The first one into the pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease they had. Start for FREE. "Because too much stuff happens to us that we can't explain," said Hughes. } March 15, 2010. Third, such an occurrence would contradict the Bibles own explanation for the purpose of miraclesthe miracle of healing not being simply to heal or relieve suffering (see Miller, 2003, 23[3]:17-23). We believe in truth, therefore we embrace fully the word of God as the basis of all existence. McGarvey, J.W. One particular man had been there ill for thirty-eight years. There is no definitive answer to the question. I think I have found what B only alluded to earlier: The NIV is not the only modern translation that questions the viability of John 5.4— 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 (KJV). I think it also has something to do with stagnation. "I said, 'Man, what a great seat like that and a great game and nobody sat there?' "The idea is that they are the messenger of the gods," Powell said. After the angel did this, the first person to go into the pool was healed from any sickness he had. Jesus never called it false or idolatry. For an Angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first, after the stirring of the water, stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. After the stirring of the water, whoever stepped in first was healed of whatever disease he had. WebAt certain times an angel of the Lord would go down into the pool and stir up the water, and whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! The man might have been trying to get into the pool for healing, or he might have been content to simply sit and take in the charity of others. Others wear little more than wings (as in Victoria's Secret's version). 60-61). "And what they responded to was the fact that an angel was a messenger from God who brought healing, who brought encouragement, who sometimes brought some correction. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. Angels are often seen with flowing robes, like the ones at the Crystal Cathedral in Orange County, California. A door of healing. March 15, 2010. added). Smith asked some children adorned in angel costumes: "Do you believe in angels? While it is tempting to dismiss this as wishful desires among the people, John doesn't say that it was reported that an angel stirred up the water. Bethesda translates to house of mercy.. PHILLIPS Some time later came one of the Jewish feast-days and Jesus went up to When Jesus saw him lying there on his backknowing that he had been like that for a long time, he said to him, Do you want to get well again?. Some manuscripts insert, wholly or in part, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.. It was in fact believed that once a day an angel would descend into the pool, causing waters to stir, and that the first person to enter the pool upon that occasion would be healed. for an angel went down at certain times into the pool and stirred up the water. Please enter valid email address to continue. 60-61). 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. The man had lost Legend had it that healing was available to anyone who was able to enter the pool first after an angel stirred the water (John 5:4, KJV). There are angels in Judaism and Islam, and winged figures in Buddhism and Hinduism. Soon another Feast came around and Jesus was back in Jerusalem. To join, you must be at least The stirring would be necessary because the Angel of the Lord probably wasnt visible. Responses must be helpful and on-topic. Why Were the Waters Stirred in John 5? 9And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath. The ultimate answer to this challenge to the Bibles integrity is found in the fact that the last part of John 5:3 and the entirety of verse four were not a part of the original inspired autograph by John. It led me to find out important things. I dont know how this could be metaphorical, since its a pretty straightforward event, without much but basic information. WebAn angel went down, and troubled the water; and what disease soever it was, this water cured it, but only he that first stepped in had benefit. Metzger, Bruce (1971), A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (New York: United Bible Societies). Proverbs 18:16 tells us that our gift opens doors and gives us access. Legend had it that an angel would come down into the pool and stir up the water. The first person into the pool after the stirring of the water was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted (John 5:4, NAS). Our gift opens doors and grants us access. Well send you a new verse every day to download or share. There is likely no deeper meaning to the stirring up of the waters other that the normally tranquil pool became noticeably disturbed by bubbles, waves, currents etc. The oldest manuscript records omit verse 4 which identifies an angel as the cause of the water being stirred up. Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there was a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, with five alcoves. Some manuscripts insert, wholly or in part, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.. So, I went back to this verse and looked again. There was an error while trying to create your account. One man had been an invalid there for thirty-eight years. WebNASB 1977 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.] 5And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. And to them, that man was an angel. We know there are angels and the story states there was a miraculous action. 4 From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. And retailers know angels bring in big bucks. 13 years old and agree to the Sometimes an angel of the Lord came down to the pool and stirred up the water. Always brought comfort and truth.". WebFor 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. Yes I believe an angel of gthe Lord troubled the water. WebAn angel went down, and troubled the water; and what disease soever it was, this water cured it, but only he that first stepped in had benefit. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. Copy. Still, especially around the holidays, the very idea of angels can serve to inspire even some of us less halo-worthy creatures here on Earth. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. I beleive that the angels are present at church during service and during worship I have sensed them flying in the air in circles. Find answers to your Bible questions with Bible Gateway Plus. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Jesus might have helped the man get to the water, but He did not do so. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water. At certain times, people would walk up and place an offering on the altar. WebJohn 5:4 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95) 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. We choose to live by faith and the word of God on a daily basis. "I would like to believe that there are angels," one woman told us. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. Then Jesus said to him, Get up! WebWhen Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, Do you want to get well? Sir, the invalid replied, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. Under these arches a great many sick people were in the habit of lying; some of them were blind, some lame, and some had withered limbs. There is in Jerusalem near the sheep-gate a pool surrounded by five arches, which has the Hebrew name of Bethzatha (the Pool of Bethesda). There is no definitive answer to the question. Soon another Feast came around and Jesus was back in Jerusalem. Anything Worth Doing Is Worth Doing Badly . They typically took the non-miraculous direction on the least possible suspicion that an alternative reading was possible. Before we could barely even say 'thank you.'". If you wish to cancel your subscription, you can click on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email or visit your subscription dashboard and unsubscribe from there, Write to minister@lavistachurchofchrist.org, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window). “waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.” Since older manuscripts (and, therefore, closer to the original text) than those available to the KJV translators, which have