EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

John 5:1-47

John tells the Good News about Jesus

Gospel of John

Marion Adams

Chapter 5

Jesus cures a sick man 5:1-15

v1 After this, Jesus went to *Jerusalem for another *Jewish *festival. v2 There was a pool near the Sheep Gate in *Jerusalem. It had 5 porches (small shelters). Its *Aramaic name was Bethzatha (or Bethesda). v3 Many sick people were lying in the porches. Some of these people were blind. Some people could not walk properly. And some people were not able to move. [See note below about verse 4.] v5 There was a certain man by the pool. He had been ill for 38 years. v6 Jesus saw this man. Jesus knew that the man had been lying there for a long period of time. So Jesus asked the man, ‘Do you want to be well?’

v7 The sick man answered, ‘Sir, I do not have anybody here to help me. So I cannot get into the pool when the water moves. I try to get in. But other people always get in ahead of me.’

v8 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk!’

v9 Immediately, the man became well! He picked up his mat and he started to walk. This happened on the *Sabbath.

v10 So the *Jewish leaders warned the man (who was now well). They told him, ‘Today is the *Sabbath! Our *Law does not allow you to carry your mat on this day.’

v11 The man answered, ‘But a man cured me. And he told me to pick up my mat and to walk.’

v12 They asked the man, ‘Who is this man? Who told you to pick up your mat and to walk?’

v13 But the man did not know. Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that had gathered.

v14 Later, Jesus found the man in the *Temple. Jesus said to the man, ‘Now you are well. But do not continue to *sin, or something worse might happen to you.’

v15 The man left and he went to the *Jewish leaders. He told them that Jesus had made him well.

Verse 1 All adult *Jewish males had to go to three *festivals. These *festivals were called the *Passover, *Pentecost and the *Festival of Shelters. Many experts on the *New Testament think that John was referring to *Pentecost in this verse. In his *Gospel, John showed that Jesus attended these special *Jewish *festivals. Jesus followed the rules about this. It is clear that he loved to *worship God with his own people.

Verse 2 The pool called Bethzatha was well-known. People believed that the water there had the power to cure people. The pool was in the city, near to the hill where the *Temple was. Archaeologists (people who dig to find ancient buildings and objects) have uncovered it in recent times. Tourists visit it today. So we know that John’s description of it is accurate.

Verses 3-4 After John wrote his *Gospel, people made copies of it. Then, people made copies of these copies. And that is why we can read the *Gospel today. This is how all ancient books have come to us. The *New Testament books are some of the most accurate ancient books that we have. Experts know this because they compare all the different copies of the *New Testament books. People made these copies at different times and in different places. But they are almost completely the same. This proves that they are accurate copies of the original books.

However, sometimes some copies leave a verse out, or have extra verses. Verse 4 is an extra verse that appears in some copies of John’s *Gospel. The verse is: ‘They were waiting for the water to move. Sometimes, an *angel of the *Lord came down. The *angel would stir the water. After this, the first person to get in the pool became well again.’

So this was the reason why so many sick people were lying near to the pool. They believed that *miracles could happen there.

Verses 5-7 But Jesus did not cure all these people. Instead, he spoke to just one man. Jesus knew what was inside the man’s heart. He knew that the man had *faith.

Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be well. This seems like a strange question, because the man had been ill for 38 years. But Jesus wanted to get the man’s attention. He wanted the man to look at him. This was necessary to make the man’s *faith become alive. Then, Jesus could cure him. This reminds us about how we make our *faith become alive. We must look towards Jesus on the *cross. We do not do this with our physical sight. We do it in our hearts and our spirits (see note on John 3:14-15).

Verses 8-10 Jesus told the man to do what seemed to be an impossible thing. He told him to stand up. The man had been ill for 38 years and probably he was lying down during all that time. But nothing is impossible for God. The man got up and he began to walk immediately!

The people who were watching would have been very surprised. But the *Jewish leaders were angry. This was because the man was carrying his mat on the *Sabbath. This was not wrong in God’s *Law. God had simply told the *Jews that they must not work on the *Sabbath. It was a special, holy day (Exodus 20:8-10). But the *Jewish leaders had added many extra rules about the *Sabbath. These rules explained what ‘work’ meant. The *scribes had a list of 39 different types of work. The man was carrying his mat. This was a type of work.

