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John 9
The Voice
John 9
The Voice
John and many people in his community are Jews. As a son of Abraham, his criticism of certain Jewish leaders is not a criticism of a whole people. He’s not stereotyping or making generalizations. “The Jews” he remembers in this passage are a corrupt group of power brokers who conspire against Jesus with the Romans to have Him crucified and who later have John’s own followers expelled from the synagogue. Their behavior may be compared to the behavior of those Israelites condemned by Old Testament prophets. Prophets have the duty—Jeremiah said he had “a fire in his bones” (20:9)—to speak for God and condemn hypocrisy and unbelief wherever it is found, especially when it’s found close to home. That’s what John’s doing when recalling this event.
9 While walking along the road, Jesus saw a man who was blind since his birth.
Disciples: 2 Teacher, who sinned? Who is responsible for this man’s blindness? Did he commit sins that merited this punishment? If not his sins, is it the sins of his parents?
Jesus: 3 Neither. His blindness cannot be explained or traced to any particular person’s sins. He is blind so the deeds of God may be put on display. 4 While it is daytime, we must do the works of the One who sent Me. But when the sun sets and night falls, this work is impossible. 5 Whenever I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.
6 After He said these things, He spat on the ground and mixed saliva and dirt to form mud, which He smeared across the blind man’s eyes.
Jesus (to the blind man): 7 Go, wash yourself in the pool of Siloam.
Siloam means “sent,” and its name reminded us that his healing was sent by God. The man went, washed, and returned to Jesus, his eyes now alive with sight. 8 Then neighbors and others who knew him were confused to see a man so closely resembling the blind beggar running about.
Townspeople: Isn’t this the man we see every day sitting and begging in the streets?
Others: 9 This is the same man.
Still Others: This cannot be him. But this fellow bears an uncanny resemblance to the blind man.
Formerly Blind Man: I am the same man. It’s me!
Townspeople: 10 How have your lifeless eyes been opened?
Formerly Blind Man: 11 A man named Jesus approached me and made mud from the ground and applied it to my eyes. He then said to me, “Go, wash yourself in the pool of Siloam.” I went and washed, and suddenly I could see.
Townspeople: 12 Where is this man who healed you?
Formerly Blind Man: I don’t know.
13-14 The townspeople brought the formerly blind beggar to appear before the Pharisees the same day Jesus healed him, which happened to be on the Sabbath Day. 15 The Pharisees began questioning him, looking for some explanation for how he could now see.
Formerly Blind Man: He smeared mud on my eyes, and I washed; now I see.
Some Pharisees: 16 God can’t possibly be behind this man because He is breaking the rules of the Sabbath.
Other Pharisees: How can such a lawbreaking scoundrel do something like this?
The Pharisees were at odds with one another about Jesus and could not agree whether His power came from God or the devil.
Pharisees (to the formerly blind man): 17 What do you say about this man, about the fact He opened your eyes so you could see?
Formerly Blind Man: I have no doubt—this man is a prophet.
18 Some of the Jews suspected the whole situation was a charade, that this man was never blind. So they summoned the man’s parents to testify about his condition.
Pharisees: 19 Is this man your son? Do you testify that he has been blind from birth? How therefore does he now see?
Parents: 20 We can tell you this much: he is our son, and he was born blind. 21 But his new sight is a complete mystery to us! We do not know the man who opened his eyes. Why don’t you ask our son? He is old enough to speak for himself.
22 The man’s parents were a bit evasive because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. It had been rumored that anyone who spoke of Jesus as the Anointed One would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 So they deferred the thorny question to their son, 24 and the Pharisees called on him a second time.
Pharisees: Give God the credit. He’s the One who healed you. All glory belongs to God. We are persuaded this man you speak of is a sinner who defies God.
Formerly Blind Man: 25 If this man is a sinner, I don’t know. I am not qualified to say. I only know one thing: I was blind, and now I see.
Pharisees: 26 What did He do to you? How did He give you sight?
Formerly Blind Man: 27 Listen, I’ve already answered all these questions, and you don’t like my answers. Do you really need me to say it all over again? Are you thinking about joining up with Him and becoming His followers?
