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.
Juan 9
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible)
Pinagaling ni Jesus ang Isang Bulag
9 Habang naglalakad si Jesus, may nakita siyang isang lalaki na ipinanganak na bulag. 2 Tinanong si Jesus ng mga tagasunod niya, “Guro, sino po ba ang nagkasala at ipinanganak siyang bulag? Siya po ba o ang mga magulang niya?” 3 Sumagot si Jesus, “Hindi siya ipinanganak na bulag dahil nagkasala siya o ang mga magulang niya. Nangyari iyon para maipakita ang kapangyarihan ng Dios sa pamamagitan ng pagpapagaling sa kanya. 4 Hindi baʼt nagtatrabaho ang tao sa araw dahil hindi na siya makakapagtrabaho sa gabi? Kaya dapat gawin na natin ang mga ipinapagawa ng Dios na nagpadala sa akin habang magagawa pa natin. Sapagkat darating ang araw na hindi na natin magagawa ang ipinapagawa niya. 5 Habang ako ay nasa mundong ito, ako ang ilaw na nagbibigay-liwanag sa mga tao.” 6 Pagkasabi niya nito, dumura siya sa lupa, gumawa ng putik mula sa dura at ipinahid niya sa mata ng bulag. 7 Sinabi ni Jesus sa bulag, “Pumunta ka sa paliguan ng Siloam at maghilamos ka roon.” (Ang ibig sabihin ng Siloam ay “Sinugo”.) Pumunta nga roon ang bulag at naghilamos. Nang bumalik siya ay nakakakita na siya.
8 Dahil dito, nagtanungan ang mga kapitbahay niya at ang iba pang mga nakakita sa kanya noong namamalimos pa siya. Sinabi nila, “Hindi baʼt siya ang dating nakaupo at namamalimos?” 9 Sinabi ng iba, “Siya nga.” Pero sinabi naman ng iba, “Hindi, kamukha lang niya iyon.” Kaya ang lalaki na mismo ang nagsabi, “Ako nga iyon.” 10 “Paano kang nakakita?” tanong nila. 11 Sumagot siya, “Ang lalaking tinatawag na Jesus ay gumawa ng putik. Ipinahid niya ito sa mga mata ko at sinabi, ‘Pumunta ka sa paliguan ng Siloam at maghilamos.’ Kaya pumunta ako roon at naghilamos, at pagkatapos ay nakakita na ako.” 12 Nagtanong ang mga tao, “Nasaan na siya?” Sumagot ang lalaki, “Hindi ko po alam.”
Inimbestigahan ng mga Pariseo ang Pagpapagaling
13 Dinala nila sa mga Pariseo ang dating bulag. 14 Araw noon ng Pamamahinga nang gumawa si Jesus ng putik at pinagaling ang bulag. 15 Kaya tinanong din siya ng mga Pariseo kung paano siya nakakita. At sinabi ng lalaki, “Nilagyan ni Jesus ng putik ang mga mata ko. Naghilamos ako, at pagkatapos ay nakakita na ako.” 16 Sinabi ng ilang Pariseo, “Hindi mula sa Dios ang taong gumawa nito, dahil hindi niya sinusunod ang utos tungkol sa Araw ng Pamamahinga.” Pero sinabi naman ng iba, “Kung makasalanan siya, paano siya makakagawa ng ganitong himala?” Hindi magkasundo ang mga opinyon nila tungkol kay Jesus.
17 Kaya tinanong ulit ng mga Pariseo ang dating bulag, “Ano ang masasabi mo tungkol sa kanya, dahil pinagaling ka niya?” Sumagot ang lalaki, “Isa po siyang propeta.” 18 Pero ayaw pa ring maniwala ng mga pinuno ng mga Judio na siya nga ang dating bulag na ngayon ay nakakakita na. Kaya ipinatawag nila ang mga magulang niya 19 at tinanong, “Anak nʼyo ba ito? Totoo bang ipinanganak siyang bulag? Bakit nakakakita na siya ngayon?” 20 Sumagot ang mga magulang, “Anak nga po namin siya, at ipinanganak nga siyang bulag. 21 Pero hindi namin alam kung paano siya nakakita at kung sino ang nagpagaling sa kanya. Siya na lang po ang tanungin ninyo. Nasa tamang edad na siya, at kaya na niyang sumagot para sa sarili niya.” 22 Ito ang sinabi ng mga magulang ng lalaki dahil sa takot sa mga pinuno ng mga Judio. Sapagkat napagkasunduan na ng mga pinuno ng mga Judio na ang sinumang kikilala kay Jesus bilang Cristo ay hindi na tatanggapin sa sambahan nila. 23 Kaya ganito ang isinagot ng mga magulang: “Nasa tamang edad na siya. Siya na lang po ang tanungin ninyo.”
