complete verse (John 5:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 5:7:

  • Uma: “The sick person said: ‘Lord, because there is no-one to carry me into the pool when the water is stirred-up. [The "because" here is normal Uma conversation style; it means the man is giving the reason/excuse why he is lying there and not getting well. See vs. 11; 7:46.] When I just start to go, someone else gets there before me.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The sick person answered, he said, ‘Yes, Sir. But there is nobody who lifts me into the pool when the water has stirred. And while I am still moving there, somebody else gets in ahead of me.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the person answered, ‘Datu, I have no companion to throw me in the water when it is stirred up, and someone else always gets in there before I can get in.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The man answered-him and said, ‘I want-to, Sir, but there is no one to take me to the water when it is moved/rippled. I have repeatedly-tried to go, but before I arrive, there is someone who has already gone-ahead.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Master, oh, if wanting were enough,’ he answered, ‘however there’s no one to cause me to go down (into the water) when this water ripples. I try hard to get down (into the water) but I get preceeded.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The sick man said, ‘Man. There isn’t anyone to put me there in the water when it is disturbed. Every time I think that I will get into the water another gets there first.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 5:7

The sick man answered is literally “the sick man answered him,” but it is unnecessary to express the indirect object in English.

The word rendered Sir may also mean “Lord,” but here, as in some other passages, the meaning is simply “sir” (see 4.11,15,19,49). As used here, the word is merely a polite form of address, not a confession of the lordship of Jesus Christ.

The temporal expression when the water is stirred up must often be expressed as the first part of the sick man’s statement, since it provides the temporal setting for his predicament.

It also may be necessary to indicate more specifically the role of a person who might potentially help the sick man, for example, “I have no helper here to put me in the pool” or “there is no one here to help me, that is, to put me in the pool.”

While I am trying to get in is literally “while I am coming” (New English Bible “but while I am moving,” Jerusalem Bible “while I am still on the way”). Phillips is closer to Good News Translation, “While I’m trying to get there.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 5:7

5:7a

Sir: This is a polite form of address. The Greek word can also mean ‘Lord,’ but here it was probably just a way for the lame man to be polite. He did not appear to think yet that there was anything special about Jesus.

I have no one to help me into the pool: The lame man indicated to Jesus that he was unable to get into the pool ahead of other people. He needed help to get into the pool. He implied that he did want to get well by explaining why he was not already well. In some languages it is more natural to make this implied information more explicit. For example:

⌊I do but I cannot, because⌋ I have no one to put me into the pool, sir.
-or-

⌊Yes,⌋ sir, ⌊I want to, but⌋ there is no one to take me to the water.

5:7b

when the water is stirred: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as is stirred means “to move about.” See the note on 5:4b. This is a passive clause. There are at least two ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

when the water is troubled (Revised Standard Version)

• Use an active verb. For example:

when the angel stirs the water
-or-
when the water bubbles up (New Living Translation (2004))

General Comment on 5:7a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 5:7a and 5:7b. For example:

⌊Yes but it is impossible.⌋ 5:7b When the water moves/stirs, 5:7a ⌊⌊I need someone⌋ to help me into the pool. But I have no one.

5:7c

While I am on my way: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as am on my way means “am coming.” The lame man was in the process of coming to the water. He had tried to get into the water without help, but he was unable to get there fast enough. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I try to get in, but… (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
While I am trying to get into the water… (NET Bible)

someone else goes in before me: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as goes in is more literally “descends (goes down).” It refers to people getting into the water. Translate this in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

Someone else always gets there ahead of me. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
someone else steps into the pool before me (Revised English Bible)
-or-
somebody else always enters the water before I do

General Comment on 5:7a–c

In some languages it may be more natural to translate 5:7a–c as indirect speech. For example:

The sick man told Jesus that he tried to get into the pool before the others, but someone always got there first.

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.