Healing the Man Born Blind

9 While He was passing by, He noticed a man [who had been] blind from birth. ² His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), who ^[a]sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” ³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed and illustrated in him. ⁴ We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world [giving guidance through My word and works].” ⁶ When He had said this, He spat on the ground and made mud with His saliva, and He spread the mud [like an ointment] on the man’s eyes. ⁷ And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of ^[b]Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. ⁸ So the neighbors, and those who used to know him as a beggar, said, “Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some said, “It is he.” Still others said, “No, but he looks like him.” But he kept saying, “I am the man.” ¹⁰ So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He replied, “The Man called Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received my sight!” ¹² They asked him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

Controversy over the Man

¹³ Then they brought the man who was formerly blind to the Pharisees. ¹⁴ Now it was on a Sabbath day that Jesus made the mud and opened the man’s eyes. ¹⁵ So the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He smeared mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.” ¹⁶ Then some of the Pharisees said, “This Man [Jesus] is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner (a non-observant Jew) do such signs and miracles?” So there was a difference of opinion among them. ¹⁷ Accordingly they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “[It must be that] He is a ^[c]prophet!”

¹⁸ However, the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the man’s parents. ¹⁹ They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” ²⁰ His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; ²¹ but as to how he now sees, we do not know; or who has opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him [and stop asking us]; ^[d]he is of age, he will speak for himself and give his own account of it.” ²² His parents said this because they were afraid of [the leaders of] the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged Jesus to be the Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated). ²³ Because of this his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

²⁴ So a second time they called the man who had been [born] blind, and said to him, “Give God glory and praise [for your sight]! We know this Man [Jesus] is a sinner [separated from God].” ²⁵ Then he answered, “I do not know whether He is a sinner [separated from God]; but one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” ²⁶ So they said to him, “What did He [actually] do to you? How did He open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered, “I already told you and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again and again? Do you want to become His disciples, too?” ²⁸ And [at that remark] they stormed at him and jeered, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! ²⁹ We know [for certain] that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this Man, we do not know where He is from.” ³⁰ The man replied, “Well, this is astonishing! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes! ³¹ We know [according to your tradition] that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone fears God and does His will, He hears him. ³² Since the ^[e]beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. ³³ If this Man were not from God, He would not be able to do anything [like this because God would not hear His prayer].” ³⁴ They answered him, “You were ^[f]born entirely in sins [from head to foot], and you [presume to] teach us?” Then they threw him out [of the synagogue].

Jesus Affirms His Deity

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had ^[g]put him out [of the synagogue], and finding him, He asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” ³⁶ He answered, “Who is He, Sir? Tell me so that I may believe in Him.” ³⁷ Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and [in fact] He is the one who is talking with you.” ³⁸ And he said, “Lord, I believe [in You and Your word]!” And he worshiped Him [with reverence and awe]. ³⁹ Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment [to separate those who believe in Me from those who reject Me—to declare judgment on those who choose to be separated from God], so that the sightless would see, and those who see would become blind.” ⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “Are we also blind?” ⁴¹ Jesus said to them, “If you were blind [to spiritual things], you would have no sin [and would not be blamed for your unbelief]; but since you claim to have [spiritual] sight, [you have no excuse so] your sin and guilt remain.^(A)