5:6a

When Jesus saw him lying there: Jesus noticed the lame man lying by the pool. In some languages it may be natural to translate this as an independent clause. For example:

Jesus saw him lying there (Good News Translation)
-or-
Jesus saw the man lying there (God’s Word)

5:6b

and realized: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as realized can also mean “came to know.” For example:

knew (New Revised Standard Version)

The text does not say how Jesus knew this. Perhaps someone told him, or perhaps God revealed it to him. It is best not to make explicit how Jesus knew.

he had spent a long time in this condition: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he had spent a long time does not include a word meaning in this condition. The Berean Standard Bible has supplied it. There are in fact two ways to interpret the Greek text:

(1) It refers to the man’s condition, his illness. For example:

the man had been sick for such a long time (Good News Translation)

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

(2) It refers to the place where the man was lying. For example:

he had already been there a long time (English Standard Version)

(New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English translations.

5:6c

He asked him: Jesus asked the lame man a question. In some languages it may be natural to make one or both of the pronouns explicit. For example:

So Jesus asked the man (God’s Word)

General Comment on 5:6c

In some languages it may be more natural to translate 5:6c as indirect speech. For example:

So Jesus asked the man if he wanted to get well.

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