---
title: John 5:18
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/john-5-18/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/john-5-18.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: John 5:18
testament: NT
section: Gospels
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# John 5:18

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him. Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

## JW Usage

JWs acknowledge that the Jews accused Jesus of "making himself equal to God" in John 5:18, but argue this was a false charge that Jesus never endorsed. The Watchtower teaches that Jesus responded by emphasising his subordination to the Father (John 5:19-30), proving he did not claim deity. "Son of God" is understood as a title of appointment and honour, not an ontological claim to share God's nature.

## Protestant Usage

John 5:18 records that the Jews understood Jesus' claim to have God as "his own Father" (Greek: patera idion) as "making himself equal to God." The narrator reports this as a factual observation, not a misunderstanding the reader should dismiss. In John's Gospel, "Son of God" is the very claim the Jews considered blasphemy punishable by death — John 10:33 makes this explicit: "you, being a man, make yourself God." Jesus' response in John 5:19-30 does not deny equality; it explains its nature: the Son does everything the Father does (v. 19), gives life as the Father gives life (v. 21), judges as the Father entrusts judgment (v. 22), and receives the same honour as the Father (v. 23). When Thomas later confesses "My Lord and my God" (John 20:28), Jesus commends his faith without correction — unlike the angel who rebukes worship in Revelation 22:8-9.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [Thomas' Confession: My Lord and My God](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/john20-28-thomas.md) — John 20:28 [Deity of Christ]
- [Peter's Confession — 'The Son of the Living God'](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/peter-confession-son-of-god.md) — Matthew 16:16-17 / John 5:18 / John 10:33-36 [Deity of Christ]
- [Gods Who Die and God to Pharaoh Don't Parallel Jesus](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/psalm82-exodus71-gods-parallel.md) — Psalm 82:6-7 / Exodus 7:1 / John 10:34-36 [Deity of Christ]
- [The Trial That Proved Jesus Claimed to Be God](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/mark14-trial-deity-claim.md) — Mark 14:60-64 [Deity of Christ]
- [Liar, Lunatic, or Lord — There Is No Fourth Option](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/liar-lunatic-lord.md) — John 8:58 / John 10:30 / Mark 14:62 [Deity of Christ]