John 9
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His followers asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused this man to be born blind—his own sin or his parents’ sin?”
3 Jesus answered, “It is not this man’s sin or his parents’ sin that made him blind. This man was born blind so that God’s power could be shown in him. 4 While it is daytime, we must continue doing the work of the One who sent me. The night is coming. And no one can work at night. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 After Jesus said this, he spit on the ground and made some mud with it. He put the mud on the man’s eyes. 7 Then he told the man, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam.” (Siloam means Sent.) So the man went to the pool. He washed and came back. And he was able to see.
8 Some people had seen this man begging before. They and the man’s neighbors said, “Look! Is this the same man who always sits and begs?”
9 Some said, “Yes! He is the one.” But others said, “No, he’s not the same man. He only looks like him.”
So the man himself said, “I am the man.”
10 They asked, “What happened? How did you get your sight?”
11 He answered, “The man named Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. Then he told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and came back seeing.”
12 They asked him, “Where is this man?”
The man answered, “I don’t know.”
Pharisees Question the Healing
13 Then the people took to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 The day Jesus had made mud and healed his eyes was a Sabbath day. 15 So now the Pharisees asked the man, “How did you get your sight?”
He answered, “He put mud on my eyes. I washed, and now I can see.”
16 Some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man does not keep the Sabbath day. He is not from God!”
Others said, “But a man who is a sinner can’t do miracles like these.” So they could not agree with each other.
17 They asked the man again, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”
The man answered, “He is a prophet.”
18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and could now see again. So they sent for the man’s parents 19 and asked them, “Is this your son? You say that he was born blind. Then how does he see now?”
20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and we know that he was born blind. 21 But we don’t know how he can see now. We don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough to answer for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had already decided that anyone who said that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That is why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”
24 So for the second time, they called the man who had been blind. They said, “You should give God the glory by telling the truth. We know that this man is a sinner.”
25 He answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. But one thing I do know. I was blind, and now I can see.”
26 They asked, “What did he do to you? How did he make you see again?”
27 He answered, “I have already told you that. But you would not listen to me. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his followers, too?”
28 Then they insulted him and said, “You are his follower. We are followers of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses. But we don’t even know where this man comes from!”
30 The man answered, “This is a very strange thing. You don’t know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We all know that God does not listen to sinners. But God listens to anyone who worships and obeys him. 32 Nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
34 They answered, “You were born full of sin! Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw the man out.
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. So Jesus found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 He asked, “Who is the Son of Man, sir? Tell me, so I can believe in him!”
37 Jesus said to him, “You have already seen him. The Son of Man is the one talking with you now.”
38 He said, “Yes, Lord, I believe!” Then the man bowed and worshiped Jesus.
39 Jesus said, “I came into this world so that the world could be judged. I came so that the blind[a] could see and so that those who see will become blind.”
40 Some of the Pharisees were near Jesus. When they heard him say this, they asked, “What? Are you saying that we are blind, too?”
41 Jesus said, “If you were really blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But now that you say you can see, your guilt remains.”
Footnotes
- 9:39 blind Jesus is talking about people who are spiritually blind, not physically blind.
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).
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.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
