John 9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
The Man Born Blind. 1 [a]As he passed by he saw a man blind from birth.(A) 2 [b]His disciples asked him,(B) “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.(C) 4 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) 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(E) 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes,(F) 7 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)
8 His neighbors and those who had seen him earlier as a beggar said, “Isn’t this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 9:14 In using spittle, kneading clay, and healing, Jesus had broken the sabbath rules laid down by Jewish tradition.
- 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.”
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Giovanni 9
La Nuova Diodati
9 Mentre passava, vide un uomo che era cieco fin dalla nascita.
2 E i suoi discepoli lo interrogarono, dicendo: «Maestro, chi ha peccato, lui o i suoi genitori, perché sia nato cieco?».
3 Gesú rispose: «Né lui né i suoi genitori hanno peccato, ma ciò è accaduto, affinché siano manifestate in lui le opere di Dio.
4 Bisogna che io compia le opere di colui che mi ha mandato, mentre è giorno; la notte viene in cui nessuno può operare.
5 Mentre sono nel mondo, io sono la luce del mondo».
6 Dopo aver detto queste cose, sputò in terra, con la saliva fece del fango e ne impiastrò gli occhi del cieco.
7 Poi gli disse: «Va
8 Allora i vicini e quelli che lo avevano visto prima cieco, dissero: «Non è questi colui che stava seduto a mendicare?».
9 Alcuni dicevano: «E' lui». Altri: «Gli assomiglia». Ed egli diceva: «Io sono».
10 Gli dissero dunque: «Come ti sono stati aperti gli occhi?».
11 Egli rispose e disse: «Un uomo, chiamato Gesú, ha fatto del fango, mi ha spalmato gli occhi e mi ha detto: "Va' alla piscina di Siloe e lavati". Ed io vi sono andato, mi sono lavato e ho recuperato la vista».
12 E quelli gli dissero: «Dov'è costui?». Egli rispose: «Non lo so».
13 Allora essi condussero dai farisei colui che prima era stato cieco.
14 Ora era sabato quando Gesú fece del fango e gli aperse gli occhi.
15 Anche i farisei dunque gli domandarono di nuovo come avesse recuperato la vista. Ed egli disse loro: «Mi ha messo del fango sugli occhi, mi sono lavato e ci vedo».
16 Allora alcuni farisei dicevano: «Quest'uomo non è da Dio, perché non osserva il sabato». Altri dicevano: «Come può un uomo peccatore compiere tali segni?». E c'era divisione tra di loro.
17 Chiesero dunque di nuovo al cieco: «E tu, che dici di lui per il fatto che ti ha aperto gli occhi?». Egli disse: «E' un profeta!».
18 Ma i Giudei non credettero che lui fosse stato cieco e avesse riacquistato la vista, finché ebbero chiamato i genitori di colui che aveva riacquistato la vista.
19 E chiesero loro: «E' questo il vostro figlio che voi dite esser nato cieco? Come mai ora ci vede?».
20 I suoi genitori, rispondendo loro dissero: «Noi sappiamo che costui è nostro figlio e che è nato cieco,
21 ma come ora ci veda, o chi gli abbia aperto gli occhi, noi non lo sappiamo domandatelo a lui; egli è adulto, parlerà lui stesso di sé».
22 Questo dissero i suoi genitori, perché avevano paura dei Giudei; infatti i Giudei avevano già stabilito che se uno avesse riconosciuto Gesú come il Cristo, sarebbe stato espulso dalla sinagoga.
23 Perciò i suoi genitori dissero: «E' adulto, chiedetelo a lui».
24 Essi dunque chiamarono di nuovo l'uomo che era stato cieco e gli dissero: «Da' gloria a Dio; noi sappiamo che quest'uomo è peccatore».
25 Egli allora rispose e disse: «Se sia peccatore, non lo so; ma una cosa so, che prima ero cieco e ora ci vedo».
26 Gli chiesero di nuovo: «Che cosa ti ha fatto? Come ti ha aperto gli occhi?».
27 Egli rispose loro: «Io ve l'ho già detto e voi non avete ascoltato, perché volete udirlo di nuovo? Volete forse diventare anche voi suoi discepoli?».
28 Essi perciò l'ingiuriarono e dissero: «Tu sei suo discepolo; ma noi siamo discepoli di Mosé.
29 Noi sappiamo che Dio ha parlato a Mosé, ma quanto a costui non sappiamo da dove venga».
30 Quell'uomo rispose e disse loro: «Ebbene, è molto strano che voi non sappiate da dove venga; eppure egli mi ha aperto gli occhi.
31 Or noi sappiamo che Dio non esaudisce i peccatori, ma se uno è pio verso Dio e fa la sua volontà, egli lo esaudisce.
32 Da che mondo è mondo non si è mai sentito dire che uno abbia aperto gli occhi ad un cieco nato.
33 Se costui non fosse da Dio, non avrebbe potuto fare nulla».
34 Essi risposero e gli dissero: «Tu sei nato completamente nei peccati e vuoi insegnare a noi?». E lo cacciarono fuori.
35 Gesú seppe che l'avevano cacciato fuori e, trovatolo, gli disse: «Credi tu nel Figlio di Dio?».
36 Egli rispose e disse: «Chi è, Signore, perché io creda in lui?».
37 E Gesú gli disse: «Tu l'hai visto, è proprio colui che ti sta parlando»
38 Allora egli disse: «lo credo, Signore»; e l'adorò.
39 Poi Gesú disse: «lo sono venuto in questo mondo per fare un giudizio, affinché quelli che non vedono vedano e quelli che vedono diventino ciechi».
40 Alcuni dei farisei che erano con lui udirono queste cose e gli dissero: «Siamo ciechi anche noi?».
41 Gesú rispose loro: «Se foste ciechi, non avreste alcun peccato; ma siccome dite: "Noi vediamo perciò il vostro peccato rimane».
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
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