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 American Standard Bible
Healing the Man Born Blind
9 As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “(A)Rabbi, who sinned, (B)this man or his (C)parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was (D)so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me (E)as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am (F)the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He (G)spit on the ground, and made mud from the saliva, and applied the mud to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in (H)the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he left and (I)washed, and (J)came back seeing. 8 So the neighbors, and those who previously saw [a]him as a beggar, were saying, “Is this not the one who used to (K)sit and beg?” 9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” [b]The man himself kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The Man who is called Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to (L)Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”
Controversy over the Man
13 They *brought [c]the man who was previously blind to the Pharisees. 14 (M)Now it was a Sabbath on the day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 (N)Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied mud to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This Man is not from God, because He (O)does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such [d](P)signs?” And (Q)there was dissension among them. 17 So they *said (R)again to the man who was blind, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a (S)prophet.”
18 (T)The Jews then did not believe it about him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and they questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents then answered and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they (U)were afraid of the [e]Jews; for the Jews (V)had already reached the decision that if anyone confessed Him to be [f]Christ, (W)he was to be excommunicated from the synagogue. 23 It was for this reason that his parents said, “(X)He is of age; ask him.”
24 So for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind, and said to him, “(Y)Give glory to God; we know that (Z)this Man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, 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, “(AA)I told you already and you did not (AB)listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They spoke abusively to him and said, “You are His disciple, but (AC)we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this Man, (AD)we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is the amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes! 31 We know that (AE)God does not listen to sinners; but if someone is [g]God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him. 32 [h]Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 (AF)If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “(AG)You were born entirely in sins, and yet you are teaching us?” So they [i](AH)put him out.
Jesus Affirms His Deity
35 Jesus heard that they had [j](AI)put him out, and upon finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the (AJ)Son of Man?” 36 He answered [k]by saying, “And (AK)who is He, [l]Sir, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and (AL)He is the One who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “I believe, Lord.” And he (AM)worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, “(AN)For judgment I came into this world, so that (AO)those who do not see may see, and (AP)those who see may become blind.” 40 Those who were with Him from the Pharisees heard these things and said to Him, “(AQ)We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “(AR)If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you maintain, ‘(AS)We see,’ your sin remains.
Footnotes
- John 9:8 Lit that he was a
- John 9:9 Lit That one kept
- John 9:13 Lit him who
- John 9:16 I.e., confirming miracles
- John 9:22 I.e., the Jewish leaders
- John 9:22 I.e., the Messiah
- John 9:31 Or devout
- John 9:32 Lit From the age it was not heard
- John 9:34 I.e., prob. excommunication from the synagogue
- John 9:35 See note v 34
- John 9:36 Lit and said
- John 9:36 Or Lord
John 9
New Catholic Bible
A Sign of the Triumph of the Light[a]
Chapter 9
Jesus Cures a Man Born Blind.[b] 1 As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered,
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,
but it happened
so that the works of God
might be revealed in him.
4 We must do
the works of him who sent me
while it is still day.
Night is coming when no one can work.
5 While I am in the world,
I am the light of the world.”
6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made a paste with the saliva, and smeared the paste on the eyes of the blind man. 7 Then he said to him, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam.”[c] (The name means “Sent.”) The man went forth and washed, and he returned seeing.
That Man Is a Prophet.[d] 8 His neighbors and those who had seen him begging asked, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some were saying, “Yes, this is the same man,” but others insisted, “No. It simply is someone who looks like him.” He said, “I am the man.”
10 Therefore, they asked him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He replied, “The man called Jesus made a paste and smeared it over my eyes. Then he said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and then I was able to see.” 12 They asked him, “Where is he?” He replied, “I do not know.”
13 They then brought the man who had formerly been blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was on a Sabbath day that Jesus had made the paste and opened his eyes.
15 The Pharisees also asked him how he had gained his sight. He said to them, “He put a paste on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I can see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man cannot be from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” Thus, they were divided in their opinions. 17 And so they spoke again to the blind man, asking, “What do you have to say about him? It was your eyes that he opened.” He replied, “He is a prophet.”
18 However, the Jews refused to believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight until they summoned 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 is he now able to see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind, 21 but we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is of age. He can speak for himself.”
22 His parents responded in this way because they were afraid of the Jews. For the Jews had already agreed that anyone who acknowledged Jesus to be the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.”
24 That Man Is from God.[e] And so for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. But one thing I do know: I was blind, and now I am able to see.” 26 They then asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “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 Then they began to taunt him, saying, “It is you who are his disciple. We are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he is from.” 30 He answered, “That is what is so amazing. You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but that he does listen to anyone who is devout and obeys his will.
32 “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could not have been able to accomplish anything.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in sin and you would teach us?” Then they threw him out.
