# John 5.28-29

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 26. <span class="rl-speech">For as the Father hath life in himself, even so gave he to the Son also to have life in himself:</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">and he gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.</span>
>
> **28. <span class="rl-speech">Marvel not at this: for the hour cometh, in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice,</span> 29. <span class="rl-speech">and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.</span>**
>
> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.</span> (John 5:26-31, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 26. <span class="rl-speech">For as the Father has life in himself, even so he gave to the Son also to have life in himself.</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">He also gave him authority to execute judgment, because he is a son of man.</span>
>
> **28. <span class="rl-speech">Don’t marvel at this, for the hour comes, in which all that are in the tombs will hear his voice,</span> 29. <span class="rl-speech">and will come out; those who have done good, to the resurrection of life; and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.</span>**
>
> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">“If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid.</span> (John 5:26-31, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 26. <span class="rl-speech">For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.</span>
>
> **28. <span class="rl-speech">Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,</span> 29. <span class="rl-speech">And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.</span>**
>
> 30. <span class="rl-speech">I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.</span> (John 5:26-31, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 26. <span class="rl-speech">for, as the Father hath life in himself, so He gave also to the Son to have life in himself,</span> 27. <span class="rl-speech">and authority He gave him also to do judgment, because he is Son of Man.</span>
>
> **28. <span class="rl-speech">'Wonder not at this, because there doth come an hour in which all those in the tombs shall hear his voice,</span> 29. <span class="rl-speech">and they shall come forth; those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practised the evil things to a rising again of judgment.</span>**
>
> 30. <span class="rl-speech">'I am not able of myself to do anything; according as I hear I judge, and my judgment is righteous, because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who sent me.</span> 31. <span class="rl-speech">'If I testify concerning myself, my testimony is not true;</span> (John 5:26-31, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G0386 - anastasis](/codex/g0386-anastasis/), *anastasis* (Strong's G386). Also appears in: [Matthew 22.30](/codex/matthew-22-30/), [Mark 12](/codex/mark-12/), [Luke 20.34-36](/codex/luke-20-34-36/).
- [G2222 - zoe](/codex/g2222-zoe/), *zoe* (Strong's G2222). Also appears in: [Matthew 7.13-14](/codex/matthew-7-13-14/), [Matthew 19](/codex/matthew-19/), [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/).
- [G2920 - krisis](/codex/g2920-krisis/), *krisis* (Strong's G2920). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.21-22](/codex/matthew-5-21-22/), [Matthew 23](/codex/matthew-23/), [Mark 3.20-30](/codex/mark-3-20-30/).
- [G3956 - pas](/codex/g3956-pas/), *pas* (Strong's G3956). Also appears in: [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 2.1-6](/codex/matthew-2-1-6/), [Matthew 2.16](/codex/matthew-2-16/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from the Information-Conservation Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-information-conservation-convergence/)
- [Conditional Immortality from Text-First Method](/codex/conditional-immortality-from-text-first-method/)

**Concepts:**

- [Christianity](/codex/christianity/)
- [Eschatology](/codex/eschatology/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 5](/codex/john-5/)
- [Resurrection](/codex/g0386-anastasis/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0386 - anastasis](/codex/g0386-anastasis/)
- [G1453 - egeiro](/codex/g1453-egeiro/)
- [G2920 - krisis](/codex/g2920-krisis/), via [John 5.22-30](/codex/john-5-22-30/), [John 5.29](/codex/john-5-29/), [John 5.29-30](/codex/john-5-29-30/)

**Passages:**

- [Daniel 12.2](/codex/daniel-12-2/)

**Other pages:**

- [Resurrection of the Body](/codex/resurrection-of-the-body/)

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