Psalm 37^[a]

Of David.

13 ¹ Now in the church at Antioch^(A) there were prophets^(B) and teachers:^(C) Barnabas,^(D) Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,^(E) Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod^(F) the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,^(G) “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work^(H) to which I have called them.”^{(I) 3} So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them^(J) and sent them off.^(K)

On Cyprus

⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit,^(L) went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus.^{(M) 5} When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God^(N) in the Jewish synagogues.^(O) John^(P) was with them as their helper.

⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer^(Q) and false prophet^(R) named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul,^(S) Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer^(T) (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul^(U) from the faith.^{(V) 9} Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit,^(W) looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil^(X) and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?^{(Y) 11} Now the hand of the Lord is against you.^(Z) You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”^(AA)

Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul^(AB) saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,^(A) who sinned,^(B) this man^(C) or his parents,^(D) that he was born blind?”

³ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.^{(E) 4} As long as it is day,^(F) we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”^(G)

⁶ After saying this, he spit^(H) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. ⁷ “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”^(I) (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.^(J)

⁸ His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”^{(K) 9} Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

¹⁰ “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

¹¹ He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”^(L)

¹² “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴ Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.^{(M) 15} Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.^(N) “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”^(O)

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”^(P) So they were divided.^(Q)

¹⁷ Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”^(R)