Pharisees (berating him): 28 You’re one of His followers, but we follow Moses. 29 We have confidence that God spoke to Moses, but this man you speak of is a mystery; we don’t even know where He comes from.
Formerly Blind Man: 30 Isn’t it ironic that you, our religious leaders, don’t even know where He comes from; yet He gave me sight! 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does respond and work through those who worship Him and do His will. 32 No one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of any person blind from birth. 33 This man must come from God; otherwise, this miracle would not be possible. Only God can do such things.
Pharisees: 34 You were born under a cloud of sin. How can you, of all people, lecture us?
The religious leaders banished him from their presence. 35 Jesus heard what had happened and sought out the man.
Jesus: Do you believe in the Son of Man?
Formerly Blind Man: 36 I want to believe, Lord. Who is He?
Jesus: 37 You have seen His face with your new eyes, and you are talking to Him now.
Formerly Blind Man: 38 Lord, I do believe.
The man bowed low to worship Jesus.
Jesus: 39 I have entered this world to announce a verdict that changes everything. Now those without sight may begin to see, and those who see may become blind.
Some Pharisees (who overheard Jesus): 40 Surely we are not blind, are we?
Jesus: 41 If you were blind, you would be without sin. But because you claim you can see, your sin is ever present.
John 9
Christian Standard Bible
John 9
Christian Standard Bible
The Sixth Sign: Healing a Man Born Blind
9 As he was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(A) who sinned, this man(B) or his parents,(C) that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works(D) might be displayed in him. 4 We[a] must do the works(E) of him who sent me[b] while it is day.(F) Night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(G)
6 After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud(H) from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam”(I) (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing.(J)
8 His neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit begging?” 9 Some said, “He’s the one.” Others were saying, “No, but he looks like him.”
He kept saying, “I’m the one.”
10 So they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam(K) and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight.”(L)
12 “Where is he?” they asked.
“I don’t know,” he said.
The Healed Man’s Testimony
13 They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees.(M) 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath.(N) 15 Then the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight.
“He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God,(O) because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man(P) perform such signs?” And there was a division(Q) among them.
17 Again they asked the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he opened your eyes?”
“He’s a prophet,”(R) he said.
18 The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight.
19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 “We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21 “But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed him as the Messiah,(S) he would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.”
24 So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory(T) to God.(U) We know that this man is a sinner.”
25 He answered, “Whether or not he’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”
26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27 “I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”
28 They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’s(V) disciples. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where he’s from.”(W)
30 “This is an amazing thing!” the man told them. “You don’t know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners,(X) but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will,(Y) he listens to him.(Z) 32 Throughout history[c] no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind.(AA) 33 If this man were not from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”(AB)
34 “You were born entirely in sin,”(AC) they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.(AD)
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, and when he found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”[d](AE)
36 “Who is he, Sir,(AF) that I may believe in him?” he asked.
37 Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
38 “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said, “I came into this world(AG) for judgment,(AH) in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.”(AI)
40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?”
