John 5:19-40

The Authority of the Son

19 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, e the Son f can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father 1 does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For g the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And h greater works than these will he show him, so that i you may marvel. 21 For as the Father j raises the dead and k gives them life, so l also the Son gives life m to whom he will. 22 n The Father judges no one, but o has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they p honor the Father. q Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, r whoever hears my word and s believes him who sent me has eternal life. He t does not come into judgment, but u has passed from death to life.

25 "Truly, truly, I say to you, v an hour is coming, and is now here, when w the dead will hear x the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear w will live. 26 y For as the Father has life in himself, z so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he a has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for v an hour is coming when b all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, c those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Witnesses to Jesus

30 d "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and e my judgment is just, because f I seek not my own will g but the will of him who sent me. 31 h If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. 32 There is i another who bears witness about me, and j I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 k You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that l the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and m shining lamp, and n you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But l the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For o the works that the Father has given me p to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, q bear witness about me that r the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me s has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, t his form you have never seen, 38 and u you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 v You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and w it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet x you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

  1. Cross References
    John 5:30
    I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
  2. Cross References
    John 16:13
    When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
  3. Cross References
    John 3:35
    The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
    John 10:17
    For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.
    John 15:9 - 10
    As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
    John 17:23 - 26
    I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
    Matthew 3:17
    And behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
  4. Cross References
    John 14:12
    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
  5. Cross References
    John 7:21
    Jesus answered them, "I did one work, and you all marvel at it.
  6. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 32:39
    'See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
    2 Corinthians 1:9
    Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
  7. Cross References
    Romans 4:17
    As it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations" - in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
    Romans 8:11
    If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
  8. Cross References
    John 6:33
    For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
    John 11:25
    Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
    1 Corinthians 15:45
    Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
  9. Cross References
    Romans 9:18
    So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.
  10. Cross References
    Acts 17:31
    Because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.
  11. Cross References
    John 5:27
    And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
    John 9:39
    Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.
    Acts 10:42
    And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.
    John 3:17
    For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
    John 17:2
    Since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
  12. Cross References
    John 8:49
    Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me.
  13. Cross References
    Luke 10:16
    "The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
    John 15:23
    Whoever hates me hates my Father also.
    1 John 2:23
    No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.
  14. Cross References
    John 8:51
    Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.
  15. Cross References
    John 20:31
    But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
    1 John 5:9 - 13
    If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.
    John 3:15
    That whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
    John 3:36
    Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
    John 12:44
    And Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me.
  16. Cross References
    John 3:18
    Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
    John 5:29
    And come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
  17. Cross References
    1 John 3:14
    We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.
  18. Cross References
    John 4:21
    Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
    John 4:23
    But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
  19. Cross References
    Ephesians 2:1
    And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
    Ephesians 2:5
    Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved -
  20. Cross References
    Ephesians 2:1
    And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
    Ephesians 2:5
    Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved -
  21. Cross References
    John 11:43
    When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out.
  22. Cross References
    John 6:57
    As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.
  23. Cross References
    John 1:4
    In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
    John 17:2
    Since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
  24. Cross References
    John 5:22
    The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son.
  25. Cross References
    John 5:25
    Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
  26. Cross References
    John 11:24
    Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.
    1 Corinthians 15:52
    In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
    John 11:44 - 45
    The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go.
  27. Cross References
    Daniel 12:2
    And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
  28. Cross References
    John 5:19
    So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
    John 8:28
    So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
    John 14:10
    Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
  29. Cross References
    John 8:16
    Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.
  30. Cross References
    John 4:34
    Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
    John 6:38
    For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
    John 7:18
    The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.
    Romans 15:3
    For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.
  31. Cross References
    Matthew 26:39
    And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.
  32. Cross References
    John 8:13 - 14
    So the Pharisees said to him, "You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.
    John 8:18
    I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.
    John 8:54
    Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.
    John 18:21
    Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.
  33. Cross References
    John 5:37
    And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen.
  34. Cross References
    John 7:28 - 29
    So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.
  35. Cross References
    John 1:7
    He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
    John 1:19
    And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?
  36. Cross References
    1 John 5:9
    If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.
  37. Cross References
    2 Peter 1:19
    And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
  38. Cross References
    Matthew 13:20
    As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
    Matthew 21:26
    But if we say, 'From man,' we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.
  39. Cross References
    John 5:34
    Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
  40. Cross References
    John 10:25
    Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do no...
    John 10:38
    But if I do them, even though you do not believ...
    John 14:11
    Believe me that I am in the Father and the Fath...
    John 15:24
    If I had not done among them the works that no ...
    John 2:23
    Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Fe...
    Matthew 11:4
    And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what...
  41. Cross References
    John 4:34
    Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
  42. Cross References
    John 3:2
    This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.
  43. Cross References
    John 3:17
    For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
  44. Cross References
    John 8:18
    I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.
    Matthew 3:17
    And behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
  45. Cross References
    John 1:18
    No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
  46. Cross References
    1 John 2:14
    I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
    1 John 4:13 - 14
    By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
    1 John 5:10
    Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
  47. Cross References
    Acts 17:11
    Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
    2 Timothy 3:15
    And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
  48. Cross References
    Luke 24:27
    And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
  49. Cross References
    John 5:43
    I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him.
    John 3:19
    And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
    John 7:17
    If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
    Matthew 23:37
    O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!
    Luke 13:34
    O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.