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40 “He has blinded their eyes
    and hardened their hearts,
lest they see with their eyes
    and understand with their hearts,
and thereby be converted,
    so that I could heal them.”[a]

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:40 This text, like others in the Old Testament, appears to say that hardened hearts and blinded eyes are God’s doing. However, the evangelist is simply assuring Christian readers that even though God would give people every opportunity to convert, many would still choose to stay in their sin.

40 He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,[a]
so that they would not see with their eyes
and understand with their heart,[b]
and turn to me,[c] and I would heal them.”[d]

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Footnotes

  1. John 12:40 tn Or “closed their mind.”
  2. John 12:40 tn Or “their mind.”
  3. John 12:40 tn One could also translate στραφῶσιν (straphōsin) as “repent” or “change their ways,” but both of these terms would be subject to misinterpretation by the modern English reader. The idea is one of turning back to God, however. The words “to me” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
  4. John 12:40 sn A quotation from Isa 6:10.