This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in John 5, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
There was a man who was very sick. He had been sick for 38 years! He couldn’t walk and had to lie on the ground every day. There was a special pool called Bethesda in Jerusalem where many sick people came to be healed. One day, Jesus went to Jerusalem and saw the sick man lying on the ground.
Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. The man said, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.”
Jesus said, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And just like that, the man was healed! He picked up his bed and walked away.
But it was the Sabbath day, which was a special day of rest for the Jewish people. Some of the Jewish leaders saw the healed man carrying his bed and told him that it was not lawful to do work on the Sabbath. The man told them that Jesus had healed him and told him to take his bed and walk.
The Jewish leaders asked the man who Jesus was, but he didn’t know because Jesus had already left. Later, Jesus found the man in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”
The man was so happy that he went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him. The Jewish leaders were angry with Jesus because he healed on the Sabbath day. But Jesus told them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”
Biblical Lessons
- Jesus has the power to heal the sick.
- Jesus is compassionate and wants to help those who are suffering.
- Jesus is the Son of God and has the authority to heal and forgive sins.
- Jesus cares about all people, even those who are ignored or rejected by society.
Related Stories
Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant
Must-Read Christian Books
Mere Christianity
Lewis lays out the core beliefs of the Christian faith with clarity, logic, and imagination, rooted in Scripture.
View on Amazon
Desiring God
Piper unpacks "Christian Hedonism": that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, grounded in Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Cost of Discipleship
A penetrating look at Jesus' call to follow Him, contrasting cheap grace with true, costly discipleship.
View on Amazon
The God Who Is There
Shows how the God of the Bible speaks into modern philosophical and cultural confusion.
View on Amazon
Basic Christianity
A timeless introduction to who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him according to Scripture.
View on Amazon
Knowing Scripture
Teaches how to interpret the Bible rightly, emphasizing its clarity and our responsibility to study it.
View on Amazon
The Discipline of Grace
Shows how God's grace and our disciplined effort work together in sanctification.
View on Amazon
According to Plan
An introduction to biblical theology that shows how all Scripture points to Christ.
View on Amazon
Spiritual Leadership
Biblical principles for godly leadership in the church, home, and workplace.
View on Amazon
Morning and Evening
Devotional readings for each day that point believers to Christ and His promises.
View on Amazon
The Heidelberg Catechism
A beloved Reformation catechism that teaches comfort in Christ through a Q&A format.
View on Amazon
Christian Beliefs
A shorter, accessible overview of 20 basic Christian doctrines for everyday believers.
View on Amazon
Christ-Centered Worship
Traces historic worship patterns and shows how to shape Christ-focused services today.
View on Amazon
The Gospel Comes with a House Key
A call to radical, everyday hospitality as a means of gospel witness and discipleship.
View on Amazon
Total Truth
Equips believers to see all of life through a biblical worldview and challenge secular thinking.
View on Amazon
God's Glory in Salvation through Judgment
Argues that God's glory in salvation through judgment is the central theme of Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Hiding Place
The story of Corrie ten Boom's faith and forgiveness in the midst of Nazi persecution.
View on Amazon