John 9
New King James Version
A Man Born Blind Receives Sight
9 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, (A)who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, (B)but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 (C)I[a] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is (D)day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, (E)I am the light of the world.”
6 When He had said these things, (F)He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash (G)in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So (H)he went and washed, and came back seeing.
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was [b]blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, [c]“He is like him.”
He said, “I am he.”
10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered and said, (I)“A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to [d]the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”
He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man
13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not [e]keep the Sabbath.”
Others said, (J)“How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And (K)there was a division among them.
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”
He said, (L)“He is a prophet.”
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because (M)they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he (N)would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, (O)“Give God the glory! (P)We know that this Man is a sinner.”
25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God (Q)spoke to (R)Moses; as for this fellow, (S)we do not know where He is from.”
30 The man answered and said to them, (T)“Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that (U)God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 (V)If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, (W)“You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they [f]cast him out.
True Vision and True Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had (X)found him, He said to him, “Do you (Y)believe in (Z)the Son of [g]God?”
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and (AA)it is He who is talking with you.”
38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he (AB)worshiped Him.
39 And Jesus said, (AC)“For judgment I have come into this world, (AD)that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, (AE)and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
41 Jesus said to them, (AF)“If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
John 9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
The Man Born Blind. 1 [a]As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth.(A) 2 [b]His disciples asked him,(B) “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.(C) 4 We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.(D) 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(E) 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes,(F) 7 and said to him, “Go wash[c] in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see.(G)
8 His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” 10 So they said to him, “[So] how were your eyes opened?” 11 He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.”
13 They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now Jesus had made clay[d] and opened his eyes on a sabbath.(H) 15 So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” 16 So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” [But] others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them.(I) 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”(J)
18 Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” 20 His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” 22 [e](K)His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Messiah, he would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.”(L)
24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give God the praise![f] We know that this man is a sinner.”(M) 25 He replied, “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 They ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.”(N) 30 The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.(O) 32 [g]It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.”(P) 34 They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.
35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.”(Q) 38 He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. 39 [h]Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”(R)
40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?”(S) 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.(T)
Footnotes
- 9:1–10:21 Sabbath healing of the man born blind. This sixth sign is introduced to illustrate the saying, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12; 9:5). The narrative of conflict about Jesus contrasts Jesus (light) with the Jews (blindness, Jn 9:39–41). The theme of water is reintroduced in the reference to the pool of Siloam. Ironically, Jesus is being judged by the Jews, yet the Jews are judged by the Light of the world; cf. Jn 3:19–21.
- 9:2 See note on Jn 5:14, and Ex 20:5, that parents’ sins were visited upon their children. Jesus denies such a cause and emphasizes the purpose: the infirmity was providential.
- 9:7 Go wash: perhaps a test of faith; cf. 2 Kgs 5:10–14. The water tunnel Siloam (= Sent) is used as a symbol of Jesus, sent by his Father.
- 9:14 In using spittle, kneading clay, and healing, Jesus had broken the sabbath rules laid down by Jewish tradition.
- 9:22 This comment of the evangelist (in terms used again in Jn 12:42; 16:2) envisages a situation after Jesus’ ministry. Rejection/excommunication from the synagogue of Jews who confessed Jesus as Messiah seems to have begun ca. A.D. 85, when the curse against the mînîm or heretics was introduced into the “Eighteen Benedictions.”
- 9:24 Give God the praise!: an Old Testament formula of adjuration to tell the truth; cf. Jos 7:19; 1 Sm 6:5 LXX. Cf. Jn 5:41.
- 9:32 A person born blind: the only Old Testament cure from blindness is found in Tobit (cf. Tb 7:7; 11:7–13; 14:1–2), but Tobit was not born blind.
- 9:39–41 These verses spell out the symbolic meaning of the cure; the Pharisees are not the innocent blind, willing to accept the testimony of others.
John 9
Wycliffe Bible
9 And Jesus passing, saw a man blind from the birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, Master, who sinned, this man, or his elders [And his disciples asked him, Rabbi, that is, Master, who sinned, this man, or his father and mother], that he should be born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither this man sinned, neither his elders [neither his father and mother]; but that the works of God be showed in him.