Probably, however, they were using this as a mere excuse for their anger. Probably, they were jealous of Jesus. They could see that God’s power was working through Jesus. And they knew that God’s power was not working by means of their own efforts to follow their strict rules. The *Jewish leaders were not pleased that the man was well again after 38 years. So they told him that he was doing something wrong.

Verses 11-14 The man had a reason why he was carrying his mat. He said that Jesus had told him to do it. But the man did not use Jesus’ name, because he did not know Jesus. So the man only knew Jesus as the man who had cured him. And Jesus had gone immediately. Probably, he did not want to attract the crowd’s attention at that time.

Instead, Jesus wanted to speak to the man in private. He found the man in the *Temple. Jesus told the man that he must not continue to *sin. Perhaps there was a connection between this man’s illness and a particular *sin. God’s power had cured the man’s body. Now he needed to *repent. He needed to ask God to forgive him. Then he would be well in his spirit, too.

Verse 15 After this, the man went back to the *Jewish leaders. He told them that Jesus had cured him. He wanted them to know that Jesus had done this wonderful *miracle. This was because the *Jews were eager for the *Messiah to come. They wanted him to defeat the *Romans. And such a *miracle showed that Jesus was the *Messiah. Probably, the man thought that the *Jewish leaders would be excited. But they were angry!

When Jesus cured people, sometimes he urged them to keep this a secret (for example, Matthew 9:27-31; Mark 2:40-45). He did this because they expected a different kind of *Messiah. They expected a military leader who would defeat the *Romans. Later, they even tried to force Jesus to be their king (John 6:15). But he escaped from them. He was following God’s plan, not their plan.

Jesus tells the people that he is God’s Song of Solomon 5:16-30

v16 The *Jewish leaders began to cause trouble for Jesus. They did this because he was doing these things on the *Sabbath.

v17 Jesus told them, ‘My *Father is always working. So I must work, too.’

v18 The *Jewish leaders became even more eager to kill Jesus. He had not obeyed the rules for the *Sabbath. But also he called God his *Father. So he was saying that he was *equal with God.

v19 Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth. The Son cannot do anything by himself. He can only do what he sees the *Father do. The Son does *exactly what the *Father does. v20 The *Father loves the Son. And the *Father shows the Son everything that he (the *Father) does. The *Father will show the Son even greater things to do than this. You will be surprised!

v21 The *Father makes dead people become alive again. He gives *life to them. In the same way, the Son gives *life to everyone that he chooses. v22 The *Father will not be the judge of any person. Instead, he has made the Son the judge of everyone. v23 So everyone will greatly respect the Son, in the same way that they greatly respect the *Father. If anyone refuses to respect the Son, they are refusing to respect the *Father. This is because the *Father sent his Son.

v24 I tell you the truth. In order to have *eternal life, people must hear my words. Then they must *believe in the *Father, who sent me. God will never *condemn such people because of their *sins. They have already passed out of death and into *life. v25 I tell you the truth. Soon, in fact now, dead people will hear the voice of God’s Son. Everyone who hears it will live!

v26 The *Father has the power to give *life. And he has given that same power to the Son. v27 Also the *Father has given to his Son the authority to *judge everyone. This is because his Son is the Son of Man. v28 Do not be surprised! There will be a time when dead people will hear the voice of God’s Son. v29 And they will come out of their graves. They will become alive again. All those who have done good things will receive *eternal life. But all those who have done bad things will become alive in order to receive punishment.

v30 I cannot do anything by means of my own authority. The *Father, who sent me, tells me how to *judge. So my judgement is fair because I obey him. I do not try to do what I want. I do only what he wants.’

Verse 16 Jesus had done a wonderful *miracle. But the *Jewish leaders did not care about that. They cared only that Jesus had not obeyed one of their rules. But Jesus explained that God never stops his work. On the 7th day after God created everything, he rested (Genesis 2:2). But he rested only from his work of creation (that is, when God made everything out of nothing). If he had rested from all activities, the earth could not continue to go round the sun! God does not need to rest, because he does everything perfectly and without effort. However, people do need to rest. This is why God gave the *Sabbath as a special, holy day. But the *Jewish leaders had made it into a day when people had to follow many rules.

