John 9
1 And as he was passing along, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth.
As Jesus walked along [with us], he saw a man who had been blind from the time he was born.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
We disciples asked him, “Teacher, was this man blind from when he was born because his parents sinned or because he himself sinned?”
3 Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but that the works of God might be made manifest in him.
Jesus replied, “His being blind was not because he or his parents sinned. Instead, [he has been blind] in order that [people can] see the power of God {the power of God can be seen} as a result of [what will now happen] to him.
4 We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day; the night is coming, when no one can work.
While there is still time, I must do the work that the one who sent me [wants me to do. Just like daytime is followed by] nighttime when people do not work, [at the end of our lives] [MET] [it is too late for us to do what God wants].
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
While I am still [living] in this world, I am the [one who enables people to know about God, like] [MET] [a] light enables the people in [MTY] this world [to see what is in the darkness].”
6 Having thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay with the spittle, and anointed his eyes with the clay,
After he said that, he spat on the ground. He made [a little bit of] mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.
7 and said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam; (which is, when translated, Sent.) He went away therefore, and washed and came seeing.
Then he said to him, “Go and wash in Siloam pool!” (That name means ‘sent;’ [just like they sent the water by a channel into the pool, God sent Jesus]). So the man went and washed [in the pool], and when he went home he was able to see!
8 The neighbors therefore, and they who before had seen him as a beggar, said, Is not this he that sits and begs?
His neighbors and others who previously had seen him when he was begging said, “He is the man who used to sit here and beg, isn’t he?”
9 Some said, This is he. Others said, No, but he is like him. He said, I am he.
Some said, “[Yes], he is.” Others said, “No, [he is not]. It is [just] a man who looks like him!” But the man himself said, “Yes, I am that man!”
10 They said therefore to him How then were thine eyes opened?
So they said to him, “How is it that now you can see?”
11 He answered, The man who is called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes, and said to me, Go to Siloam, and wash. I went therefore and washed, and received sight.
He replied, “The man whose name is Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. Then he told me to go to Siloam [pool] and wash. So I went there and washed, and then I could see.”
12 And they said to him, Where is that man? He saith, I do not know.
They said to him, “Where is that man [now]?” He said, “I do not know.”
13 They bring to the Pharisees him who had once been blind.
They took to the Pharisees the man who was previously blind.
14 And the day on which Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes was the sabbath.
The day on which Jesus made the mud and enabled the man to see again was a (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest). [The Pharisees considered that healing someone was work, and their rules did not permit people to do any work] ([on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day]).
15 Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, He put clay on my eyes, and I washed them, and I see.
So the Pharisees also asked that man, “How did you become able to see?” He said to them, “The man put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I can see!”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such signs. And there was a division among them.
So some of the Pharisees said, “Since this man [Jesus] disobeys [our rules about working] (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day), he is not from God.” But others said, “If he was a sinner, (he could certainly not do such miracles!/how could he do such miracles?) [RHQ]” So they were divided.
17 They say therefore to the blind man again, What dost thou say of him for having opened thine eyes? And he said, He is a prophet.
So one of them said to the blind man again, “You are the man whom he enabled to see. What do you yourself say about him?” The man said, “[I think] he is a prophet!” [So they told him to go].
18 The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] still did not believe that the man was blind when he was born, and that he was [now] able to see. So they sent someone to bring the man’s parents.
19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? How then doth he now see?
[When they got there], one of [the Jewish leaders] asked them, “Is that man your son? Do you say that he was blind when he was born? [If that is true], how is he now able to see?”
20 His parents, answered and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
His parents replied, “We know that he is our son. We know that he was blind when he was born.
21 but by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who opened his eyes, we know not; ask him, he is of age; he will speak for himself.
But we do not know how he is able to see now. We also do not know who enabled him to see. Ask our son! He is old enough [to answer questions from authorities like you] He can tell you himself!”
