame,  withered.  Now  it-was  a-certain  man  there,  thirty  and  eight  years  having  in  the  without-strength  of-him;  this-one  seeing,  the  Jesus,  lying-down,  and  having-known  that  much  already  time  he-has,  HE-SAYS  to-him,  “Do-you-wish,  healthy,  to-become?”

He-answered  him,  the  without-strength-one,  “Lord,  a-man  not  I-have,  in-order-that  when  it-is-stirred-up,  the  hydro,  he-may-throw  me  into  the  swimming-place;  now  in  which  I-am-coming,  I-myself,  another  pro  me,  he-goes-down.

HE-SAYS  to-him,  the  Jesus,  “Rise,  take  the  mattress  of-you,   and  walk.”

And  immediately  he-became  healthy,  the  man,  and  he-took  the  mattress  of-him,  and  he-was-walking.

Now  it-was  a-Sabbath  in  that,  the  day.  Therefore  they-were-saying,  the  Jews,  to-the-one  having-been-healed;  “A-Sabbath  it-is,  and  not  it-is-permitted  for-you  to-take  the  mattress  of-you.” 

Now  the-one  answered  them,  “The-one having-made  me  healthy,  that-one  to-me  he-said,  ‘Take  the  mattress  of-you  and  walk.’”

They-questioned  him,  “Who  is  the  man,  the-one  having-said  to-you,  ‘Take  and  walk?’”  Now  the-one  having-been-cured  not  did-he-know  who  it-is;  for  the  Jesus  slipped-off,  a-crowd  being  in  the  place.

After  these-things,  HE-FINDS  him,  the  Jesus,  in  the  temple,  and  he-said  to-him,  “See,  healthy  you-have-become;  no-longer  sin,  in-order-that  not  worse  to-you  something  it-may-happen.”

He-came-away,  the  man,  and  he-announced  to-the  Jews  that  Jesus  is  the-one  having-made  him  healthy.  And  on-account-of  this,  they-were-persecuting,  the  Jews,  the  Jesus,  because  these-things  he-was-doing  in  a-Sabbath.
Now  the  Jesus  answered  them,  “The  Father  of-me,  until  presently  he-is-working,  and-I,  I-am-working.”

Therefore,  on-account-of  this,  the-more  they-were-seeking  him,  the  Jews,  to-kill,  because  not  mono  he-was-loosing  the  Sabbath,  but-on-the-contrary  also  Father,  own,  he-was-saying,  the  God,  equal  himself,  making  to-the  God.

Therefore,  he-answered,  the  Jesus,  and  he-was-saying  to-them,  “Amen,  amen,  I-am-saying  to-you,  not  he-is-able,  the   Son  to-do  from  himself  nothing,  if  not  what  he-sees  the  Father  doing;  for  what  ever  that-one  does,  these-things  also,  the  Son,  likewise,  he-does.  For  the  Father  brotherly-loves  the  Son,  and  all  he-shows  to-him  which  he,  he-is-doing,  and  greater  than-these-things  he-will-show  to-him,  works,  in-order-that  you,  you-may-marvel.  For  just-as  the  Father  raises  the  dead  and  he-makes-alive,  thus  also  the  Son,  whom  he-wills,  he-makes-alive.  For  not  the  Father  judges  anyone,  but-on-the-contrary,  the  judgment,  all,  he-has-given  to-the  Son,  in-order-that  all  may-honor  the  Son  just-as  they-honor  the  Father.  The-one  not  honoring  the  Son  not  honors  the  Father,  the-one  having-sent  him.”

It could be noted that this miracle shows the wide range of people that Jesus is helping. Previously there was the Samaritan woman who was married five times and currently living with someone who was not her husband. And this time Jesus helps a Jewish man who was hurt, seemingly because of some sin that he committed. And eventually Jesus will help a man born blind, not because of the sins of anyone. (If you want to, you can certainly read ahead.)
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There is still a wide range of people in the world today with sin and with its effects. And there is also, still, a Savior.