Verses 17-18 Jesus’ reply to the *Jewish leaders made them very angry. In fact, they hated him so much that they wanted to kill him. He said that God, his *Father, never stopped his work. So that was why Jesus had to work, too. Even on the *Sabbath, God continued to love people. So when Jesus cured people on the *Sabbath, he was doing God’s work. Jesus was saying that his work was really God’s work. And he was saying that he was *equal with God.

This upset the *Jewish leaders and it caused them to feel angry. They understood Jesus’ words. And Jesus was saying that he was God. The *Jews *believed in one God. But Jesus did not mean that he was another god. He was God’s Son and so he had a very special relationship with God, his *Father.

The *Jewish leaders had a choice. They could believe that Jesus was God’s Son. Or they could say that he was insulting God. It was a very serious crime to insult God. They chose to accuse Jesus of this crime.

We have the same choice today. Jesus said that he was God’s Son. We can believe what he said. Or we can say that his words are lies. We do not have any other choice.

Verses 19-20 In this passage, Jesus continued to explain more about his special relationship with his *Father. Jesus was *equal with God. But Jesus was also in complete unity with God. Jesus obeyed his *Father completely. So Jesus wanted only what his *Father wanted. All Jesus’ desires were the same as God’s desires. Jesus lived in the way that God wanted. Jesus did only what God wanted. When we look at Jesus, we are really looking at God.

Jesus obeyed his *Father because of the perfect love between them. And Jesus wants us to obey him, God’s Son, because then we are obeying God. We have unity with Jesus by means of the *Holy Spirit. So we must do only what Jesus wants. Our desires should be the same as his desires. Our relationship with Jesus should be like Jesus’ relationship with God, his *Father. We obey Jesus because we love him. When we have a decision to make, we should ask Jesus what to do. We should talk to him often, by means of prayer. Jesus prayed often. Then he knew what his *Father wanted him to do.

‘The *Father will show the Son even greater things to do than this’ (verse 20). Jesus had cured one man by means of a *miracle. But he would do even more wonderful things than this!

Verses 21-22 Most *Jews believed that, in the future, God would make dead people become alive. Then he would punish those who had done bad things. And he would reward those people who had obeyed his laws.

But verse 21 has another meaning. It could refer also to people who are *spiritually dead. Because after a person accepts Jesus as their *Saviour and their *Lord, they become *spiritually alive. Jesus gives *eternal life to them.

God has made Jesus the judge of every person who has ever lived on the earth.

Verse 23 Everyone has a choice. We can choose to believe that Jesus is God’s Son, our *Saviour and our *Lord. Or we can *reject him. But if we *reject him, then we *reject God also. We do not respect God if we *reject his Son.

Verse 24 We receive *eternal life when we decide to *believe in Jesus as our *Saviour and our *Lord. This new *life begins at that moment (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our physical bodies will die. But when Jesus returns to the earth, our bodies will live again. But we will not have the same kind of bodies. We will live with Jesus always (1 Corinthians chapter 15). So we ‘have already passed out of death and into *life’.

Verse 25 In this verse, Jesus was referring to people who were *spiritually dead. People who *believed in him received *eternal life. But he was also referring to people who were physically dead. When he was on the earth, Jesus made several dead people become alive again. He will come to the earth a second time. Then, all *Christians who have died will become alive again (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Verses 26-27 God had given the authority to Jesus to *judge all people. This was because Jesus was the ‘Son of Man’ (see also John 1:51). In the book of Daniel, there is a description of ‘someone like a son of man’ (Daniel 7:13-14). This person has authority over the entire world. A ‘son of man’ also meant a human person. Jesus was one of us, a human person, but he was also God. So he has the right to *judge us.

Verses 28-29 When Jesus returns to the earth, all dead people will become alive again, both *Christians and non-*Christians. (Non-Christians are people who are not real *Christians.) Death is not the end for non-*Christians. All those who have chosen to *reject Jesus during their lives will not live with him always. They will spend all the future apart from him. They chose this when they refused to *believe in him.

Verse 30 God is completely *holy and perfect. He knows everything about everyone. He knows everyone’s personal situation. We can hide nothing from him. And he loves everyone. When God *judges people, he will be completely fair. We can be confident about that. So Jesus’ judgement will be completely fair, because he has the same mind and the same heart as his *Father.

