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Chapter 9

The Man Born Blind. [a]As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth.(A) [b]His disciples asked him,(B) “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.(C) We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.(D) While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(E) When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes,(F) and said to him, “Go wash[c] in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see.(G)

His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” Some said, “It is,” but others said, “No, he just looks like him.” He said, “I am.” 10 So they said to him, “[So] how were your eyes opened?” 11 He replied, “The man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went there and washed and was able to see.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.”

13 They brought the one who was once blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now Jesus had made clay[d] and opened his eyes on a sabbath.(H) 15 So then the Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and now I can see.” 16 So some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the sabbath.” [But] others said, “How can a sinful man do such signs?” And there was a division among them.(I) 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you have to say about him, since he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”(J)

18 Now the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and gained his sight until they summoned the parents of the one who had gained his sight. 19 They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How does he now see?” 20 His parents answered and said, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 We do not know how he sees now, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him, he is of age; he can speak for himself.” 22 [e](K)His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged him as the Messiah, he would be expelled from the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; question him.”(L)

24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give God the praise![f] We know that this man is a sinner.”(M) 25 He replied, “If he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know is that I was blind and 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, “I told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” 28 They ridiculed him and said, “You are that man’s disciple; we are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this one is from.”(N) 30 The man answered and said to them, “This is what is so amazing, that you do not know where he is from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if one is devout and does his will, he listens to him.(O) 32 [g]It is unheard of that anyone ever opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he would not be able to do anything.”(P) 34 They answered and said to him, “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.

35 When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, he found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered and said, “Who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him and the one speaking with you is he.”(Q) 38 He said, “I do believe, Lord,” and he worshiped him. 39 [h]Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.”(R)

40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not also blind, are we?”(S) 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.(T)

Footnotes

  1. 9:1–10:21 Sabbath healing of the man born blind. This sixth sign is introduced to illustrate the saying, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12; 9:5). The narrative of conflict about Jesus contrasts Jesus (light) with the Jews (blindness, Jn 9:39–41). The theme of water is reintroduced in the reference to the pool of Siloam. Ironically, Jesus is being judged by the Jews, yet the Jews are judged by the Light of the world; cf. Jn 3:19–21.
  2. 9:2 See note on Jn 5:14, and Ex 20:5, that parents’ sins were visited upon their children. Jesus denies such a cause and emphasizes the purpose: the infirmity was providential.
  3. 9:7 Go wash: perhaps a test of faith; cf. 2 Kgs 5:10–14. The water tunnel Siloam (= Sent) is used as a symbol of Jesus, sent by his Father.
  4. 9:14 In using spittle, kneading clay, and healing, Jesus had broken the sabbath rules laid down by Jewish tradition.
  5. 9:22 This comment of the evangelist (in terms used again in Jn 12:42; 16:2) envisages a situation after Jesus’ ministry. Rejection/excommunication from the synagogue of Jews who confessed Jesus as Messiah seems to have begun ca. A.D. 85, when the curse against the mînîm or heretics was introduced into the “Eighteen Benedictions.”
  6. 9:24 Give God the praise!: an Old Testament formula of adjuration to tell the truth; cf. Jos 7:19; 1 Sm 6:5 LXX. Cf. Jn 5:41.
  7. 9:32 A person born blind: the only Old Testament cure from blindness is found in Tobit (cf. Tb 7:7; 11:7–13; 14:1–2), but Tobit was not born blind.
  8. 9:39–41 These verses spell out the symbolic meaning of the cure; the Pharisees are not the innocent blind, willing to accept the testimony of others.

Jesus makes a blind man able to see

While Jesus was walking along, he saw a certain man. This man had been blind since he was born. 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?’ 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. 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. While I am still here in the world, I am the world's light.’

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. 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.

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?’ 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.’

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(A) who sinned,(B) this man(C) or his parents,(D) that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.(E) 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. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(G)

After saying this, he spit(H) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “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)

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”(K) 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

  1. John 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.

Isus vindecă un orb din naştere

În timp ce trecea, Isus a văzut un orb din naştere. Ucenicii Lui L-au întrebat:

Rabbi[a], cine a păcătuit de s-a născut orb: el sau părinţii lui?[b]

Isus le-a răspuns:

– Nu este nici pentru că a păcătuit el, nici pentru că au păcătuit părinţii lui, ci s-a născut aşa ca să se arate în el lucrările lui Dumnezeu. Cât este zi, trebuie să lucrăm lucrările Celui Ce M-a trimis. Vine noaptea, când nimeni nu mai poate să lucreze. Cât sunt în lume, sunt lumina lumii.

Şi zicând aceasta, a scuipat pe pământ, a făcut nişte noroi din salivă şi l-a pus pe ochii orbului. Apoi i-a zis: „Du-te şi spală-te în bazinul Siloamului!“ Tradus, Siloam înseamnă «Trimis» El s-a dus, s-a spălat şi s-a întors văzând bine. Vecinii şi cei care-l văzuseră mai înainte, pe când era cerşetor, se întrebau: „Nu este acesta cel ce şedea şi cerşea?!“ Unii ziceau: „El este!“ Alţii ziceau: „Nu, dar seamănă cu el!“ Iar el zicea: „Eu sunt!“ 10 Prin urmare, l-au întrebat:

– Cum atunci ţi-au fost deschişi ochii?