24 Kaya ipinatawag nila ulit ang dating bulag at sinabi sa kanya, “Sumumpa ka sa harap ng Dios na sasabihin mo ang totoo! Alam naming makasalanan ang taong iyon!” 25 Sumagot ang lalaki, “Hindi ko po alam kung makasalanan siya o hindi. Ang alam ko lang ay dati akong bulag, pero nakakakita na ngayon.” 26 Tinanong pa nila ang lalaki, “Ano ang ginawa niya sa iyo? Paano ka niya pinagaling?” 27 Sumagot siya, “Sinabi ko na po sa inyo, pero ayaw naman ninyong maniwala. Bakit gusto ninyong marinig ulit ang sagot ko? Gusto po ba ninyong maging mga tagasunod niya?” 28 Kaya nagalit sila at ininsulto ang lalaki. Sinabi nila, “Tagasunod ka niya, pero kami ay mga tagasunod ni Moises. 29 Alam naming nagsalita ang Dios kay Moises, pero ang taong iyon ay hindi namin alam kung saan nanggaling!” 30 Sumagot ang lalaki, “Iyan nga po ang nakakapagtaka. Hindi nʼyo alam kung saan siya nanggaling, pero pinagaling niya ang mata ko. 31 Alam nating hindi pinakikinggan ng Dios ang mga makasalanan, pero ang sinumang may takot sa Dios at gumagawa ng kanyang kalooban ay panakikinggan niya. 32 Kailanmaʼy wala pa tayong narinig na may taong nakapagpagaling ng taong ipinanganak na bulag. 33 Kung hindi nanggaling sa Dios ang taong iyon, hindi niya magagawa ang himalang ito.” 34 Sumagot ang mga pinuno ng mga Judio, “Ipinanganak kang makasalanan! At ang lakas pa ng loob mo ngayon na pangaralan kami!” At pinagbawalan nila siyang pumasok sa sambahan nila.
Ang Espiritwal na Pagkabulag
35 Nabalitaan ni Jesus na pinagbawalang pumasok sa sambahan ang dating bulag, kaya hinanap niya ito. At nang matagpuan niya, tinanong niya ito, “Sumasampalataya ka ba sa Anak ng Tao?” 36 Sumagot ang lalaki, “Sino po siya? Sabihin nʼyo po sa akin upang sumampalataya ako sa kanya.” 37 Sinabi ni Jesus sa kanya, “Nakita mo na siya, at siya ang kausap mo ngayon.” 38 Sinabi agad ng lalaki, “Panginoon, sumasampalataya po ako sa inyo.” At lumuhod siya at sumamba kay Jesus. 39 Sinabi pa ni Jesus, “Naparito ako sa mundo upang hatulan ang mga tao. Ang mga taong umaaming bulag sila sa katotohanan ay makakakita, ngunit ang mga nagsasabing hindi sila bulag sa katotohanan ay hindi makakakita.” 40 Narinig ito ng ilang Pariseong naroon, at nagtanong sila, “Sinasabi mo bang mga bulag din kami?” 41 Sumagot si Jesus, “Kung inaamin nʼyong mga bulag kayo sa katotohanan, wala sana kayong kasalanan. Ngunit dahil sinasabi ninyong hindi kayo bulag, nangangahulugan ito na may kasalanan pa rin kayo.”
John 9
New King James Version
A Man Born Blind Receives Sight
9 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, (A)who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, (B)but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 (C)I[a] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is (D)day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, (E)I am the light of the world.”
6 When He had said these things, (F)He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash (G)in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So (H)he went and washed, and came back seeing.
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was [b]blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, [c]“He is like him.”
He said, “I am he.”
10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered and said, (I)“A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to [d]the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”
He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man
13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not [e]keep the Sabbath.”
Others said, (J)“How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And (K)there was a division among them.
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”
He said, (L)“He is a prophet.”
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because (M)they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he (N)would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, (O)“Give God the glory! (P)We know that this Man is a sinner.”
25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
26 Then they said to him again, “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 also want to become His disciples?”
28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God (Q)spoke to (R)Moses; as for this fellow, (S)we do not know where He is from.”
30 The man answered and said to them, (T)“Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that (U)God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 (V)If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, (W)“You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they [f]cast him out.
True Vision and True Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had (X)found him, He said to him, “Do you (Y)believe in (Z)the Son of [g]God?”
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and (AA)it is He who is talking with you.”
38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he (AB)worshiped Him.
39 And Jesus said, (AC)“For judgment I have come into this world, (AD)that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, (AE)and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
41 Jesus said to them, (AF)“If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible) Copyright © 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 by Biblica, Inc. ®
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