The evidence that Jesus was telling the truth about himself 5:31-38

v31 ‘If I give evidence about myself on my own behalf, I cannot prove the truth of my words. v32 But someone else gives evidence about me. And I know that he tells the truth about me. v33 You sent people to listen to John (the *Baptist). He *preached the truth. v34 However, I do not need a man to give evidence about me. I say this only so that you may receive *salvation. v35 John the *Baptist was like a lamp that gives much light. And you were pleased to enjoy his *light for a short time. v36 But something more important that John the *Baptist provides evidence for me. I am referring to the things that the *Father has given to me to do. I am doing these tasks. And the *Father wants me to complete these tasks. All these things are evidence to prove that the *Father has sent me.

v37 The *Father, who sent me, also gives evidence for me. But you have never heard his voice. You have never seen his face. v38 And you have not believed his message. He sent me but you do not *believe in me.’

Verse 31 In this passage, Jesus spoke about evidence as if he was in a court of law. He wanted to convince people that he was speaking the truth about himself. He had said that God was his *Father (John 5:18). He had said that he had the power to give *eternal life to people (John 5:24). Also he had said that God had given to him the authority to *judge all people (John 5:27). With these statements, Jesus was saying that he was *equal with God.

But, in *Jewish law, the evidence of one person was not enough. At least two people had to give evidence that something was true. This was the proof that people wanted. So it was not enough for Jesus to say these things about himself.

Verses 32-35 However, he had other evidence that he was telling the truth about himself. ‘Someone else’ in verse 32 referred to God himself. And there was John the *Baptist. He had told people who Jesus really was (John 1:19-20; John 1:26-27; John 1:29-36). John the *Baptist had ‘*preached the truth’ (verse 33). He had shown that Jesus was the way to receive God’s *salvation. For that reason, Jesus approved of John the *Baptist.

Jesus compared John the *Baptist to a lamp. A lamp cannot produce light by itself. It needs someone to light it. In the same way, John the *Baptist was not the *light of the world. But God had sent him to tell people about Jesus. Jesus is the real *light of the world.

Jesus said that the *Jews were pleased to ‘enjoy his (John the *Baptist’s) *light for a short time’ (verse 35). Jesus meant that the *Jews listened to John the *Baptist for a short time. But John the *Baptist said things that were difficult for them to agree with. So they *rejected him. None of them helped him when Herod, the ruler of *Galilee, put him in prison.

Verse 36 However, Jesus did not need the evidence of a person. The *miracles proved that he was God’s Son, the *Messiah. Many people had seen the wonderful things that he had done. The *Jewish leaders had just seen him cure a very sick man. The *miracles showed that God’s power was in Jesus. Jesus was doing the work that his *Father had given him to do. This proved that God had sent Jesus.

Verse 37 Nobody has ever seen God. However, God’s power was working by means of Jesus. But the *Jewish leaders could not see this. They could not see this evidence of God’s work. Therefore, they did not believe God’s words, because they did not *believe in Jesus. Nobody can really know God if they do not *believe in his Son, Jesus.

Jesus and Moses 5:39-47

v39 Jesus continued, ‘You study the *scriptures carefully. And you think that you will receive *eternal life by means of the *scriptures. But the *scriptures tell about me! v40 However, you refuse to come to me, so that I can give you *eternal life.

v41 I do not care whether people approve of me, or not. v42 But I know that none of you loves God. v43 I have come with my *Father’s authority. But you refuse to accept me. However, you accept people who come with just their own authority. v44 You like to praise each other, but you do not try to please God. So you cannot possibly *believe!

v45 I am not the person who will accuse you in front of the *Father. Do not think this! You have trusted Moses. But Moses will be the person who will accuse you! v46 Moses wrote about me. So if you believed Moses, you would believe me. v47 But you do not believe what he wrote. So you do not believe what I say!’

Verses 39-40 The *Jewish leaders knew the *scriptures well. They studied them frequently. *Christians call these *scriptures ‘the *Old Testament’. In them, there are many *prophecies about the *Messiah. The *Jewish leaders knew these *prophecies well. But they did not recognise the *Messiah when he came. They cared more about the rules and the customs of their religion. And people, not God, had made many of these rules and customs.

This can happen still today. We must remember that we follow a person, the *Lord Jesus *Christ, not a set of rules. We must remember that only Jesus can give us *eternal life. We cannot earn it for ourselves.

Verses 41-44 Jesus did not worry about people’s opinions of him. The only opinion that mattered to him was God’s opinion. We can learn from this. If God approves of us, we must not worry about other people’s opinions of us. And we must never do anything just to please people, if God does not approve of it.

