John 9
English Standard Version
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, (A)“Rabbi, (B)who sinned, (C)this man or (D)his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but (E)that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must (F)work the works of him who sent me (G)while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, (H)I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, (I)he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. (J)Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in (K)the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and (L)came back seeing.
8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, (M)“Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, (N)“The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 (O)Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 (P)So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not (Q)from God, (R)for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, (S)“How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And (T)there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, (U)“He is a prophet.”
18 (V)The Jews[a] did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things (W)because they feared the Jews, for (X)the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should (Y)confess Jesus[b] to be Christ, (Z)he was to be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, (AA)“He is of age; ask him.”)
24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, (AB)“Give glory to God. We know that (AC)this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I (AD)was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, (AE)“I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but (AF)we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, (AG)we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is (AH)an amazing thing! (AI)You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that (AJ)God does not listen to sinners, but (AK)if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 (AL)If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, (AM)“You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they (AN)cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in (AO)the Son of Man?”[c] 36 He answered, (AP)“And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and (AQ)it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, (AR)“For judgment I came into this world, (AS)that those who do not see may see, and (AT)those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, (AU)“Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, (AV)you would have no guilt;[d] but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
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
1599 Geneva Bible
9 1 Christ giveth sight on the Sabbath day, to him that was born blind. 13 Whom, after he had long reasoned against the Pharisees, 22, 35 and was cast out of the Synagogue, 36 Christ endueth with the knowledge of the everlasting light.
1 And [a]as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, [b]Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be showed on him.
4 [c]I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is [d]day: the night cometh when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, (A)I am the light of the world.
6 [e]As soon as he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind with the clay,
7 And said unto him, Go wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore and washed, and came again seeing.
8 [f]Now the neighbors and they that had seen him before, when he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
9 Some said, This is he: and others said, He is like him: but he himself said, I am he.
10 Therefore they said unto him, How were thine eyes [g]opened?
11 He answered, and said, The man that is called Jesus, made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and received sight.
12 Then they said unto him, Where is he? He said, I cannot tell.
13 ¶ They brought to the Pharisees him that was once blind.
14 And it was the Sabbath day, when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him, how he had received sight. And he said unto them, He laid clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
16 [h]Then said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner, do such miracles? and there was a dissension among them.
17 Then spake they unto the blind again, What sayest thou of him, because he hath opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a Prophet.
18 Then the Jews did not believe him (that he had been blind, and received his sight) until they had called the parents of him that had received sight.
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, whom ye say was born blind? How doth he now see then?
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 seeth, we know not: or who hath opened his eyes, can we not tell: he is old enough: ask him: he shall answer for himself.
22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had ordained already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be excommunicated out of the Synagogue.
23 Therefore said his parents, He is old enough: ask him.
24 Then again called they the man that had been blind, and said unto him, [i]Give glory unto God: we know that this man is a [j]sinner.
25 Then he answered, and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I cannot tell: one thing I know, that I was blind, and now I see.
26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye have not heard it: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
28 [k]Then reviled they him, and said, Be thou his disciple: we be Moses’ disciples.
29 We know that God spake with Moses: but this man we know not from whence he is.
30 The man answered, and said unto them, Doubtless, this is a marvelous thing, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him heareth he.
32 Since the world began, was it not heard, that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
33 If this man were not of God, he could have done nothing.
34 They answered, and said unto him, [l]Thou art altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? so they cast him out.
35 [m]Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe in the Son of God?
36 He answered, and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe in him?
37 And Jesus said unto him, Both thou hast seen him, and he it is that talketh with thee.
38 Then he said, Lord, I believe, and worshipped him.
39 [n]And Jesus said, I am come unto [o]judgment into this world, that they [p]which see not, might see: and that they (B)which see, might be made blind.
40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him, heard these things, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should not have sin: but now ye say, We see: therefore your sin remaineth.
Footnotes
- John 9:1 Sin is the beginning even of all bodily diseases, and yet doth it not follow, that God always respecteth their sins, whom he most sharply punisheth.
- John 9:3 Christ reasoneth here, as his disciples thought, which presuppose that there come no diseases but for sins only: whereupon he answereth that there was another cause of this man’s blindness, and that was, that God’s his work might be seen.
- John 9:4 The works of Christ are as it were a light, which lighten the darkness of the world.
- John 9:4 By (day) is meant the light, that is, the lightsome, doctrine of the heavenly truth: and by (night) is meant the darkness which cometh by the obscurity of the same doctrine.
- John 9:6 Christ healing the man born blind, by taking the sign of clay, and afterward the sign of the fountain of Siloam (which signifieth Sent) showeth that as he at the beginning made man, so doth he again restore both his body and soul: and yet so, that he himself cometh first of his own accord to heal us.
- John 9:8 A true image of all men, who as they are of nature blind, do neither themselves receive the light that is offered unto them, nor suffer it in others, and yet make a great ado amongst themselves.
- John 9:10 This is an Hebrew kind of speech, for they call a man’s eyes shut, when they cannot receive any light: And therefore they are said to have their eyes opened, which of blind men are made to see.
- John 9:16 Religion is not assaulted by any means more than by pretence of Religion: but the more it is pressed down, the more it riseth up.
- John 9:24 A solemn order, whereby men were constrained in old time to acknowledge their fault before God, as if they should say, Consider thou art before God, who knoweth the whole matter, and therefore see thou reverence his majesty, and do him this honor, rather to confess the whole matter openly, than to lie before him, Josh. 7:19; 1 Sam. 6:5.
- John 9:24 He is called a sinner in the Hebrew tongue, which is a wicked man, and maketh as it were an art of sins.
- John 9:28 Proud wickedness must needs at length break forth, which in vain lieth hid under a zeal of godliness.
- John 9:34 Thou art naught even from the cradle, and as we use to say, there is nothing in thee but sin.
- John 9:35 Most happy is their state, which are cast furthest out of the Church of the wicked (which proudly boast themselves of the name of the Church) that Christ may come never to them.
- John 9:39 Christ doth lighten all them by the preaching of the Gospel, which acknowledge their own darkness, but such as seem to themselves to see clearly enough, those he altogether blindeth: of which sort are they oftentimes, which have the highest place in the Church.
- John 9:39 With great power and authority, to do what is righteous and just: as if he said, These men take upon them to govern the people of God after their own lusts, as though they saw all things, and no man but they: but I will rule far otherwise than these men do: for whom they account for blind men, them I will lighten, and such as take themselves to be wisest, them will I drown in most gross darkness of ignorance.
- John 9:39 In these words (of seeing and not seeing) there is a secret taunting and check to the Pharisees: for they thought all men blind but themselves.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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