John 9
EasyEnglish Bible
Jesus makes a blind man able to see
9 While Jesus was walking along, he saw a certain man. This man had been blind since he was born. 2 Jesus' disciples asked him, ‘Teacher, why was this man blind when he was born? Was it because he himself did something wrong? Or was it because his parents did something wrong?’ 3 Jesus answered, ‘It was not because either this man or his parents did something wrong. It happened so that God could show his great work in this man. 4 While it is still day, we must continue to work. God has sent me and we must do his work. We must work now because it will be night soon. Then nobody can work. 5 While I am still here in the world, I am the world's light.’
6 When Jesus had finished speaking, he spat on the ground. He mixed it with dirt on the ground so that he made mud. Then he put some of the mud on the eyes of the blind man. 7 Jesus said to him, ‘Go and wash in the Siloam pool.’ (The name Siloam means ‘Sent’.) So the man went there and he washed himself. When he returned, now he could see.
8 People began to talk about him. Some of these people lived near him. Others had seen him when he was asking for money. They said, ‘This is the man who sat here. He asked people to give him money. Isn't that right?’ 9 Some people said, ‘Yes, it is him.’ But other people said, ‘No, it is someone who seems to be like him.’ But the man himself said, ‘I am that man.’
10 They asked him, ‘How did your eyes now become able to see?’ 11 He answered, ‘The man called Jesus made some mud. He put the mud on my eyes. Then he sent me to wash in the Siloam pool. So I went there and I washed. Then I could see.’
12 They asked him, ‘Where is this man?’ He replied, ‘I do not know.’
The Pharisees talk to the man who had been blind
13 The people brought the man who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14 It was a Jewish day of rest when Jesus had done this miracle. He had used mud to make the man's eyes able to see. 15 So the Pharisees asked the man again, ‘How did you become able to see?’ The man replied, ‘Jesus put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I can see.’
16 So some of the Pharisees said, ‘This man Jesus cannot have come from God. He does not obey the rules about our day of rest.’ But other Pharisees said, ‘Nobody who is bad could do great things like this!’ So they did not agree with each other. 17 The Pharisees spoke again to the man who had been blind. They said to him, ‘What do you yourself say about this man? It was your eyes he has now made able to see.’ The man replied, ‘He is a prophet.’
18 The Jewish leaders still did not believe that the man had really been blind. They did not want to believe that he had now become able to see. So they told the man's parents to come to them. 19 They asked the parents, ‘Is this your son? You say, “When he was born, he was blind.” But now he can see. How did this happen?’ 20 The parents replied, ‘We know that this is our son. And when he was born, he was blind. We know that, too. 21 But we do not know how he can see now. We do not know who made his eyes able to see. Ask him. He is old enough to answer you for himself!’ 22 The man's parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The Jewish leaders did not want anyone to say that Jesus was the Messiah. They would not let anyone like that belong to their meeting places. 23 That is why the man's parents said, ‘Ask him. He is old enough.’
24 So the leaders again spoke to the man who had been blind. They said to him, ‘In front of God, promise that you will speak only true things. We know that this man Jesus does not obey God.’ 25 The man replied, ‘I do not know whether he obeys God or not. But I do know one thing: I was blind and now I can see.’ 26 Then they asked him, ‘What did he do to you? How did he make your eyes able to see?’ 27 He answered them, ‘I have told you already and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Maybe you want to become his disciples too!’ 28 Then the leaders were very angry with him. They shouted at him, ‘No, it is you! You are that man's disciple. But we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses. But who is this man? We do not even know where he comes from.’
30 The man answered, ‘That is a very strange thing! You do not know where this man comes from. But he is the one who made my eyes able to see. 31 We know that God does not listen to people who do not obey him. But he does listen to good people who do what he wants them to do. 32 Nobody has ever made the eyes of a blind man able to see, if that man had been blind when he was born. Since the world began, that has never happened! 33 So this man Jesus must have come from God. Unless he came from God, he could not do anything like that.’
34 The Jewish leaders answered him, ‘Since the day that you were born, you have never obeyed God's laws. You cannot teach us anything!’ And they threw him out of the meeting place.
People who do not believe in God are like blind people
35 Jesus heard that the Jewish leaders had thrown the man out. So he went and he found the man. Jesus asked him, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ 36 The man answered, ‘Sir, please tell me who he is. Then I can believe in him.’ 37 Jesus said to him, ‘You have already seen him. It is me, the one who is talking to you now.’ 38 Then the man said, ‘Lord, now I believe.’ He bent down on his knees and he worshipped Jesus.
39 Then Jesus said, ‘I came into this world to judge people. Then people who know that they are blind will be able to see. And people who think they can see will become blind.’ 40 Some of the Pharisees who were there with him heard this. They asked Jesus, ‘Do you mean that we are also blind?’ 41 Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, God would not punish you for the wrong things you have done. But you say that you can see. You do wrong things with your eyes open, so God will punish you as guilty people.’
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.
Juan 9
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Curación de un ciego
9 Al pasar Jesús, vio a un hombre ciego de nacimiento. 2 Y Sus discípulos le preguntaron: «Rabí[a](A), ¿quién pecó, este(B) o sus padres(C), para que naciera ciego?». 3 Jesús respondió: «Ni este pecó, ni sus padres; sino que está ciego para que las obras de Dios(D)se manifiesten en él. 4 Nosotros debemos[b]hacer las obras del que me envió mientras es de día(E); la noche viene cuando nadie puede trabajar. 5 Mientras estoy en el mundo, Yo soy la Luz del mundo(F)».