The *scribes and the *Pharisees wanted everyone to think that they were important. They wore special clothes. When they gave money to poor people, they wanted everyone to see. When they prayed, they wanted other people to notice them. When they fasted, they wanted everyone to know. (‘To fast’ means to choose not to eat for a time.) They did all these things for the wrong reasons. They wanted people to think that they were very holy. They wanted people to praise them for their goodness. But they were not holy or good. They did not do these things because they loved God. That is the only right reason to do them.

Verses 45-47 Moses had written these *scriptures that the *Jewish leaders studied so carefully. They believed that they were studying God’s words. They obeyed the *Law that God had given to Moses. But Moses had recorded *prophecies about the *Messiah as well as the *Law. For example, God had told Moses, ‘I will give my message to that *Prophet. And he will tell people *exactly what I have said. This message comes from me. So I will punish anyone who refuses to obey him’ (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). Moses recorded other *prophecies, too (Genesis 3:15; Numbers 21:9; Numbers 24:17). But the *Jewish leaders did not believe Moses’ words. They *rejected the *Prophet that Moses had written about. That *Prophet was Jesus, the *Messiah. So Jesus said that Moses himself would accuse them of this.

Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel. It was the place where Israel’s early kings ruled. Later, the kings of the southern kingdom called Judah ruled in Jerusalem.
Israel ~ name of the land that God gave to Jacob (who is also called Israel) and his sons (Genesis chapter 35). Also refers to the Jews, the group of people whom God chose to belong to him in a special way.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
festival ~ when people meet together in public for a happy party to remember a special day or event.
Aramaic ~ the language that Jesus and many Jews spoke. When they wrote, usually they used Hebrew.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Hebrew ~ the language of the Jews. The Jews wrote in Hebrew.
Sabbath ~ the Sabbath was Saturday; the 7th day of the week which is special to the Jews. It was the day when the people had to rest from work (Exodus 20:8-11).
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Law ~ the rules that God gave to Moses for the Jews.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
temple ~ a building where people went to worship God. Jesus referred to his body as a temple. This was because God was living among people in his Son, Jesus.
Temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews went to worship God.
worship ~ to give thanks and honour to God and Jesus. To show to him that we love him very much.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel. It was the place where Israel’s early kings ruled. Later, the kings of the southern kingdom called Judah ruled in Jerusalem.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Israel ~ name of the land that God gave to Jacob (who is also called Israel) and his sons (Genesis chapter 35). Also refers to the Jews, the group of people whom God chose to belong to him in a special way.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Passover ~ an important holy day for the Jews. They eat a special meal on this day every year. This is to remember that God freed them. Before God freed them, they were slaves in the country called Egypt. This happened at the time of Moses. So Passover became an important holiday. At the time of Jesus, the Jews came to Jerusalem to pray in the Temple. And families shared a special meal together.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Jerusalem ~ the capital city of Israel. It was the place where Israel’s early kings ruled. Later, the kings of the southern kingdom called Judah ruled in Jerusalem.
temple ~ a building where people went to worship God. Jesus referred to his body as a temple. This was because God was living among people in his Son, Jesus.
Temple ~ the special building in Jerusalem where the Jews went to worship God.
Israel ~ name of the land that God gave to Jacob (who is also called Israel) and his sons (Genesis chapter 35). Also refers to the Jews, the group of people whom God chose to belong to him in a special way.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
worship ~ to give thanks and honour to God and Jesus. To show to him that we love him very much.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Pentecost ~ a festival when the Jews thank God for their food.
festival ~ when people meet together in public for a happy party to remember a special day or event.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
festival ~ when people meet together in public for a happy party to remember a special day or event.'New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Gospel ~ one of the 4 books at the beginning of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They record Jesus’ life.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
worship ~ to give thanks and honour to God and Jesus. To show to him that we love him very much.
angel ~ God’s servant who takes messages from God to people on the earth. Angels live with God in heaven.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
miracle ~ wonderful works that only God can do by his power. A wonderful event that shows that a person’s message is from God.
faith ~ to *believe in someone or something; to be really sure about the things of God and Jesus.
cross ~ two pieces of wood that someone has fixed together. Roman soldiers fixed people to crosses in order to kill those people as a punishment. Jesus died on a cross. The cross is now the sign of the Christian church.
Roman ~ a person from Rome. Rome was an important city. The Emperor and the government lived in Rome. Roman describes everything that belonged to Rome.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Emperor ~ the chief Roman ruler.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
scribes ~ teachers of the Law.
Law ~ the rules that God gave to Moses for the Jews.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
repent ~ to decide not to do bad things that you did before. To decide to do what God wants.
Messiah ~ the Jews’ name for the special servant of God. It means the person whom God sent to save people from the results of their sins. Jesus is the Messiah.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Roman ~ a person from Rome. Rome was an important city. The Emperor and the government lived in Rome. Roman describes everything that belonged to Rome.
Emperor ~ the chief Roman ruler.
Father ~ God. Jesus taught us to call God ‘Father’. All Christians are God’s children.
father ~ someone whom a person respects and follows; an ancestor. The Jewish leaders said that Abraham was their father. But Jesus said that the devil was their father, instead!
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
ancestor ~ person in the past from whom one’s parents came.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
equal ~ with the same qualities and importance.
exactly ~ completely right; completely the same; without any difference.
life ~ the quality that a person has, because that person is alive. In John’s Gospel, it means to be completely alive in our spirits. When we *believe in Jesus, we receive this life as a special gift. When we have this life, we can live to please God. It is the best way to live.
Gospel ~ one of the 4 books at the beginning of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They record Jesus’ life.