beendiscovered since 1611, do not have the questionable verse 4 in the text at all causing modern translators to believe that it was added sometimes between the 2nd and 4th century to explain verse 3. This verse is missing from all early Greek manuscripts and the earliest versions, including the original Vulgate. That can easily be found in their footnotes. WebIn these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the waters stepped in was made whole, with whatsoever disease he was holden. But when they got to the box office, the tickets couldn't be found. Why do people post Deuteronomy 11:18-21 on their walls? WebThe disputed text of John 5:4 indicated an angel agitated the water, healing only the first person who entered the pool. He states it as a fact. Then the first one who got in after the water was stirred up recovered from whatever ailment he had]. WebFor an angel of God periodically descended into the pool to stir the waters, and the first one who stepped into the pool after the waters swirled would instantly be healed. Sometimes an angel of the Lord came down to the pool and stirred up the water. In a sold-out stadium, one seat stayed empty the entire game. This teaches us to be careful, that we let not a season slip which may never return. And those halos and wings make the kids playing them look pretty darn cute. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. '", And another said, "I have to say that I haven't seen one yet so I wouldn't believe in one until I did see one.". Martha Williamson was the executive producer. WebAn angel went down, and troubled the water; and what disease soever it was, this water cured it, but only he that first stepped in had benefit. If we move forward and sow into that word, we are opening doors. Our Cover Story is reported by Tracy Smith: Angels only announce the birth of Jesus ("Do not be afraid"). Whosoever then first stepped in, after the troubling of the water, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. Then Jesus said to him, Get up! For Ines Powell at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, angels exist in many cultures. You asked if I believed an angel stirred the water. For an angel of God periodically descended into the pool to stir the waters, and the first one who stepped into the pool after the waters swirled would instantly be healed. ", Some maybe it's a good time to celebrate angels, whatever form they take. Miller, Dave (2005a), Is Mark 16:9-20 Inspired? Reason & Revelation, 25[12]:89-95, December, [On-line]: URL: https://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2780. I just believe it until I hear from God different. WebJohn 5:4 New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95) 4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. 4For 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. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years (Interpolated text in bold). This is the reason we feel compelled to sow into words that bless us. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and troubled the water; whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatever disease he had. No big shock that this time of year angels are everywhere. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. I must admit, this was confusing, and I am going to have to be more careful from now on, to check the bottom of each page as I study. Renowned Greek scholar A.T. Robertson observed: It is a relief to many to know that the verse is spurious (1932, 5:79). Whoever therefore first went in after the troubling of the water became well, whatever disease he laboured under.). ", One man said, "Everyone has a guardian angel, whether they believe it or not. ]. An error occurred while marking the devotional as read. because an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water. After the angel did this, the first person to go into the pool was healed from any sickness he had]. It is believed that God gave several archangels supervisory duties over the four natural elements on earth, and the angel who oversees water is the archangel, Gabriel. Whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. 4For 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. Try a snow globe, an ornament, a DVD, a puzzle You can even own your own angel statue for $400. ", When asked what angels do, Catherine answered, "I've got no idea.". When Jesus saw him stretched out by the pool and knew how long he had been there, he said, Do you want to get well?, for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.]. [1] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_of_Bethesda). It was only if an angel troubled the waters that a cure could be expected. That statement by the sick man makes no sense if verse four was not in the original. They were still in mourning when a friend offered Tom two tickets to a game. Before this massive structure became known as a place of healing, the pool was simply used as a rainwater reservoir for ritual cleansing. The man had lost The water at the pool of Bethesda had no healing properties of itself. You could say it's their high season. Johnson (1886, p. 86) acknowledged the words are not a part of the original. Pack, Frank (1975), The Gospel According to John (Austin, TX: Sweet). The stirring would be necessary because the Angel of the Lord probably wasnt visible. This time of year, angels are among us in a big way. 4For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. That is good news! Oh, my word! 6When 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? Here a great number of disabled people used to lie down. Some manuscripts insert, wholly or in part, waiting for the moving of the water; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool, and stirred the water: whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had.. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.] As an aside, this verse doesnt appear in most of the earliest New Testament manuscripts and in most new translations it usually isnt translated. The man had lost for a messenger at a set time was going down in the pool, and was troubling the water, the first then having gone in after the troubling of the water, became whole of whatever sickness he was held. Your email address will not be published. He states it as a fact. But there's more to the story. "Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. Access 50+ premium resources. WebJohn 5:4 Some manuscripts include here, wholly or in part, paralyzedand they waited for the moving of the waters. I have sensed our church filled to the top with living water. 4 From time to time an angel of the Lord would come down and stir up the waters. Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem there was a pool, in Hebrew called. That hardly seems fair. Its vocabulary is markedly non-Johannine. "'I want your young son to see the game,' and he just handed us two tickets. Whoever reached the water first and got in after it was agitated would be healed of his or her disease]. We certainly do not have the autographs (the actual first writings), and I don't know who you have read concerning this, and I am not assuming anything. Why Were the Waters Stirred in John 5? If it were in any way a fabrication it would seem to destroy the emphasis in the Gospel on eyewitness testimony. for an angel of the Lord came from time to time and disturbed the water, and the first person to step down into it afterwards was healed). For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 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. "They sort of look like humans except they always wear white and they have wings," said Kaelin. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. In 'Jesus' Authority Questioned', it talks about the Pool of Bethesda, and in the lesson, it says that 'angels stirred the waters'. (They used to wait there for the moving of the water, for at certain times an angel used to come down into the pool and disturb the water, and then the first person who stepped into the water after the disturbance would be healed of whatever he was suffering from.) Want to touch an angel? @Zaku except, of course, that the pool of Bethesda actually exists today, and has been in continual existence since that time, and the writings of the account were written in the first century and not from earlier writings.