11 El a răspuns:

– Omul Acela, Căruia I se zice Isus, a făcut noroi, mi-a uns ochii şi mi-a zis: „Du-te la Siloam şi spală-te!“ Aşa că m-am dus, m-am spălat şi apoi am putut vedea.

12 Ei l-au întrebat:

– Unde este El?

– Nu ştiu! a răspuns el.

13 L-au adus la farisei pe cel ce fusese orb. 14 Ziua în care Isus făcuse noroi şi-i deschisese ochii era o zi de Sabat. 15 Din nou, fariseii l-au întrebat şi ei cum de şi-a căpătat vederea. El le-a răspuns:

– Mi-a pus noroi pe ochi, m-am spălat şi văd!

Cercetarea celui vindecat de către farisei

16 Unii dintre farisei ziceau: „Acesta nu este de la Dumnezeu, pentru că nu ţine Sabatul!“ Alţii însă ziceau: „Cum poate un om păcătos să facă astfel de semne?!“ Aşa că era dezbinare între ei. 17 L-au întrebat din nou pe orb:

– Tu ce zici despre El, pentru că ţie ţi-a deschis ochii?

El le-a răspuns:

– Este un profet.

18 Iudeii însă n-au crezut că fusese orb şi că îşi căpătase vederea, până când nu i-au chemat pe părinţii lui. 19 Ei i-au întrebat:

– Acesta este fiul vostru, despre care spuneţi că s-a născut orb? Atunci cum de vede acum?

20 Părinţii lui au răspuns:

– Ştim că acesta este fiul nostru şi că s-a născut orb, 21 însă cum de vede acum sau Cine i-a deschis ochii, nu ştim. Întrebaţi-l pe el! Este în vârstă şi va vorbi el cu privire la sine!

22 Părinţii lui au spus aceste lucruri fiindcă le era frică de iudei. Căci iudeii hotărâseră deja că dacă va mărturisi cineva că Isus este Cristosul, să fie dat afară din sinagogă. 23 De aceea au zis părinţii lui: „Este în vârstă; întrebaţi-l pe el!“

24 L-au chemat a doua oară pe omul care fusese orb şi i-au zis:

– Dă slavă lui Dumnezeu! Noi ştim că Omul Acesta este păcătos.

25 El le-a răspuns:

– Dacă este păcătos, nu ştiu. Eu una ştiu: eram orb, iar acum văd!

26 Ei l-au întrebat:

– Ce ţi-a făcut? Cum ţi-a deschis ochii?

27 El le-a răspuns:

– V-am spus deja, dar n-aţi ascultat. De ce vreţi să auziţi din nou? Doar nu vreţi şi voi să deveniţi ucenicii Lui?!

28 Ei l-au insultat şi i-au zis:

– Tu eşti ucenicul Aceluia! Noi însă suntem ucenicii lui Moise! 29 Noi ştim că lui Moise i-a vorbit Dumnezeu, dar Acesta nu ştim de unde este!

30 Omul le-a răspuns:

– Dar tocmai acesta este lucrul de mirare, că voi nu ştiţi de unde este şi totuşi El mi-a deschis ochii! 31 Ştim că Dumnezeu nu-i ascultă pe păcătoşi, dar dacă cineva este temător de Dumnezeu şi face voia Lui, pe acela îl ascultă. 32 De când este lumea nu s-a auzit ca cineva să deschidă ochii unuia care s-a născut orb. 33 Dacă Acesta nu era de la Dumnezeu, n-ar fi putut face nimic.

34 Ei i-au zis:

– Tu ai fost născut cu totul în păcat şi tu ne înveţi pe noi?!

Şi l-au dat afară.

Orbirea spirituală

35 Isus a auzit că l-au dat afară şi când l-a găsit l-a întrebat:

– Tu crezi în Fiul Omului[c]?

36 El I-a răspuns:

– Şi Cine este, Domnule, ca să cred în El?

37 Isus i-a zis:

– L-ai şi văzut; Cel Ce vorbeşte cu tine este Acela!

38 (El a răspuns:

– Cred, Doamne!

Şi I s-a închinat. 39 Isus i-a zis:)[d]

– Eu am venit în lumea aceasta pentru judecată, pentru ca cei ce nu văd, să vadă, iar cei ce văd, să devină orbi.

40 Unii dintre fariseii care erau cu El, când au auzit acestea, I-au zis:

– Doar nu suntem şi noi orbi?!

41 Isus le-a răspuns:

– Dacă aţi fi orbi, n-aţi avea păcat; dar acum, pentru că ziceţi: „Vedem!“, păcatul vostru rămâne!

Footnotes

  1. Ioan 9:2 Vezi nota de la 1:38
  2. Ioan 9:2 Cf. învăţăturii rabinice din acea vreme, răsplata şi pedeapsa erau proporţionale cu meritele şi greşelile oamenilor sau ale părinţilor lor
  3. Ioan 9:35 Cf. celor mai importante mss; cele mai multe mss conţin: Fiul lui Dumnezeu
  4. Ioan 9:39 Unele mss timpurii şi importante nu conţin aceste cuvinte