What Does John 5:9 Mean in the King James?
And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The man’s wholeness becomes visible in the reversal: the one who lay on the mat now carries it and walks.
THE MEANING
Wholeness appears as an immediate change in the body: the man lifts the mat and walks. The detail that this happens on the Sabbath keeps the day of rest inside the scene even as movement begins.
THE ROOT
ὑγιὴς
hygiēs
GROWS FROM
ὑγι-
hygi-
A Greek word-family stem associated with health and soundness.
“made whole” in this verse is hygiēs. The phrase ὑγιὴς ἐγένετο (hygiēs egeneto, “became healthy and sound”) names the man’s bodily soundness, which his walking makes visible. The same word-family describes “sound” teaching, linking bodily health and soundness of understanding in the language itself.
ALSO GROWS
hygiainō: To be healthy or sound; also used of sound teaching.
ὑγιαίνω
This branch shows that the word-family can describe soundness beyond the body, while the verse keeps bodily health in view.
hygieia: Health or soundness.
ὑγίεια
This noun keeps the family’s concrete sense of health beneath the English word “whole.”
περιεπάτει
periepatei
GROWS FROM
πατέω
pateō
To tread, step, or walk upon.
“walked” in this verse is periepatei. The verb περιπατέω (peripateō, “walk about”) names the man’s actual bodily movement here and can also describe a person’s way of walking through life. The wider sense does not erase the physical one: the verse shows his changed path first in the body.
ALSO GROWS
peripateō: To walk or walk about; also to describe one’s way of life.
περιπατέω
In this verse the word means literal walking, making the restoration visible in movement.
katapateō: To tread down or trample.
καταπατέω
This related compound keeps the base’s sense of stepping and treading close to the man’s newly restored walk.
THE PATTERN
Restoration becomes visible when a body once unable to move stands, walks, or leaps.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.THE THREAD
When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?The same Greek word, ὑγιής (hygiēs, “healthy” or “sound”), names what is asked about in verse 6 and what becomes true here. The question’s word for wholeness returns as a bodily change the reader can see in the man’s rising and walking.
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