John 5:7

Green's Literal Translation

The infirm one answered Him, Lord, I do not have a man, that when the water is agitated he may throw me into the pool; but while I am coming, another goes down before me.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
The sick man answered, "Sir, there is no one to help me get into the water when it starts moving. I try to be the first one into the water. But when I try, someone else always goes in before I can."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
The sicke answered him: Syr I have no man whe the water is troubled to put me into the pole. But in the meane tyme whill I am about to come another steppeth doune before me.

Hebrew Names Version
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I'm coming, another steps down before me."

International Standard Version
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I don't have anyone to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I'm trying to get there, someone else steps down ahead of me."

New American Standard Bible
The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

New Century Version
The sick man answered, "Sir, there is no one to help me get into the pool when the water starts moving. While I am coming to the water, someone else always gets in before me."

Update Bible Version
The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steps down before me.

Webster's Bible Translation
The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is agitated, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

English Standard Version
The sick man answered him, "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."

World English Bible
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I'm coming, another steps down before me."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
The infirm man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the bath, when the water is troubled; and while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

Weymouth's New Testament
"Sir," replied the sufferer, "I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is moved; but while I am coming some one else steps down before me."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The sijk man answerde to hym, Lord, Y haue no man, that whanne the watir is moued, to putte me `in to the cisterne; for the while Y come, anothir goith doun bifor me.

English Revised Version
The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

Berean Standard Bible
"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am on my way, someone else goes in before me."

Contemporary English Version
The man answered, "Lord, I don't have anyone to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up. I try to get in, but someone else always gets there first."

Amplified Bible
The invalid answered, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am coming [to get into it myself], someone else steps down ahead of me."

American Standard Version
The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

Bible in Basic English
The ill man said in answer, Sir, I have nobody to put me into the bath when the water is moving; and while I am on the way down some other person gets in before me.

Complete Jewish Bible
The sick man answered, "I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is disturbed; and while I'm trying to get there, someone goes in ahead of me."

Darby Translation
The infirm [man] answered him, Sir, I have not a man, in order, when the water has been troubled, to cast me into the pool; but while I am coming another descends before me.

Etheridge Translation
The diseased man answered and said, Yes, my Lord; but I have no man who, when the waters are moved, shall cast me into the pool: but while I am coming, another before me descendeth.

Murdock Translation
And the sick man answered and said: Yes, my lord; but I have no one who, when the water is moved, will put me into the baptistery; but while I am coming, another descendeth before me.

King James Version (1611)
The impotent man answered him, Sir, I haue no man when the water is troubled, to put mee into the poole: but while I am comming, another steppeth downe before me.

New Living Translation
"I can't, sir," the sick man said, "for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me."

New Life Bible
The sick man said, "Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is moving. While I am coming, another one gets in first."

New Revised Standard
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me."

Geneva Bible (1587)
The sicke man answered him, Sir, I haue no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the poole: but while I am comming, another steppeth downe before me.

George Lamsa Translation
The sick man answered and said, Yes, my Lord; but I have no man, when the water is stirred up, to put me into the baptismal pool; but while I am coming, another one goes in before me.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
The sick man answered him - Sir! I have, no man, that, as soon as the water hath been troubled, might thrust me into the pool; but, while, I, am coming, another, before me, goeth down.

Douay-Rheims Bible
The infirm man answered him: Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pond. For whilst I am coming, another goeth down before me.

Revised Standard Version
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
The sicke man aunswered him: Sir, I haue no man whe the water is troubled to put me into the poole: But in the meane time, while I am about to come, another steppeth downe before me.

Good News Translation
The sick man answered, "Sir, I don't have anyone here to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am trying to get in, somebody else gets there first."

Christian Standard Bible®
“Sir,” the disabled man answered, “I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I’m coming, someone goes down ahead of me.”

King James Version
The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

Lexham English Bible
The one who was sick answered him, "Sir, I do not have anyone that, whenever the water is stirred up, could put me into the pool. But while I am coming, another goes down before me."

Young's Literal Translation
The ailing man answered him, `Sir, I have no man, that, when the water may be troubled, he may put me into the pool, and while I am coming, another doth go down before me.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The sicke answered him: Syr, I haue no man, whan the water is moued, to put me in to the pole. And whan I come, another steppeth downe in before me.

Mace New Testament (1729)
the sick man answered him, sir, I have nobody to put me into the pool when the water has been agitated: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

THE MESSAGE
The sick man said, "Sir, when the water is stirred, I don't have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in."

New English Translation
The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get into the water, someone else goes down there before me."

New King James Version
The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

Simplified Cowboy Version
"Sir, when the angel stirs the water, the first one in is healed, but someone always gets there before me."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

Legacy Standard Bible
The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

Contextual Overview

¹ After these things, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ² And at Jerusalem is a pool at the Sheep Gate which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. ³ In these was a great multitude of the infirm lying, blind ones, lame ones, withered ones, awaiting the stirring of the water. ⁴ For an angel at a certain time descended in the pool and agitated the water. Then the one first entering after the agitation of the water became well, whatever disease he was held by. ⁵ But a certain man was there, being in infirmity thirty eight years. ⁶ Seeing him lying, and knowing that he had already spent much time, Jesus said to him, Do you desire to become well? ⁷ The infirm one answered Him, Lord, I do not have a man, that when the water is agitated he may throw me into the pool; but while I am coming, another goes down before me. ⁸ Jesus said to him, Rise up, Take up your cot and walk! ⁹ And instantly the man became well, and took up his cot and walked. And it was a sabbath that day. ¹⁰ Then the Jews said to the one having been healed, It is a sabbath. It is not lawful for you to lift up the cot.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I have: Deuteronomy 32:36, Psalms 72:12, Psalms 142:4, Romans 5:6, 2 Corinthians 1:8-10

before: John 5:4, 1 Corinthians 9:24

Reciprocal: Acts 14:8 - impotent

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The impotent man answered him, Sir,.... Which was a common and courteous way of speaking, much in use with the Jews, especially to strangers. The Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions read, "yea Lord", which is a direct answer to the question:

I have no man; the Ethiopic version reads, "men"; he had no servant, so Nonnus, or servants, to wait upon him, and take him up in their arms, and carry him into the pool; he was a poor man, and such God is pleased to choose and call by his grace:

when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool; that is, as soon as it is troubled by the angel, to put him in first before any other; for it was the first man only that had a cure this way:

but while I am coming; in a slow way, by the help of his crutches, or in the best manner he could:

another steppeth down before me; not so much disordered, or more active and nimble: so among those that wait on the ministry of the word, some are sooner in Christ, or earlier called by his grace, than others; some lie here a long time, and see one and another come to Christ, believe in him, profess his name, and are received into the church; and they still left, in an uncalled and unconverted estate.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Sir, I have no man ... - The answer of the man implied that he did wish it, but, in addition to all his other trials, he had no “friend” to aid him. This is an additional circumstance that heightened his affliction.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 5:7. Sir, I have no man — Ναι, Κυριε - "Yes, sir; but I have no man:" - this is the reading of C*GH, fourteen others, both the Syriac, later Persic, Arabic, and Chrysostom. Reader, be thankful to God for health and outward comforts. When long affliction has been allied to deep poverty, how deplorable is the state!