Iohannem 9
1 et praeteriens vidit hominem caecum a nativitate
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man who had been blind from his birth.
2 et interrogaverunt eum discipuli sui rabbi quis peccavit hic aut parentes eius ut caecus nasceretur
‘Rabbi,’ asked his disciples, ‘who was it that sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’
3 respondit Iesus neque hic peccavit neque parentes eius sed ut manifestetur opera Dei in illo
‘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 me oportet operari opera eius qui misit me donec dies est venit nox quando nemo potest operari
We must do the work of him who sent me, while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
5 quamdiu in mundo sum lux sum mundi
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’
6 haec cum dixisset expuit in terram et fecit lutum ex sputo et linuit lutum super oculos eius
Saying this, Jesus spat on the ground, made some paste with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.
7 et dixit ei vade lava in natatoria Siloae quod interpretatur Missus abiit ergo et lavit et venit videns
‘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 itaque vicini et qui videbant eum prius quia mendicus erat dicebant nonne hic est qui sedebat et mendicabat alii dicebant quia hic est
His neighbours, 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 alii autem nequaquam sed similis est eius ille dicebat quia ego sum
‘Yes,’ some said, ‘it is’; while others said, ‘No, but he is like him.’ The man himself said, ‘I am he.’
10 dicebant ergo ei quomodo aperti sunt oculi tibi
‘How did you get your sight, then?’ they asked.
11 respondit ille homo qui dicitur Iesus lutum fecit et unxit oculos meos et dixit mihi vade ad natatoriam Siloae et lava et abii et lavi et vidi
‘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 dixerunt ei ubi est ille ait nescio
‘Where is he?’ they asked. ‘I do not know,’ he answered.
13 adducunt eum ad Pharisaeos qui caecus fuerat
They took the man, who had been blind, to the Pharisees.
14 erat autem sabbatum quando lutum fecit Iesus et aperuit oculos eius
Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the paste and gave him his sight.
15 iterum ergo interrogabant eum Pharisaei quomodo vidisset ille autem dixit eis lutum posuit mihi super oculos et lavi et video
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 dicebant ergo ex Pharisaeis quidam non est hic homo a Deo quia sabbatum non custodit alii dicebant quomodo potest homo peccator haec signa facere et scisma erat in eis
‘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 dicunt ergo caeco iterum tu quid dicis de eo qui aperuit oculos tuos ille autem dixit quia propheta est
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 non crediderunt ergo Iudaei de illo quia caecus fuisset et vidisset donec vocaverunt parentes eius qui viderat
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 et interrogaverunt eos dicentes hic est filius vester quem vos dicitis quia caecus natus est quomodo ergo nunc videt
‘Is this your son,’ they asked, ‘who you say was born blind? If so, how is it that he can see now?’
20 responderunt eis parentes eius et dixerunt scimus quia hic est filius noster et quia caecus natus est
‘We know that this is our son,’ answered the parents, ‘and that he was born blind;
21 quomodo autem nunc videat nescimus aut quis eius aperuit oculos nos nescimus ipsum interrogate aetatem habet ipse de se loquatur
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 haec dixerunt parentes eius quia timebant Iudaeos iam enim conspiraverant Iudaei ut si quis eum confiteretur Christum extra synagogam fieret
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 propterea parentes eius dixerunt quia aetatem habet ipsum interrogate
This was why his parents said “He is old enough; ask him.”
24 vocaverunt ergo rursum hominem qui fuerat caecus et dixerunt ei da gloriam Deo nos scimus quia hic homo peccator est
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 dixit ergo ille si peccator est nescio unum scio quia caecus cum essem modo video
‘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 dixerunt ergo illi quid fecit tibi quomodo aperuit tibi oculos
‘What did he do to you?’ they asked. ‘How did he give you your sight?’
27 respondit eis dixi vobis iam et audistis quid iterum vultis audire numquid et vos vultis discipuli eius fieri
‘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 maledixerunt ei et dixerunt tu discipulus illius es nos autem Mosi discipuli sumus
‘You are his disciple,’ they retorted scornfully. ‘But we are disciples of Moses.
29 nos scimus quia Mosi locutus est Deus hunc autem nescimus unde sit
We know that God spoke to Moses; but, as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.’
30 respondit ille homo et dixit eis in hoc enim mirabile est quia vos nescitis unde sit et aperuit meos oculos
‘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 scimus autem quia peccatores Deus non audit sed si quis Dei cultor est et voluntatem eius facit hunc exaudit
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.
Since the world began, such a thing was never heard of as anyone’s giving sight to a person born blind. (aiōn g165)
33 nisi esset hic a Deo non poterat facere quicquam
If this man had not been from God, he could not have done anything at all.’
34 responderunt et dixerunt ei in peccatis natus es totus et tu doces nos et eiecerunt eum foras
‘You,’ they retorted, ‘were born totally depraved; and are you trying to teach us?’ So they expelled him.
35 audivit Iesus quia eiecerunt eum foras et cum invenisset eum dixit ei tu credis in Filium Dei
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 respondit ille et dixit quis est Domine ut credam in eum
‘Tell me who he is, Sir,’ he replied, ‘so that I may believe in him.’
37 et dixit ei Iesus et vidisti eum et qui loquitur tecum ipse est
‘Not only have you seen him,’ said Jesus, ‘but it is he who is now speaking to you.’
38 at ille ait credo Domine et procidens adoravit eum
‘Then, Sir, I do believe,’ said the man, bowing to the ground before him;
39 dixit ei Iesus in iudicium ego in hunc mundum veni ut qui non vident videant et qui vident caeci fiant
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 et audierunt ex Pharisaeis qui cum ipso erant et dixerunt ei numquid et nos caeci sumus
Hearing this, some of the Pharisees who were with him said, ‘Then are we blind too?’
41 dixit eis Iesus si caeci essetis non haberetis peccatum nunc vero dicitis quia videmus peccatum vestrum manet
‘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.
