Healing the Man Born Blind

As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “(A)Rabbi, who sinned, (B)this man or his (C)parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was (D)so that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me (E)as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am (F)the Light of the world.” When He had said this, He (G)spit on the ground, and made mud from the saliva, and applied the mud to his eyes, and said to him, “Go, wash in (H)the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he left and (I)washed, and (J)came back seeing. So the neighbors, and those who previously saw [a]him as a beggar, were saying, “Is this not the one who used to (K)sit and beg?” Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” [b]The man himself kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to (L)Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 And they said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”

Controversy over the Man

13 They *brought [c]the man who was previously blind to the Pharisees. 14 (M)Now it was a Sabbath on the day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 (N)Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied mud to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He (O)does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such [d](P)signs?” And (Q)there was dissension among them. 17 So they *said (R)again to the man who was blind, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a (S)prophet.”

18 (T)The Jews then did not believe it about him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and they questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents then answered and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they (U)were afraid of the [e]Jews; for the Jews (V)had already reached the decision that if anyone confessed Him to be [f]Christ, (W)he was to be excommunicated from the synagogue. 23 It was for this reason that his parents said, “(X)He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind, and said to him, “(Y)Give glory to God; we know that (Z)this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, 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, “(AA)I told you already and you did not (AB)listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They spoke abusively to him and said, “You are His disciple, but (AC)we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, (AD)we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is the amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes! 31 We know that (AE)God does not listen to sinners; but if someone is [g]God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him. 32 [h]Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 (AF)If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “(AG)You were born entirely in sins, and yet you are teaching us?” So they [i](AH)put him out.

Jesus Affirms His Deity

35 Jesus heard that they had [j](AI)put him out, and upon finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the (AJ)Son of Man?” 36 He answered [k]by saying, “And (AK)who is He, [l]Sir, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and (AL)He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “I believe, Lord.” And he (AM)worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, (AN)For judgment I came into this world, so that (AO)those who do not see may see, and (AP)those who see may become blind.” 40 Those who were with Him from the Pharisees heard these things and said to Him, “(AQ)We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, (AR)If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you maintain, ‘(AS)We see,’ your sin remains.

Parable of the Good Shepherd

10 “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is (AT)a thief and a robber. But the one who enters by the door is (AU)a shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to (AV)his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and (AW)leads them out. When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know (AX)his voice. However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know (AY)the voice of strangers.” Jesus told them this (AZ)figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them [m]meant.

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am (BA)the door of the sheep. All those who came before Me are (BB)thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. (BC)I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they (BD)would have life, and [n]have it abundantly.

11 (BE)I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd (BF)lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a (BG)shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep. 14 (BH)I am the good shepherd, and (BI)I know My own, and My own know Me, 15 just as (BJ)the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and (BK)I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And I have (BL)other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become (BM)one flock, with (BN)one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I (BO)lay down My life so that I may take it back. 18 (BP)No one has taken it away from Me, but I (BQ)lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. (BR)This commandment I received from My Father.”

19 (BS)Dissension occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He (BT)has a demon and (BU)is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who is (BV)demon-possessed. (BW)A demon cannot open the eyes of those who are blind, can it?”

Jesus Asserts His Deity

22 At that time the [o]Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area, in the portico of (BX)Solomon. 24 (BY)The Jews then surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long [p]will You keep us in suspense? If You are the [q]Christ, tell us (BZ)plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, (CA)I told you, and you do not believe; (CB)the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because (CC)you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep (CD)listen to My voice, and (CE)I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give them (CF)eternal life, and they will never perish; and (CG)no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 [r]My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 (CH)I and the Father are [s]one.”

31 The Jews (CI)picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus replied to them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for a good work, but for (CJ)blasphemy; and because You, being a man, (CK)make Yourself out to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in (CL)your (CM)Law: ‘(CN)I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified), 36 are you saying of Him whom the Father (CO)sanctified and (CP)sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘(CQ)I am the Son of God’? 37 (CR)If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe (CS)the works, so that you may [t]know and understand that (CT)the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore (CU)they were seeking again to arrest Him, and (CV)He eluded their grasp.

