Giovanni 5:16

The words, “and sought to slay Him,” should be omitted. They have been inserted in some MSS. to explain the first clause of Giovanni 5:18. For “He had done,” read He was doing. The word is in the imperfect tense, expressing continuance or custom. It is either that from this one instance they generalise a law of practice to justify their persecution, or that some of the earlier unrecorded miracles were also performed on the Sabbath. (Comp. Luca 6:1.)