6 Habiendo dicho esto, escupió en tierra(G), e hizo barro con la saliva y le untó el barro en los ojos al ciego, 7 y le dijo: «Ve y lávate en el estanque de Siloé(H)» (que quiere decir Enviado). El ciego fue, pues, y se lavó(I) y regresó viendo(J).
8 Entonces los vecinos y los que antes lo habían visto que era mendigo, decían: «¿No es este el que se sentaba y mendigaba(K)?». 9 «Él es», decían unos. «No, pero se parece a él», decían otros. Él decía: «Yo soy». 10 Entonces le decían: «¿Cómo te fueron abiertos los ojos?». 11 Él respondió: «El hombre que se llama Jesús hizo barro, lo untó sobre mis ojos y me dijo: “Ve al estanque de Siloé y lávate”. Así que fui, me lavé y recibí la vista(L)». 12 «¿Dónde está Él?», le preguntaron. Y él les dijo*: «No lo sé».
13 Llevaron* ante los fariseos al que antes había sido ciego. 14 Y era día de reposo el día en que Jesús hizo el barro y le abrió los ojos(M). 15 Por eso los fariseos volvieron también a preguntarle cómo había recibido la vista(N). Y él les dijo: «Me puso barro sobre los ojos, y me lavé y veo».
16 Por eso algunos de los fariseos decían: «Este hombre no viene[c] de Dios, porque no guarda el día de reposo(O)». Pero otros decían: «¿Cómo puede un hombre pecador hacer tales señales[d](P)?». Y había división entre ellos(Q). 17 Entonces preguntaron* otra vez al ciego(R): «¿Qué dices tú de Él, ya que te abrió los ojos?». «Es un profeta(S)», les respondió.
18 Pero los judíos(T) no le creyeron que había sido ciego, y que había recibido la vista, hasta que llamaron a los padres del que había recibido la vista, 19 y les preguntaron: «¿Es este su hijo, el que ustedes dicen que nació ciego? ¿Cómo es que ahora ve?». 20 Entonces sus padres les contestaron: «Sabemos que este es nuestro hijo, y que nació ciego; 21 pero cómo es que ahora ve, no lo sabemos; o quién le abrió los ojos, nosotros no lo sabemos. Pregúntenle a él; ya es mayor de edad, él hablará por sí mismo». 22 Sus padres dijeron esto porque tenían miedo a los judíos(U); porque los judíos ya se habían puesto de acuerdo(V) en que si alguien confesaba que Jesús era el Cristo[e], fuera expulsado de la sinagoga(W). 23 Por eso sus padres dijeron: «Ya es mayor de edad; pregúntenle a él(X)».
24 Por segunda vez los judíos llamaron al hombre que había sido ciego y le dijeron: «Da gloria a Dios[f](Y); nosotros sabemos que este hombre es un pecador(Z)». 25 Entonces él les contestó: «Si es pecador, no lo sé; una cosa sé: que yo era ciego y ahora veo». 26 Ellos volvieron a preguntarle: «¿Qué te hizo? ¿Cómo te abrió los ojos?». 27 Él les contestó: «Ya les dije(AA) y no escucharon(AB); ¿por qué quieren oírlo otra vez? ¿Es que también ustedes quieren hacerse discípulos suyos?».
28 Entonces lo insultaron, y le dijeron: «Tú eres discípulo de ese hombre; pero nosotros somos discípulos de Moisés(AC). 29 Nosotros sabemos que Dios habló a Moisés, pero en cuanto a Este, no sabemos de dónde es(AD)».
30 El hombre les respondió: «Pues en esto hay algo asombroso, que ustedes no sepan de dónde es, y sin embargo, a mí me abrió los ojos. 31 Sabemos que Dios no oye a los pecadores; pero si alguien teme a Dios y hace Su voluntad, a este oye(AE). 32 Desde el principio jamás se ha oído decir que alguien abriera los ojos a un ciego de nacimiento. 33 Si Este no viniera[g] de Dios, no podría hacer nada(AF)».
34 Ellos le respondieron: «Tú naciste enteramente en pecados(AG), ¿y tú nos enseñas a nosotros?». Y lo echaron fuera(AH).
35 Jesús oyó decir que lo habían echado fuera(AI), y cuando lo encontró, le dijo: «¿Crees tú en el Hijo del Hombre[h](AJ)?». 36 Él le respondió: «¿Y quién es, Señor, para que yo crea en Él(AK)?». 37 Jesús le dijo: «Pues[i]tú lo has visto, y el que está hablando contigo(AL), Ese es». 38 Él entonces dijo: «Creo, Señor». Y lo adoró(AM). 39 Y Jesús dijo: «Yo vine a este mundo para juicio(AN); para que los que no ven, vean(AO), y para que los que ven se vuelvan ciegos(AP)».
40 Algunos de los fariseos que estaban con Él oyeron esto y le dijeron: «¿Acaso nosotros también somos ciegos(AQ)?». 41 Jesús les dijo: «Si ustedes fueran ciegos, no tendrían pecado(AR); pero ahora, porque dicen: “Vemos”, su pecado permanece(AS).
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The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