40 And He went away (CW)again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He stayed there. 41 Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no (CX)sign, yet (CY)everything John said about this man was true.” 42 And (CZ)many believed in Him there.

Footnotes

  1. John 9:8 Lit that he was a
  2. John 9:9 Lit That one kept
  3. John 9:13 Lit him who
  4. John 9:16 I.e., confirming miracles
  5. John 9:22 I.e., the Jewish leaders
  6. John 9:22 I.e., the Messiah
  7. John 9:31 Or devout
  8. John 9:32 Lit From the age it was not heard
  9. John 9:34 I.e., prob. excommunication from the synagogue
  10. John 9:35 See note v 34
  11. John 9:36 Lit and said
  12. John 9:36 Or Lord
  13. John 10:6 Lit were
  14. John 10:10 Or have abundance
  15. John 10:22 Now known as Hanukkah, also the Feast of Lights
  16. John 10:24 Lit do You lift up our soul
  17. John 10:24 I.e., Messiah
  18. John 10:29 One early ms What My Father has given Me is greater than all
  19. John 10:30 Or a unity; or one essence
  20. John 10:38 Lit know and continue knowing

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(A) who sinned,(B) this man(C) or his parents,(D) that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.(E) As long as it is day,(F) we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(G)

After saying this, he spit(H) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”(I) (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.(J)

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”(K) Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”(L)

12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.(M) 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.(N) “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”(O)

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”(P) So they were divided.(Q)

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”(R)

18 They(S) still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders,(T) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(U) of the synagogue.(V) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(W)

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,”(X) they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”(Y)

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27 He answered, “I have told you already(Z) and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!(AA) 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”(AB)

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.(AC) 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God,(AD) he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth;(AE) how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.(AF)

Spiritual Blindness

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe(AG) in the Son of Man?”(AH)

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”(AI)

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”(AJ)

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.(AK)

39 Jesus said,[a] “For judgment(AL) I have come into this world,(AM) so that the blind will see(AN) and those who see will become blind.”(AO)

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”(AP)

41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.(AQ)

The Good Shepherd and His Sheep

10 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.(AR) The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.(AS) The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.(AT) He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.(AU) When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.(AV) But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech,(AW) but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.(AX)

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am(AY) the gate(AZ) for the sheep. All who have come before me(BA) are thieves and robbers,(BB) but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[b] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life,(BC) and have it to the full.(BD)

11 “I am(BE) the good shepherd.(BF) The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(BG) 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away.(BH) Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd;(BI) I know my sheep(BJ) and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father(BK)—and I lay down my life for the sheep.(BL) 16 I have other sheep(BM) that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock(BN) and one shepherd.(BO) 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life(BP)—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.(BQ) I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”(BR)

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided.(BS) 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed(BT) and raving mad.(BU) Why listen to him?”

21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon.(BV) Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”(BW)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication[c] at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.(BX) 24 The Jews(BY) who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”(BZ)

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you,(CA) but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,(CB) 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.(CC) 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them,(CD) and they follow me.(CE) 28 I give them eternal life,(CF) and they shall never perish;(CG) no one will snatch them out of my hand.(CH) 29 My Father, who has given them to me,(CI) is greater than all[d];(CJ) no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”(CK)

31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him,(CL) 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”(CM)

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law,(CN) ‘I have said you are “gods”’[e]?(CO) 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God(CP) came—and Scripture cannot be set aside(CQ) 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart(CR) as his very own(CS) and sent into the world?(CT) Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?(CU) 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.(CV) 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”(CW) 39 Again they tried to seize him,(CX) but he escaped their grasp.(CY)

40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan(CZ) to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign,(DA) all that John said about this man was true.”(DB) 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus.(DC)

Footnotes

  1. John 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.
  2. John 10:9 Or kept safe
  3. John 10:22 That is, Hanukkah
  4. John 10:29 Many early manuscripts What my Father has given me is greater than all
  5. John 10:34 Psalm 82:6