Thematic Bible

John 9:1

As he passed along he saw a man who had been blind from his birth;

John 9:2

and his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, for whose sin ??for his own or for his parents' ??was he born blind?"

John 9:3

Jesus replied, "Neither for his own sin nor for his parents' ??it was to let the work of God be illustrated in him.

John 9:4

While daylight lasts, we must be busy with the work of God: night comes, when no one can do any work.

John 9:5

When I am in the world, I am light for the world."

John 9:6

With these words he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, which he smeared on the man's eyes,

John 9:7

saying, "Go and wash them in the pool of Siloam" (Siloam meaning 'sent'). So off he went and washed them, and went home seeing.

John 9:8

Whereupon the neighbours and those to whom he had been a familiar sight as a beggar, said, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?"

John 9:9

Some said, "It is"; others said, "No, but it is like him." He said, "I am the man."

John 9:10

So they asked him, "How were your eyes opened?"

John 9:11

He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some clay and smeared my eyes with it and told me, 'Go and wash them in Siloam'; so I went and washed them, and I got my sight."

John 9:12

"Where is he?" they asked; he answered, "I do not know."

John 9:13

They brought him before the Pharisees, this man who had once been blind.

John 9:14

Now it was on the sabbath day that Jesus had made clay and opened his eyes.

John 9:15

So the Pharisees asked him again how he had regained his sight, and he told them, "He smeared some clay on my eyes, and I washed them, and now I can see."

John 9:16

Then said some of the Pharisees, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the sabbath"; others said, "How can a sinner perform such Signs?" They were divided on this.

John 9:17

So they asked the blind man once more, "What have you to say about him, for opening your eyes?" The man replied, "I say he is a prophet."

John 9:18

Now the Jews would not believe he had been born blind and had regained his sight, till they summoned the parents of the man who had regained his sight

John 9:19

and asked them, "Is this your son, the son you declare was born blind? How is it that he can see now?"

John 9:20

His parents answered, "This is our son, and he was born blind; we know that.

John 9:21

But how he can see to-day, we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask himself; he is of age, he can speak for himself."

John 9:22

(His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed him to be Christ should be excommunicated.

John 9:23

That was why the man's parents said, "He is of age, ask himself.")

John 9:24

So the man born blind was summoned a second time, and told, "Now give God the praise; this man, we know quite well, is only a sinner."

John 9:25

To which he replied, "I do not know whether he is a sinner; one thing I do know, that once I was blind and now I can see."

John 9:26

"What did he do to you?" they repeated; "How did he open your eyes?"

John 9:27

He retorted, "I have told you that already, and you would not listen to me. Why do you want to hear it over again? Do you want to be disciples of his?"

John 9:28

Then they stormed at him: "You are his disciple, we are disciples of Moses!

John 9:29

We know God spoke to Moses, but we do not know where this fellow comes from."

John 9:30

The man replied to them, "Well, this is astonishing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he has opened my eyes!

John 9:31

God, we know, does not listen to sinners; he listens to anyone who is devout and who obeys his will.

John 9:32

It is unheard of, since the world began, that anyone should open a blind man's eyes.

John 9:33

If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

John 9:34

They retorted, "And so you would teach us ??you, born in utter depravity!" Then they expelled him.

John 9:35

Jesus heard that they had expelled him, and on meeting him he said, "You believe in the Son of man?"

John 9:36

"Who is that, sir?" said the man, "tell me, that I may believe in him."

John 9:37

"You have seen him," Jesus said, "he is talking to you."

John 9:38

He said, "I do believe, Lord" ??and he worshipped him.

John 9:39

Then said Jesus, "It is for judgment that I have come into this world, to make the sightless see, to make the seeing blind."

John 9:40

On hearing this the Pharisees who were beside him asked, "And are we blind?"

John 9:41

Jesus replied, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty; but, as it is, you claim to have sight ??and so your sin remains."