Jesus visited this retreat of misery, and his eye rested upon this helpless invalid. The poor creature was weak and despairing, but as the looked-for moment arrived, he gathered his feeble energies in a last effort to reach the water, but, just as he had almost gained his object, another stepped in before him. He crept back to his pallet to die. But a pitying face bends over him, saying, “Wilt thou be made whole?” The desponding man looked up, thinking it might be some one who had come to assist him into the pool; but the faint glow of encouragement faded out of his heart when he remembered that it was too late, his opportunity for that time was gone, and, in his state of sickness and exposure, he could scarcely hope that he might live to see another. {2SP 158.1}

Jesus besøgte dette tilflugtssted for de syge, og hans øje hvile på den hjælpeløse mand. Den stakkels skabning var svag og fortvivlet; men da øjeblikket kom, som han havde længtes efter, opbød han sine sidste kræfter, idet han forsøgte at nå vandet; men netop som han var lige ved at opnå sit ønske, steg en anden ned før ham. Han slæbte sig tilbage til sin måtte for at dø. Da bøjede et medlidende ansigt sig ned over ham og sagde: " "Vil" du re rask?" Det fortvivlede menneske så op og tænkte, at det var en anden, som kom for at hjælpe ham hen til dammen. Men den svage strålede af håb forsvandt snart, idet han erindrede, at det var for sent; lejligheden var forbi for denne gang, og han var så syg og elendig, at han næppe kunne håbe at leve, indtil der blev en ny anledning.