41 “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin.(AJ) But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
约翰福音 9
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition
约翰福音 9
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition
治好生来失明的人
9 耶稣往前走的时候，看见一个生来就失明的人。 2 门徒问耶稣：“拉比，这人生来失明，是谁犯了罪？是这人还是他的父母呢？” 3 耶稣回答：“既不是这人犯了罪，也不是他的父母，而是要在他身上显出 神的作为来。 4 趁着白日，我们[a]必须做差我[b]来的那位的工；黑夜来到，就没有人能做工了。 5 我在世上的时候，是世上的光。” 6 耶稣说了这些话，就吐唾沫在地上，用唾沫和了泥抹在盲人的眼睛上， 7 对他说：“你到西罗亚池子里去洗。”（西罗亚翻出来就是“奉差遣”。）于是他去，洗了，回来就看见了。 8 他的邻舍和素常见他讨饭的人，就说：“这不是那从前坐着讨饭的人吗？” 9 有的说：“是他”；又有的说：“不是，却是像他。”他自己说：“是我。” 10 于是他们对他说：“你的眼睛是怎么开的呢？” 11 那人回答：“有一个名叫耶稣的，他和了泥抹我的眼睛，对我说：‘你到西罗亚池子去洗。’我去一洗，就看见了。” 12 他们对他说：“那个人在哪里？”他说：“我不知道。”
法利赛人盘问医治的事
13 他们把以前失明的那个人带到法利赛人那里。 14 耶稣和泥开他眼睛的那一天是安息日。 15 法利赛人又问他是怎么得看见的。他对他们说：“他把泥抹在我的眼睛上，我一洗，就看见了。” 16 于是法利赛人中有的说：“这个人不是从 神来的，因为他不守安息日。”另有的说：“一个罪人怎能行这样的神迹呢？”他们之间就产生了分裂。 17 于是他们又对那盲人说：“他开了你的眼睛，你说他是怎样的人呢？”他说：“他是个先知。”
18 犹太人不信他以前是失明，后来能看见的，等到叫了他的父母来， 19 问他们说：“这是你们的儿子吗？你们说他生来是失明的，现在怎么看见了呢？” 20 他的父母就回答说：“他是我们的儿子，生来就失明，这是我们知道的。 21 至于他现在怎么能看见，我们却不知道；是谁开了他的眼睛，我们也不知道。他已经是成人，你们问他吧，他自己会说。” 22 他父母说这些话，是怕犹太人，因为犹太人已经商定，若有宣认耶稣是基督的，要把他赶出会堂。 23 因此他父母说“他已经是成人，你们问他吧”。
24 于是法利赛人第二次叫了那以前失明的人来，对他说：“你要将荣耀归给 神，我们知道这人是个罪人。” 25 那人就回答：“他是不是个罪人，我不知道；有一件事我知道，我本来是失明的，现在我看见了。” 26 他们就问他：“他给你做了什么？是怎么开了你的眼睛？” 27 他回答他们：“我已经告诉你们了，你们不听，为什么又要听呢？难道你们也要作他的门徒吗？” 28 他们就骂他：“你是他的门徒，而我们是摩西的门徒。 29 神对摩西说话是我们知道的，可是这个人，我们不知道他从哪里来。” 30 那人回答，对他们说：“他开了我的眼睛，你们竟不知道他从哪里来，这真是奇怪！ 31 我们知道 神不听罪人，惟有敬奉 神、遵行他旨意的， 神才听他。 32 从创世以来，未曾听见有人开了生来就失明的人的眼睛。 33 这人若不是从 神来的，什么也不能做。” 34 他们回答他说：“你完全是生在罪中的，还要来教训我们吗？”于是他们把他赶出去了。
灵性的盲目
35 耶稣听说他们把他赶出去，就找到他，说：“你信人子[c]吗？” 36 那人回答说：“主啊，人子是谁？告诉我，好让我信他。” 37 耶稣对他说：“你已经看见他，现在和你说话的就是他。” 38 他说：“主啊，我信！”他就拜耶稣。 39 耶稣说：“我为审判到这世上来，使不能看见的看见，能看见的反而失明。”
40 同他在那里的法利赛人听见这些话，就对他说：“难道我们也失明了吗？” 41 耶稣对他们说：“你们若是失明的，就没有罪了；但现在你们说‘我们能看见’，你们的罪还在。”
John 9
New International Version
John 9
New International Version
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)
18 They(S) still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders,(T) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(U) of the synagogue.(V) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(W)
24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,”(X) they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”(Y)
25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”
26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27 He answered, “I have told you already(Z) and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”
28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!(AA) 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”(AB)
30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.(AC) 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God,(AD) he could do nothing.”
34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth;(AE) how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.(AF)
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe(AG) in the Son of Man?”(AH)
36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”(AI)
37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”(AJ)
38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.(AK)
39 Jesus said,[a] “For judgment(AL) I have come into this world,(AM) so that the blind will see(AN) and those who see will become blind.”(AO)
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”(AP)
41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.(AQ)
Footnotes
- John 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
Revised Chinese Union Version (Simplified Script) Shen Edition (RCU17SS)
和合本修訂版經文 © 2006, 2010, 2017 香港聖經公會。蒙允許使用。 Scripture Text of Revised Chinese Union Version © 2006, 2010, 2017 Hong Kong Bible Society. www.hkbs.org.hk/en/ Used by permission.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.