4 It behooveth me to work the works of him that sent me, as long as the day is [the while the day is]; the night shall come, when no man may work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6 When he had said these things, he spat into the earth, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the clay on his eyes,
7 and said to him, Go, and be thou washed in the water of Siloam, that is to say, Sent. Then he went, and washed, and came seeing. [and said to him, Go, and be thou washen in the water, or cistern, of Siloam, that is interpreted, Sent. Therefore he went, and washed, and came seeing.]
8 And so neighbours, and they that had seen him before, for he was a beggar, said, Whether this is not he, that sat, and begged?
9 Other men said, That this it is; and other men said, Nay, but he is like him. But he said, I am [he].
10 Therefore they said to him, How be thine eyes opened?
11 He answered, That man, that is said Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said to me, Go thou to the water of Siloam, and wash [Go thou to the water, or cistern, of Siloam, and wash]; and I went, and washed, and saw.
12 And they said to him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
13 They led him that was blind to the Pharisees.
14 And it was sabbath, when Jesus made clay, and opened his eyes.
15 Again the Pharisees asked him, how he had seen. And he said to them, He laid to me clay on the eyes [He put to me clay on the eyes]; and I washed, and I see.
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, This man is not of God, that keepeth not the sabbath. Other men said, How may a sinful man do these signs. And strife was among them. [Therefore some of the Pharisees said, This man is not of God, for he keepeth not the sabbath. Other men said, How may a man sinner do these signs, or miracles? And division was among them.]
17 Therefore they said again to the blind man [Therefore they say again to the blind man], What sayest thou of him, that opened thine eyes? And he said, That he is a prophet.
18 Therefore the Jews believed not of him, that he was blind, and had seen, till they called his father and mother, that had seen.
19 And they asked them, and said, Is this your son, which ye say was born blind [And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, whom ye say, for he is born blind]? how then seeth he now?
20 His father and mother answered to them, and said, We know, that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
21 but how he seeth now, we know not, or who opened his eyes, we know not; ask ye him, he hath age, speak he of himself.
22 His father and mother said these things, for they dreaded the Jews; for then the Jews had conspired [forsooth now the Jews had conspired], that if any man acknowledged him Christ, he should be done out of the synagogue.
23 Therefore his father and mother said, That he hath age, ask ye him.
24 Therefore again they called the man, that was blind, and said to him, Give thou glory to God; we know, that this man is a sinner.
25 Then he said, If he is a sinner, I know not; one thing I know, that when I was blind, now I see.
26 Therefore they said to him, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
27 He answered to them, I said to you now, and ye heard; what will ye again hear? whether [and] ye will be made his disciples?
28 Therefore they cursed him, and said, Be thou his disciple; we be [the] disciples of Moses.
29 We know, that God spake to Moses; but we know not this, of whence he is.
30 That man answered, and said to them, For in this is a wonderful thing, that ye know not, of whence he is, and he hath opened mine eyes.
31 And we know, that God heareth not sinful men, but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, he heareth him. [Soothly we know, for God heareth not sinners, but if any man is worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.]
32 From the world it is not heard, that any man opened the eyes of a blind-born man;
33 but this man were of God, he might not do any thing.
34 They answered, and said to him, Thou art all born in sins, and teachest thou us? And they put him out. [They answered, and said to him, Thou art all born in sins, and thou teachest us? And they cast him out.]
35 Jesus heard, that they had put him out [Jesus heard, for they had cast him out]; and when he had found him, he said to him, Believest thou in the Son of God?
36 He answered, and said, Lord, who is he, that I believe in him?
37 And Jesus said to him, And thou hast seen him, and he it is, that speaketh with thee.
38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he fell down, and worshipped him.
39 Therefore Jesus said to him, I came into this world, into doom, that they that see not, see, and they that see, be made blind.
40 And some of the Pharisees heard, that were with him, and they said to him, Whether [and] we be blind?
41 Jesus said to them, If ye were blind, ye should not have sin; but now ye say, That we see, your sin dwelleth still [your sin dwelleth].
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
2001 by Terence P. Noble