And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

People's New Testament

5:16 The Jews persecute Jesus. The word dioko is literally rendered pursued. At once they hunted Jesus and attacked him.

And sought to slay him. They did not at first seek to slay him. This is omitted in the Revised Version and does not appear in the old MSS. But the officials now come to Jesus to learn why he has done this act.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. because he had done these things on the sabbath day-What to these hypocritical religionists was the doing of the most glorious and beneficent miracles, compared with the atrocity of doing them on the sabbath day! Having given them this handle, on purpose to raise the first public controversy with them, and thus open a fitting opportunity of laying His claims before them, He rises at once to the whole height of them, in a statement which for grandeur and terseness exceeds almost anything that ever afterwards fell from Him, at least to His enemies.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

5:10-16 Those eased of the punishment of sin, are in danger of returning to sin, when the terror and restraint are over, unless Divine grace dries up the fountain. The misery believers are made whole from, warns us to sin no more, having felt the smart of sin. This is the voice of every providence, Go, and sin no more. Christ saw it necessary to give this caution; for it is common for people, when sick, to promise much; when newly recovered, to perform only something; but after awhile to forget all. Christ spoke of the wrath to come, which is beyond compare worse than the many hours, nay, weeks and years of pain, some wicked men have to suffer in consequence of their unlawful indulgences. And if such afflictions are severe, how dreadful will be the everlasting punishment of the wicked!