Bible in Basic English
"One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years."
— John 5:5, Bible in Basic English
“A certain man was there, who had been sick for thirty-eight years.”
Now in Jerusalem near the sheep-market there is a public bath which in Hebrew is named Beth-zatha. It has five doorways.
In these doorways there were a great number of people with different diseases: some unable to see, some without the power of walking, some with wasted bodies.
One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
When Jesus saw him there on the floor it was clear to him that he had been now a long time in that condition, and so he said to the man, Is it your desire to get well?
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.
Jesus said to him, Get up, take your bed and go.