NgokukaJohane 5:1-29

Emva kwalokho kwakukhona umkhosi wabaJuda; uJesu wakhuphukela eJerusalema. Kukhona-ke eJerusalema ngasesangweni lezimvu ichibi elithiwa ngesiHeberu iBethesda, linemipheme eyisihlanu. Kwakulele kuyo abagulayo abaningi kakhulu, izimpumputhe, nezinyonga, nabashwabeneyo, belindele ukuzanyazanyiswa kwamanzi. Ngokuba ingelosi yayehla izikhathi ngezikhathi, izamazamise amanzi, kuthi lowo ongene kuqala emva kokuzanyazanyiswa kwamanzi asinde esifweni sakhe, noma enasifo sini. Kwakukhona lapho umuntu othile owayesegule iminyaka engamashumi amathathu nesishiyagalombili. UJesu embona elele, azi ukuthi usenesikhathi eside enjalo, wathi kuye: “Uyathanda ukusinda na?” Ogulayo wamphendula wathi: “Nkosi, anginamuntu wokungifaka echibini, nxa amanzi ezanyazanyiswa; kuthi ngiseza, kwehle omunye phambi kwami.” UJesu wathi kuye: “Sukuma, uthabathe uhlaka lwakho, uhambe.” Wayesephila masinyane lowo muntu, wathabatha uhlaka lwakhe, wahamba. Kwakuyisabatha ngalolo suku. Khona base bethi abaJuda kophilisiweyo: “Yisabatha, akuvunyiwe uthwale uhlaka.” Wabaphendula wathi: “Ongiphilisileyo nguyena othe kimi: ‘Thabatha uhlaka lwakho, uhambe.’ ” Bambuza bathi: “Ngubani lowo muntu othe kuwe: ‘Thabatha uhlaka lwakho uhambe,’ na?” Kepha ophilisiweyo wayengazi ukuthi ungubani, ngokuba uJesu wayemukile lapho, kukhona isixuku kuleyo ndawo. Emva kwalokho uJesu wamfumana ethempelini, wathi kuye: “Bheka, uphilisiwe; ungabe usona, funa wehlelwe ngokubi kunalokho.” Wamuka lowo muntu, watshela abaJuda ukuthi nguJesu omphilisileyo. Ngenxa yalokho abaJuda bamzingela uJesu, ngokuba wakwenza lokho ngesabatha. Kepha wabaphendula wathi: “UBaba usebenza kuze kube manje, nami ngiyasebenza.” Ngalokho-ke abaJuda kwayikhona befuna kakhulu ukumbulala, ngokuba wayengaphulile isabatha kuphela, kodwa wabuye wathi uNkulunkulu unguYise, ezenza olingana noNkulunkulu. Khona uJesu waphendula, wathi kubo: “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: INdodana ingenze lutho ngokwayo, kuphela lokho ebona uYise ekwenza, ngokuba lokho akwenzayo yena, neNdodana iyakwenza kanjalo. Ngokuba uYise uyayithanda iNdodana, uyikhombisa konke akwenzayo yena; woyikhombisa imisebenzi emikhulu kunalena ukuba nimangale. Ngokuba njengalokhu uYise evusa abafileyo, abaphilise, kanjalo neNdodana iyabaphilisa labo ethanda ukubaphilisa. Ngokuba noYise kahluleli muntu; ukunike iNdodana konke ukwahlulela ukuba bonke bazise iNdodana, njengokuba bazisa uYise. Ongayazisi iNdodana kamazisi noYise oyithumileyo. “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Ozwa izwi lami, akholwe ngongithumileyo, unokuphila okuphakade; akayi ekwahlulelweni, kepha usephumile ekufeni, wangena ekuphileni. Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Isikhathi siyeza, sesikhona namanje, lapho abafileyo beyakulizwa izwi leNdodana kaNkulunkulu; abezwayo bayakuphila. Ngokuba njengalokhu uYise enokuphila ngokwakhe, kanjalo uyiphile neNdodana ibe nokuphila ngokwayo. Uyiphile amandla okwahlulela, ngokuba iyiNdodana yomuntu. “Ningamangali ngalokho, ngokuba isikhathi siyeza, lapho bonke abasemathuneni beyakulizwa izwi layo, abenze ukulunga baphumele ekuvukeni kokuphila, abenze okubi ekuvukeni kokulahlwa.