35 Do You Believe in the Son of Man?[f] When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He replied, “Who is he, sir, so that I may believe in him?” 37 “You have seen him,” said Jesus, “and he is the one who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he fell down in worship before him.
39 Spiritual Blindness.[g] Then Jesus said,
“It is for judgment
that I have come into this world,
so that those without sight may see
and those who do see may become blind.”
40 On hearing this, some Pharisees who were present asked him, “Are we blind too?” 41 Jesus replied,
“If you were blind,
you would have no guilt;
but since you claim, ‘We see,’
your guilt remains.
Footnotes
- John 9:1 The preceding chapters have made grand statements about Jesus, e.g., that he is the light of the world; in those chapters, however, the evangelist was guiding us through sometimes difficult reasonings. Here, on the other hand, is a lively story that illustrates the teaching that has been given. The man born blind is an image of the catechumen and of Christians, who allow themselves to be enlightened by Jesus. Not only their eyes but their hearts open to the light.
- John 9:1 In the view of the ancients, every illness had its origin in some sin, perhaps a secret one. Jesus firmly condemns this mentality. The blind man must take himself to the Pool of “Siloam” (= “Sent”); the evangelist emphasizes the word. Jesus is the one sent by the Father to bring light; it is he who opens the eyes of faith in those who go down into the pool of Baptism.
- John 9:7 The Pool of Siloam: it was at the foot of the southern spur of the temple mount.
- John 9:8 Who, then, is Jesus? Again there is questioning. Again also Jesus upsets the Pharisees, who have lost the essence of religion in the complexities of their traditions. The care for observances makes them forget that the Sabbath is first of all a testimony of liberty. In the presence of these teachers, the blind man who has been cured declares that Jesus is a prophet. They challenge his attestation and denounce it as a fraud. Thus, an inquiry is made to give themselves basis for their treatment of the man. A climate of fear ensues, and no one feels free to speak.
- John 9:24 The miraculously cured individual is interrogated a second time. His questioners bring up Moses to show that Jesus is in contradiction with him. This, they think, cannot be refuted. But it is necessary to recognize here the presence of the same God who spoke to Moses! The man born blind recognizes that Jesus came from God with a special mission. That is too much for them. They throw him out bodily.
- John 9:35 This is an encounter with Jesus, who identifies himself as the Son of Man—that is, as a being with a divine prerogative who has come to bring people to the presence of and communion with God. The profession of faith comes to the lips of the man born blind when he encounters Jesus, who is our light.
- John 9:39 Human beings cannot remain indifferent or neutral in the presence of Jesus: we must opt either for light or for darkness. In this choice, the divine judgment comes into play with a sentence of life or death—which foretells the division between synagogue and Church. The lot of each person depends on one’s attitude of faith or unbelief toward Jesus. Those who realize they are walking along the way of error and open themselves to the light of the Gospel revelation will be saved. Those who delude themselves that they possess the truth and voluntarily close their eyes to the light will be lost.
While the man born blind receives not only his physical sight but also the light of faith, the Jews who claim that they have sight are blind in a spiritual sense, because they refuse the light of revelation brought by Christ. True blindness is not the physical blindness of the blind man but the lack of belief. The Pharisees are convinced that they possess the truth and oppose themselves to the Envoy of God. They deprive themselves of the way to salvation. For they remain slaves of the sin of unbelief.
Johannes 9
BasisBijbel
Jezus geneest een blinde man
9 Toen Jezus verder liep, zag Hij een man die al vanaf zijn geboorte blind was. 2 Zijn leerlingen vroegen Hem: "Meester, hoe komt het dat hij blind geboren is? Komt dat omdat zijn ouders ongehoorzaam geweest zijn aan God, of hijzelf?" 3 Jezus antwoordde: "Het komt niet omdat hij of zijn ouders ongehoorzaam zijn geweest aan God. Maar God wil nu door hem aan de mensen laten zien hoe goed en machtig Hij is. 4 Hij heeft Mij gestuurd om te doen wat Hij wil. Dat doe Ik zolang het licht is. Want als het eenmaal donker is geworden, kan niemand dat meer doen. 5 Zolang Ik op de aarde ben, ben Ik het licht voor de mensen." 6 Toen spuugde Hij op de grond en maakte daarvan een modderpapje. Hij smeerde dat op de ogen van de blinde man en zei tegen hem: 7 "Ga je wassen in de vijver van Siloam" ('Siloam' betekent 'gestuurd'). De man ging daarheen en waste zich. Toen hij terugkwam, kon hij zien.
8 Zijn buren en de andere mensen die hem als blinde bedelaar hadden gekend, zagen hem. En ze zeiden tegen elkaar: "Is dat niet die bedelaar?" 9 Sommige mensen zeiden: "Ja, dat is hem inderdaad." Andere mensen zeiden: "Nee, hij lijkt alleen op hem." Hij zei: "Ik ben het wél." 10 Toen vroegen ze hem: "Hoe komt het dat je nu kan zien?" 11 Hij antwoordde: "De Man die ze Jezus noemen maakte een modderpapje. Dat smeerde Hij op mijn ogen. Toen zei Hij dat ik me in Siloam moest gaan wassen. Dat heb ik gedaan en toen kon ik zien." 12 Ze vroegen hem: "Waar is Hij nu?" Hij zei: "Dat weet ik niet."