22 This his parents said, because they feared the Jews. For the Jews had already agreed, that if any one should acknowledge him as the Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] had previously declared that they would prevent anyone who declared that Jesus was the Messiah from [entering] their synagogues. His parents [knew that, so] they were afraid of the Jewish [leaders] [SYN].
23 Therefore his parents said, He is of age; ask him.
That is the reason that they said, “He is old enough [to answer questions], so ask him!”
24 They therefore called a second time the man that had been blind, and said to him, Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.
So they sent someone to bring back to them the man who had been blind. [When he got there], the [Jewish leaders] said to him, “Knowing that God [is listening] [IDM], tell the truth! We know that the man who healed you is a sinner.”
25 He therefore answered, Whether he is a sinner, I know not; one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
He replied, “I do not know if he is a sinner or not. But one thing I do know is that I was blind, but now I can see!”
26 They said to him, What did he do to thee? How did he open thine eyes?
So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he enable you to see?”
27 He answered them, I have already told you, and ye did not hear; why would ye hear it again? Are ye also inclined to become his disciples?
He replied, “I told you that already, but you did not [RHQ] pay attention! Why do you want to hear me tell you again? (Do you also want to become his disciples?/You talk as though [IRO] you also want to become his disciples [RHQ]).”
28 They reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are disciples of Moses.
Then they insulted him angrily. They said, “You are that man’s disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples!
29 We know that God hath spoken to Moses; but as for this man, we know not whence he is.
We know that God spoke to Moses; but this man, we do not know where he is from or where he [gets any authority] from!”
30 The man answered and said to them, Why, herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not whence he is, and yet he opened my eyes.
The man replied, “That is very surprising! You [say that] you do not know where he [gets any authority]. But he enabled me to see!
31 We know that God heareth not sinners; but if any one is a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
We know that God does not help sinners [who ask God to help them]. Instead, he listens to [and helps] godly people who pray. He listens to people who do what God wants.
32 Since the world began, it was never heard that any one opened the eyes of a man born blind. (aiōn g165)
No one has ever enabled a man to see who was blind when he was born [like I was]. That has never happened since the world began! (aiōn g165)
33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.
So if this man had not come from God, he would not be able to do anything [like that]!”
34 They answered and said to him, Thou wast wholly born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
They replied to him, “You (were born [as a result of your parents’] sin [EUP]/bastard)! (Do you think you are qualified to teach us?/You are not qualified to teach us!) [RHQ]” Then they threw him out [of the synagogue].
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and he found him, and said, Dost thou believe in the Son of man?
Jesus heard [people say] that they had thrown that man out. He found the man and said to him, “Do you believe that the one who came down from heaven [is the Messiah]?”
36 He answered and said, And who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?
The man answered, “Sir, who is he? [Tell me], in order that I may believe in him.”
37 Jesus said to him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
Jesus said to him, “You have seen him. [In fact, it is I], the one who am speaking to you.”
38 And he said, I believe, Lord; and he prostrated himself before him.
The man said, “Lord, I believe that [you are the Messiah]!” Then he [knelt down before] Jesus and worshipped him.
39 And Jesus said, For judgment came I into this world; that they who see not might see, and that they who see might become blind.
Jesus said, “I have come into this world to judge [the people in the world]. The result will be that [those who realize that they do not know God’s truth will perceive it. That is like] [MET] [enabling] those who are blind to see. But the result will also be that people who [falsely think] [IRO] that [they understand God’s truth will never understand it. That is like] [MET] [people] who are blind remaining blind permanently.”
40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this, and said to him, Are we also blind?
Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard him say that, and said to him, “You are not suggesting that we are [like] blind people, are you?”
41 Jesus said to them, If ye were blind, ye would not have sin; but now ye say, We see. Your sin remaineth.
Jesus said to them, “If you [realized that you did not yet know God’s truth, but you wanted to, then you would be like] blind people [who wanted to see. God would be able to] forgive your sins. But you are now [falsely] claiming that you [know God’s truth, so you are like people who are blind who claim that they] can see. [Because of that, God is not able to] forgive your sins.”
