Section 5:19–29

Jesus told the Jewish leaders that the Father gave him authority

Jesus told the Pharisees that he had authority from God the Father. He only did what he saw the Father doing. He declared that God had given him the right to raise people from the dead and to judge them.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Jesus proclaimed his authority/right to heal the man on the Sabbath/rest day.
-or-
Jesus explained to the Jewish leaders his authority for breaking their rules.
-or-
Jesus’ authority

Paragraph 5:19–23

In this paragraph, Jesus explained who he was and what he had a right to do. He declared that God the Father had given him authority and honor. He said that he could only do what he saw the Father doing. He also said that the Father would use him to judge all the people in the world.

In this paragraph, Jesus referred to himself in the third person as “the Son.” In some languages this may make the readers think he was referring to someone else. It may be necessary to make it explicit that Jesus was referring to himself. It may also be natural and helpful to at least sometimes say “my Father” rather than “the Father.” For example:

5:19 Jesus answered them, “Listen! I speak the truth. I am the Son, and/but I can do nothing by myself. I can do only what I see my Father doing. For whatever my Father does, that is what I also do. 5:20 For my Father loves me and shows me everything he does. He will show me how to do even greater deeds than these, and you will be amazed. 5:21 Just as my Father raises the dead and gives them life, so I as the Son give life to those I choose. 5:22 My Father himself does not judge people. He has given me the complete right to judge people, 5:23 so that all will honor the Son in the same way that they honor the Father. Whoever refuses to honor the Son does not honor my Father, for he sent me.”

5:19a

So Jesus replied: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So Jesus replied is more literally “So Jesus answered and said to them.” The Jewish leaders had accused him of breaking the Sabbath and making himself equal to God in verse 18. So Jesus responded to what they said to accuse him. Jesus spoke specifically to the Jewish leaders, but it appears that he also spoke to everyone else.

Here are other ways to translate this expression:

Jesus told the people (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Jesus explained (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Jesus answered their criticism and said

Truly, truly, I tell you: Jesus often used the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Truly, truly, I tell you to emphasize the following statement. It indicates that the statement was important and totally reliable, and that people should listen to it carefully. See how you translated this expression at 1:51. In some languages you may need to translate the phrase different ways in different contexts.

Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

Truly, truly, I say to you (English Standard Version)
-or-
I tell you for certain that (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I assure you that

you: This pronoun is plural and refers to the Jewish leaders who questioned Jesus and others who were there.

5:19b

the Son: Jesus was referring to himself. He called God his Father in 5:17b. See the General Comment at the end of 5:19–25.

The phrase the Son in this context is short for “the Son of God,” which is a title for Jesus. This title indicates that Jesus has the same nature and character as God. It also indicates that the relationship between God the Father and Jesus, his Son, is similar in some way to the relationship between human fathers and sons. God the Father does not have a physical body. He did not have a sexual relationship that resulted in Mary becoming pregnant and giving birth to Jesus.

See how you translated the Son at 3:35. For further information, see the note on the phrase “the Son of God” at 1:34.

can do nothing by Himself: This phrase indicates that Jesus did not act independently of his Father. He did only what God wanted him to do, and he always acted in union with God, following God’s will. It does not mean that he did not have the strength to do something without the Father’s help. Rather, it means that he always submitted to the Father and could never act apart from him.

Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

can do nothing on his own (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
cannot do anything on his own (God’s Word)
-or-
I who am the Son cannot do anything on my own

5:19c

unless He sees the Father doing it: This clause is a way of emphasizing that Jesus always acted in union with God his Father. He only followed what the Father did.

He: Jesus was referring to himself here. In some languages it is more natural to use a first-person pronoun (“I” in English).

5:19d

Jesus continued to refer to himself in the third person as the Son. See the note in 5:19b and how you translated this term there.

For whatever the Father does, the Son also does: There are two ways to interpret the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as also

(1) It describes what Jesus does. He does the same things that the Father does. For example:

the Son does exactly what the Father does (God’s Word)

(Berean Standard Bible, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, New International Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) It describes the way that Jesus does what he sees the Father doing. He does those same things in the same way. For example:

for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner (New American Standard Bible)

(New American Standard Bible)

Three translations (New Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, King James Version) use the word “likewise,” which can mean either “also” or “in the same way.” So it is ambiguous which interpretation they follow. It is recommended that you follow most English translations and follow interpretation (1).

Here is another way to translate this sentence:

The works/deeds that the Father does, I the Son do those same things.

Jesus continued to refer to himself using the third person the Son. You may want to make it explicit that Jesus was talking about himself. For example:

I who am the Son also do those things

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