Bethesda or Bethzatha in John 5:2?

The textual tradition of John 5:2 shows quite a variation in spelling the name of the pool, now commonly called, "Bethesda". These include:

• Βηθζαθά (Bethzatha)
• Βηθεσδά (Bethesda)
• Βηδσαϊδά (Bedsaida)
• Βηδσαϊδάν (Bethsaidan)
• Βησσαϊδά (Bessaida)
• Βηθσαϊδά (Bethsaida)
• Βηζαθά (Bezatha)
• Βελζεθά (Belzetha)
• Bet(h)zet(h)a in some Latin texts
• Belzatha in some Italla texts

For details of which name/spelling occurs in which manuscripts, see UBS5. However, I note that the editors (with no certainty at all) settled on the text of Βηθζαθά (Bethzatha) but Βηθεσδά (Bethesda) is in the majority of latter MSS and became the standardized spelling.

This suggests that the pool may have had more than one spelling in the 1st century.

In his "Textual Commentary of the GNT", Bruce Metzger offers these remarks about John 5:2 -

Of the several variant readings, Βηθσαϊδά has strong attestation but is suspect as an assimilation to the town of Bethsaida on the sea of Galilee, mentioned in 1:44. Βηθεσδά, though widely supported is also suspect as a scribal alteration originally introduced because of its edifying etymology (בֵּית חֶסְדָּא "House of [Divine] Mercy"). In the opinion of the majority of the committee the least unsatisfactory reading appears to be Βηθζαθά (א 33 Eusebius), of which Βηζαθά (L it(c)) and perhaps Βελζεθά (D it (a, d, e)) may be variant spellings. The Copper Scroll discovered in Qumran contains a reference to a pool at Betheshdathayim [Heb: "place of poured out water"] which the majority of the committee interpreted as corroborating the reading Βηθεσδά.

Remember this is a textual issue. The textual committees for the NA and UBS tests selected Βηθζαθά (Bethzatha) for the most likely text. This is not as simple as studying the geography. I tend to leave an answer like this to the textual experts. They study things such as does the variation match a copyist error? or does it look like the copyist tried to correct an error? All this keeping track of the ages of the texts and their parent texts.

5:2 Βηθζαθά {C}

Of the several variant readings, Βηθσαϊδά has strong attestation but is suspect as an assimilation to the town of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee, mentioned in 1:44. Βηθεσδά, though widely supported, is also suspect as a scribal alteration originally introduced because of its edifying etymology (‮בֵּית חֶסְדָּא‬, “House of [Divine] Mercy”). In the opinion of a majority of the Committee the least unsatisfactory reading appears to be Βηθζαθά (א 33 Eusebius), of which Βηζαθά (L ite) and perhaps Βελζεθά (D it(), , ) may be variant spellings. The Copper Scroll discovered at Qumran contains a reference to a pool at Betheshdathayim, which the minority of the Committee interpreted as corroborating the reading Βηθεσδά.

Metzger, B. M., United Bible Societies. (1994). A textual commentary on the Greek New Testament, second edition a companion volume to the United Bible Societies’ Greek New Testament (4th rev. ed.) (pp. 178–179). United Bible Societies.

Bethsaida was a Galilean fishing town. Jesus referred to it several times as one of the sites that rejected him during his early ministry. John 1:44 says it was the hometown of three of the disciples. It is well attested historically. Although it is not mentioned in the Old Testament, it is referred to by Josephus, Pliny, and others. According to Josephus, Herod Philip transformed the village of Bethsaida —situated on the Jordan where it discharges into the Sea of Galilee - into a large town.

Bethesda was the name of a healing pool that John's gospel locates in Jerusalem. The pool was unknown outside of the NT until it became a pilgrimage site. Several locations in Jerusalem have been suggested.

Although scribal confusion may have cropped up in various manuscripts that mentioned the two locations, I would rule out that they were in fact the same place. John speaks of them both, with very specific distinctions. One was a Galilean town clearly known to ancient historians. The other was a healing pool in Jerusalem. As a fishing town, Bethsaida would naturally called the "house/place of fishermen." Bethesda's meaning as a "place of mercy" also follows logically from its function.