baptise/baptism ~ to put a person into water, or to put water on a person; it is to show that the person wants to obey God. Christians receive baptism as a sign that they want to follow Jesus.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
preach ~ to tell people the good news about Jesus Christ. Jesus preached about who he was and about God’s kingdom.
Christ ~ the Greek word for Messiah.
kingdom ~ a place or country that a king rules. God’s kingdom is where God rules. God is the king of all Christians and all Christians are in his kingdom.
Greek ~ a person from Greece; the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament.
Messiah ~ the Jews’ name for the special servant of God. It means the person whom God sent to save people from the results of their sins. Jesus is the Messiah.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
salvation ~ when God rescues us from the power and the results of our sins.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
light ~ Natural light helps us to see physical things. But in John’s Gospel, the word ‘light’ also refers to that which helps us to see (understand) spiritual truths.
Gospel ~ one of the 4 books at the beginning of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They record Jesus’ life.
spiritual ~ something that belongs to the spirit rather than to physical things.

'Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the Jewish *scriptures. The writers wrote this before the birth of Jesus.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.'prophecy/prophecies ~ the words that a prophet speaks or writes by God’s power. Often, they tell about events before they happen.
prophet ~ a person who hears God’s words and tells them to other people. Some prophets wrote books in the Old Testament. Sometimes, they told about events before they happened.

Old Testament ~ the first part of the Bible; the Jewish *scriptures. The writers wrote this before the birth of Jesus.
Jewish ~ the word that describes a Jew or anything that belongs to the Jews. The ‘Jewish leaders’ were a group of important Jews who lived in Judah.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
Christ ~ the Greek word for Messiah.
Greek ~ a person from Greece; the language in which the authors wrote the New Testament.
Messiah ~ the Jews’ name for the special servant of God. It means the person whom God sent to save people from the results of their sins. Jesus is the Messiah.

New Testament ~ the last part of the Bible, which the writers wrote after the life of Jesus on the earth. It is about the things that Jesus did. And it is about the things that he taught. It is also about the church and what Christians should believe.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
sin ~ not to obey God. Sins are the wrong things (or evil deeds) that we do against God and other people.
church ~ (1) All Christians everywhere. (2) The members of a local group of Christians.
Christian ~ a person who *believes in Jesus as their Saviour and Lord.
Saviour ~ someone who will bring us back to God from the bad things that we have done. Jesus is the only person who can save us from the results of our sins. However, sometimes people used the word ‘Saviour’ as a title (name) for rulers or false gods.
Lord ~ the name for God or Jesus in the Bible. It means that he is above all other things.
Pharisees ~ a group of Jews who thought that they obeyed all God’s commands.
Jew ~ a person who is born from the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see the Book of Genesis); a person who follows the religion of the Jews.
prophet ~ a person who hears God’s words and tells them to other people. Some prophets wrote books in the Old Testament. Sometimes, they told about events before they happened.

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