John 9
1 And when he went on his way, he saw a man blind from birth.
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples put a question to him, saying, Master, was it because of this man's sin, or the sin of his father and mother, that he has been blind from birth?
“Rabbi,” asked his disciples, “who was it that sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus said in answer, It was not because of his sin, or because of his father's or mother's; it was so that the works of God might be seen openly in him.
“Neither the man nor the parents,” replied Jesus, “but he was born blind so that the work of God should be made plain in him.
4 While it is day we have to do the works of him who sent me: the night comes when no work may be done.
We must do the work of him who sent me, while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 Having said these words, he put earth, mixed with water from his mouth, on the man's eyes,
Saying this, Jesus spat on the ground, made some paste with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.
7 And said to him, Go and make yourself clean in the bath of Siloam (the sense of the name is, Sent). So he went away and, after washing, came back able to see.
“Go,” he said, “and wash your eyes in the Bath of Siloam” (a word which means ‘messenger’). So the man went and washed his eyes, and returned able to see.
8 Then the neighbours and others who had seen him before in the street, with his hand out for money, said, Is not this the man who got money from people?
His neighbors, and those who had formerly known him by sight as a beggar, exclaimed, “Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?”
9 Some said, It is he: others said, No, but he is like him. He said, I am he.
“Yes,” some said, “it is”; while others said, “No, but he is like him.” The man himself said, “I am he.”
10 So they said to him, How then were your eyes made open?
“How did you get your sight, then?” they asked.
11 His answer was: The man who is named Jesus put earth mixed with water on my eyes, and said to me, Go and make yourself clean in Siloam: so I went away and, after washing, am now able to see.
“The man whom they call Jesus,” he answered, “made a paste, and anointed my eyes, and said to me ‘Go to Siloam and wash your eyes.’ So I went and washed my eyes, and gained my sight.”
12 And they said to him, Where is he? His answer was: I have no knowledge.
“Where is he?” they asked. “I do not know,” he answered.
13 They took him before the Pharisees — this man who had been blind.
They took the man, who had been blind, to the Pharisees.
14 Now the day on which the earth was mixed by Jesus and the man's eyes were made open was the Sabbath.
Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the paste and gave him his sight.
15 So the Pharisees put more questions to him about how his eyes had been made open. And he said to them, He put earth on my eyes, and I had a wash and am able to see.
So the Pharisees also questioned the man as to how he had gained his sight. “He put a paste on my eyes,” he answered, “and I washed them, and I can see.”
16 Then some of the Pharisees said, That man has not come from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath. Others said, How is it possible for a sinner to do such signs? So there was a division among them.
“The man cannot be from God,” said some of the Pharisees, “for he does not keep the Sabbath.” “How is it possible,” retorted others, “for a bad man to give signs like this?”
17 Again they said to the blind man, What have you to say about him for opening your eyes? And he said, He is a prophet.
So there was a difference of opinion among them, and they again questioned the man. “What do you yourself say about him, for it is to you that he has given sight?”
18 Now the Jews had no belief in the statement that he had been blind and was now able to see, till they sent for the father and mother of the man whose eyes had been made open,
The religious authorities, however, refused to believe that he had been blind and had gained his sight, until they had called his parents and questioned them.
19 And put the question to them, saying, Is this your son, of whom you say that he was blind at birth? how is it then that he is now able to see?
“Is this your son,” they asked, “who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he can see now?”
20 In answer his father and mother said, We are certain that this is our son and that he was blind at birth:
“We know that this is our son,” answered the parents, “and that he was born blind;
21 But how it is he is now able to see, or who made his eyes open, we are not able to say: put the question to him; he is old enough to give an answer for himself.
but how it is that he can see now we do not know; nor do we know who it was that gave him his sight. Ask him – he is old enough – he will tell you about himself.”
22 They said this because of their fear of the Jews: for the Jews had come to an agreement that if any man said that Jesus was the Christ he would be put out of the Synagogue.
His parents spoke in this way because they were afraid of the authorities; for the authorities had already agreed that, if anyone should acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, he should be expelled from their synagogues.
23 That was the reason why they said, He is old enough; put the question to him.
This was why his parents said ‘He is old enough; ask him.’
24 So they sent a second time for the man who had been blind and they said to him, Give glory to God: it is clear to us that this man is a sinner.
So the authorities again called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give God the praise; we know that this is a bad man.”
25 He said in answer, I have no knowledge if he is a sinner or not, but one thing I am certain about; I was blind, and now I see.
“I know nothing about his being a bad man,” he replied. “One thing I do know, that although I was blind, now I can see.”
26 Then they said to him, What did he do to you? how did he give you the use of your eyes?
“What did he do to you?” they asked. “How did he give you your sight?”
27 His answer was: I have said it before, but your ears were shut: why would you have me say it again? is it your desire to become his disciples?
“I told you just now,” he answered, “and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Surely you also do not want to become his disciples?”
28 And they were angry with him and said, You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
“You are his disciple,” they retorted scornfully. “But we are disciples of Moses.
29 We are certain that God gave his word to Moses: but as for this man, we have no knowledge where he comes from.
We know that God spoke to Moses; but, as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”
30 The man said in answer, Why, here is a strange thing! You have no knowledge where he comes from though he gave me the use of my eyes.
“Well,” the man replied, “this is very strange; you do not know where he comes from, and yet he has given me my sight!
31 We have knowledge that God does not give ear to sinners, but if any man is a worshipper of God and does his pleasure, to him God's ears are open.
We know that God never listens to bad people, but, when a person is god-fearing and does God’s will, God listens to them.
32 In all the years nobody has ever before seen the eyes of a man blind from birth made open. (aiōn g165)
Since the world began, such a thing was never heard of as anyone’s giving sight to a person born blind. (aiōn g165)
33 If this man did not come from God he would be unable to do anything.
If this man had not been from God, he could not have done anything at all.”
34 Their answer was: You came to birth through sin; do you make yourself our teacher? And they put him out of the Synagogue.
“You,” they retorted, “were born totally depraved; and are you trying to teach us?” So they expelled him.
35 It came to the ears of Jesus that they had put him out, and meeting him he said, Have you faith in the Son of man?
Jesus heard of their having put him out; and, when he had found the man, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36 He said in answer, And who is he, Lord? Say, so that I may have faith in him.
“Tell me who he is, Sir,” he replied, “so that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said to him, You have seen him; it is he who is talking to you.
“Not only have you seen him,” said Jesus, “but it is he who is now speaking to you.”
38 And he said, Lord, I have faith. And he gave him worship.
“Then, Sir, I do believe,” said the man, bowing to the ground before him;
39 And Jesus said, I came into this world to be a judge, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.
and Jesus added, “It was to put people to the test that I came into this world, in order that those that cannot see should see, and that those that can see should become blind.”
40 These words came to the ears of the Pharisees who were with him and they said to him, Are we, then, blind?
Hearing this, some of the Pharisees who were with him said, “Then are we blind too?”
41 Jesus said to them, If you were blind you would have no sin: but now that you say, We see; your sin is there still.
“If you had been blind,” replied Jesus, “you would have had no sin to answer for; but, as it is, you say ‘We can see,’ and so your sin remains.
