Discovery BoxJohn 5:16 
ContextResponding to Jewish Leaders
5:16 Now because Jesus was doing these things 1 on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders 2 began persecuting 3 him.
John 5:18
Context5:18 For this reason the Jewish leaders 4 were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God.
1 sn Note the plural phrase these things which seems to indicate that Jesus healed on the Sabbath more than once (cf. John 20:30). The synoptic gospels show this to be true; the incident in 5:1-15 has thus been chosen by the author as representative.
2 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.
3 tn Or “harassing.”
4 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.