13 Ze brachten hem naar de Farizeeërs. 14 Nu was het de heilige rustdag toen Jezus het modderpapje maakte en de ogen van de man genas. 15 De Farizeeërs vroegen aan de man hoe het kwam dat hij nu kon zien. Hij antwoordde: "Hij smeerde een modderpapje op mijn ogen. Ik waste dat er af en toen kon ik zien." 16 Een paar van hen zeiden toen: "Die Man is echt niet door God gestuurd, want Hij houdt Zich niet aan de heilige rustdag." Anderen zeiden: "Maar hoe kan een slecht mens zulke wonderen doen?" En ze werden het niet met elkaar eens. 17 Toen vroegen ze aan de man die blind was geweest: "Wat vind je zelf van Hem, nu Hij je ogen heeft genezen?" Hij antwoordde: "Hij is een profeet!"
18 De Joodse leiders geloofden niet echt dat hij blind was geweest en nu kon zien. Daarom vroegen ze het aan zijn ouders. 19 Ze vroegen hun: "Is dit jullie zoon? Klopt het dat hij blind geboren is? Hoe kan het dat hij nu kan zien?" 20 Zijn ouders antwoordden: "Ja, dit is onze zoon en het klopt dat hij blind geboren is. 21 Maar we weten niet hoe het komt dat hij nu kan zien. We weten ook niet wie hem genezen heeft. Vraag het hemzelf. Hij is volwassen en kan zelf antwoord geven." 22 Zijn ouders zeiden dat omdat ze bang waren voor de Joodse leiders. Want mensen die zeiden dat Jezus de Messias was, mochten van de Joodse leiders niet meer in de synagoge komen. 23 Daarom zeiden zijn ouders: 'Hij is volwassen. Vraag het hemzelf.'
24 Toen riepen ze de man voor de tweede keer. Ze zeiden tegen hem: "Denk erom dat je respect moet hebben voor God. Wij weten dat die Man een slecht mens is." 25 Hij antwoordde: "Of Hij een slecht mens is weet ik niet. Ik weet één ding: dat ik eerst blind was en nu kan zien." 26 Toen vroegen ze hem opnieuw: "Wat heeft Hij met je gedaan? Hoe heeft hij je ogen beter gemaakt?" 27 Hij antwoordde: "Dat heb ik jullie al verteld, maar jullie willen niet naar mij luisteren. Waarom willen jullie het nog een keer horen? Willen jullie soms ook zijn leerlingen worden?" 28 Ze scholden hem uit en zeiden: "Je bent zelf een leerling van Hem, maar wíj zijn leerlingen van Mozes. 29 We weten dat God tegen Mozes heeft gesproken. Maar we weten helemaal niet waar déze Man vandaan komt en wie Hem heeft gestuurd." 30 De man antwoordde: "Dat is toch vreemd dat jullie niet weten waar Hij vandaan komt en wie Hem heeft gestuurd. Hij heeft mijn ogen genezen! 31 We weten dat God niet luistert naar slechte mensen, maar wel naar mensen die ontzag voor Hem hebben en Hem gehoorzamen. 32 Nog nooit eerder heeft een mens de ogen genezen van iemand die blind geboren is. 33 Als deze Man niet door God was gestuurd, had Hij dat niet kunnen doen." 34 Toen zeiden ze tegen hem: "Jij was blind geboren omdat je zo'n slecht mens bent. Hoe durf je ons dan te leren hoe het zit?" En ze zetten hem de synagoge uit.
35 Jezus hoorde dat de man niet meer in de synagoge mocht komen. Hij zocht hem op en zei tegen hem: "Geloof je in de Zoon van God?" 36 Hij antwoordde: "Wie is dat dan?" 37 Jezus zei tegen hem: "Je hebt Hem niet alleen gezien, maar ook met Hem gesproken, want Ik ben het." 38 Hij zei: "Ik geloof in U, Heer," en hij knielde voor Hem neer. 39 Jezus zei tegen hem: "Ik ben gekomen om te oordelen: mensen die blind zijn, zullen gaan zien, en van mensen die kunnen zien, zal blijken dat ze blind zijn."
40 Een paar Farizeeërs hoorden Hem dat zeggen. Ze zeiden tegen Jezus: "Zijn wij dan óók blind?" 41 Jezus zei tegen hen: "Als jullie blind waren, zouden jullie niet schuldig zijn. Maar omdat jullie zeggen dat jullie kunnen zien, zijn jullie schuldig."
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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