John 9
1 As Jesus walked along [with us], he saw a man who had been blind from the time he was born.
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth.
2 We disciples asked him, “Teacher, was this man blind from when he was born because his parents sinned or because he himself sinned?”
“Rabbi,” asked his disciples, “who was it that sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 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.
“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 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].
We must do the work of him who sent me, while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
5 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].”
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 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.
Saying this, Jesus spat on the ground, made some paste with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.
7 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!
“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 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?”
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, “[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!”
“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 is it that now you can see?”
“How did you get your sight, then?” they asked.
11 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.”
“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 They said to him, “Where is that man [now]?” He said, “I do not know.”
“Where is he?” they asked. “I do not know,” he answered.
13 They took to the Pharisees the man who was previously blind.
They took the man, who had been blind, to the Pharisees.
14 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]).
Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the paste and gave him his sight.
15 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!”
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 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.
“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 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].
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 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.
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 [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?”
“Is this your son,” they asked, “who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he can see now?”
20 His parents replied, “We know that he is our son. We know that he was blind when he was born.
“We know that this is our son,” answered the parents, “and that he was born blind;
21 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!”
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 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].
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 is the reason that they said, “He is old enough [to answer questions], so ask him!”
This was why his parents said ‘He is old enough; ask him.’
24 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.”
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 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!”
“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 So they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he enable you to see?”
“What did he do to you?” they asked. “How did he give you your sight?”
27 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]).”
“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 Then they insulted him angrily. They said, “You are that man’s disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples!
“You are his disciple,” they retorted scornfully. “But we are disciples of Moses.
29 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!”
We know that God spoke to Moses; but, as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.”
30 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!
“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 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.
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 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)
Since the world began, such a thing was never heard of as anyone’s giving sight to a person born blind. (aiōn g165)
33 So if this man had not come from God, he would not be able to do anything [like that]!”
If this man had not been from God, he could not have done anything at all.”
34 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].
“You,” they retorted, “were born totally depraved; and are you trying to teach us?” So they expelled him.
35 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]?”
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 The man answered, “Sir, who is he? [Tell me], in order that I may believe 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. [In fact, it is I], the one who am speaking to you.”
“Not only have you seen him,” said Jesus, “but it is he who is now speaking to you.”
38 The man said, “Lord, I believe that [you are the Messiah]!” Then he [knelt down before] Jesus and worshipped him.
“Then, Sir, I do believe,” said the man, bowing to the ground before him;
39 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.”
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 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?”
Hearing this, some of the Pharisees who were with him said, “Then are we blind too?”
41 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.”
“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.
