1  In the multitude he lay there

    With a sickness many years;

    Impotent and lying helpless,

    Every fraught with many fears.

    Waiting for the water's moving,

    Waiting for the angel's stir;

    Powerless to move, however,

    Helpless, hopeless, lying there.

 2  At this pool how clear the picture

    Of the hopeless case of all

    Who are seeking self-perfection

    To recover from the fall.

    Though the law is good and holy,

    Flesh, to keep the law, is dead;

    What we need is not religion,

    But the Word of life instead.

 3  Though it's feast day, he's not happy,

    Though the Sabbath, there's no rest;

    Lying in his poor condition,

    Miserable and sore depressed.

    At that moment Jesus saw him,

    Knowing he was thus so long.

    "Will you be made whole?" He asked him,

    "Healed and walking, well and strong?'

 4  Though he told his hopeless story,

    Scarce believing what he'd heard,

    Yet, soon to his feet arising,

    He received the living word.

    This is all our situation,

    We — like him — were lying there

    In the sheep-fold of religion,

    Under law's prevailing care.

 5  While we yet were weak and helpless,

    Christ the Son of God did come.

    By His word we're now enlivened;

    He's the life-imparting One!

    Hallelujah for this Jesus,

    He's the Word of life to men;

    For law's bondage He releases,

    Death is turned to life again!