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.(A) 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.(B) “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.”(C)

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”(D) So they were divided.(E)

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.”(F)

18 They(G) 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,(H) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(I) of the synagogue.(J) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(K)

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,”(L) they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”(M)

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(N) 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!(O) 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”(P)

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.(Q) 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God,(R) he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth;(S) how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.(T)

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The Healed Man’s Testimony

13 They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees.(A) 14 The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath.(B) 15 So again the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight.

“He put mud on my eyes,” he told them. “I washed and I can see.”

16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God,(C) for He doesn’t keep the Sabbath!” But others were saying, “How can a sinful man(D) perform such signs?” And there was a division(E) among them.

17 Again they asked the blind man,[a] “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?”

“He’s a prophet,”(F) he said.

18 The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight.

19 They asked them, “Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

20 “We know this is our son and that he was born blind,” his parents answered. 21 “But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him as Messiah,(G) he would be banned from the synagogue. 23 This is why his parents said, “He’s of age; ask him.”

24 So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, “Give glory(H) to God.[b](I) We know that this man is a sinner!”

25 He answered, “Whether or not He’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!”

26 Then they asked him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

27 “I already told you,” he said, “and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t want to become His disciples too, do you?”

28 They ridiculed him: “You’re that man’s disciple, but we’re Moses’(J) disciples. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don’t know where He’s from!”(K)

30 “This is an amazing thing,” the man told them. “You don’t know where He is from, yet He opened my eyes! 31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners,(L) but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will,(M) He listens to him.(N) 32 Throughout history[c] no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind.(O) 33 If this man were not from God, He wouldn’t be able to do anything.”(P)

34 “You were born entirely in sin,”(Q) they replied, “and are you trying to teach us?” Then they threw him out.[d](R)

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Footnotes

  1. John 9:17 = the man who had been blind
  2. John 9:24 Give glory to God was a solemn charge to tell the truth; Jos 7:19.
  3. John 9:32 Lit From the age
  4. John 9:34 = they banned him from the synagogue; v. 22