John 9
World English Bible
WEB1As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “This man didn’t sin, nor did his parents, but that the works of God might be revealed in him. 4I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud, 7and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went away, washed, and came back seeing. 8Therefore the neighbors and those who saw that he was blind before said, “Isn’t this he who sat and begged?” 9Others were saying, “It is he.” Still others were saying, “He looks like him.” He said, “I am he.” 10They therefore were asking him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11He answered, “A man called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12Then they asked him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.” 13They brought him who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14It was a Sabbath when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see.” 16Some therefore of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” So there was division among them. 17Therefore they asked the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18The Jews therefore didn’t believe concerning him, that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight, 19and asked them, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20His parents answered them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21but how he now sees, we don’t know; or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.” 24So they called the man who was blind a second time, and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25He therefore answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.” 26They said to him again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27He answered them, “I told you already, and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t also want to become his disciples, do you?” 28They insulted him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.” 30The man answered them, “How amazing! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, he listens to him. 32Since the world began it has never been heard of that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” Then they threw him out. 35Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36He answered, “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?” 37Jesus said to him, “You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.” 38He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped him. 39Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.” 40Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org
Overview
John Chapter 9 presents a powerful account of Jesus healing a man who was born blind, illustrating both physical and spiritual sight. The chapter begins with Jesus and his disciples encountering the blind man, prompting a discussion about the cause of his blindness. Jesus clarifies that the man’s condition is not due to sin but rather an opportunity for God's works to be displayed. This sets the stage for a miraculous act that reveals Jesus' divine authority and compassion. Jesus then makes mud with his saliva, applies it to the man's eyes, and instructs him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. The man obeys and returns seeing, which astonishes those who knew him as a beggar, leading to questions about the identity of the healer, #Jesus.
The healing sparks controversy among the Pharisees, who are divided over Jesus' actions, particularly because he performed this miracle on the Sabbath. They interrogate the healed man and his parents, but the man boldly testifies to the miracle, declaring that Jesus must be a prophet. The Pharisees, however, refuse to accept this and ultimately cast the man out of the synagogue. In a profound moment, Jesus finds the man again and reveals himself as the Son of Man, leading the man to worship him. This chapter not only highlights the physical healing but also emphasizes the theme of spiritual blindness, as those who claim to see (the Pharisees) are actually blind to the truth of Jesus' identity and mission. The chapter concludes with Jesus stating that he came into the world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind, challenging the audience to reflect on their own spiritual condition.
Referenced by
- 2 Kings 5:10v7In 2 Kings 5:10, Elisha instructs Naaman to wash in the Jordan River for healing. Similarly, in John 9:7, Jesus instructs the blind man to wash in the Pool of Siloam for healing, highlighting obedience and faith.
- Psalms 146:8v6Psalm 146:8 mentions the Lord opening the eyes of the blind, which is demonstrated in John 9:6-7 when Jesus heals a man born blind, showing the fulfillment of God's power to heal.
- Proverbs 28:9v31Proverbs 28:9 states that if one turns away from hearing the law, even their prayer is an abomination, which aligns with John 9:31 where it is stated that God does not listen to sinners but to those who worship Him and do His will.
- John 11:4v3In John 11:4, Jesus states that Lazarus's sickness is for the glory of God, similar to John 9:3 where Jesus explains that the man was born blind so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
Topics in this chapter
- Spiritual Sight
- Faith
- Light of the World
- Healing
- Jesus
- Spiritual Blindness
- Belief
- Testimony
- Pharisees
- Witness
- Blindness
- Truth
- Confession
- Jerusalem
- Judgment
- Light
- Obedience
- Pool of Siloam
- Purpose
- Religious Leaders
- Sabbath
- Spiritual Insight
- Suffering
- Transformation
- Amazing Grace
- Authority
- Boldness
- Christian Art
- Civil Rights in the Biblical Context
- Courage
- Covenant
- Darkness
- Discernment
- Divine Revelation
- Divinity
- Enlightenment
- Evangelism
- Fear
- Genesis 1
- God's Glory
- God's Works
- Healer
- Healing of the Blind
- Humility
- Hymn
- Illumination
- Jesus the Light
- Legalism
- Miracles
- Openness
- Parents
- Perseverance
- Praise
- Prayer
- Prophecy
- Purpose in Suffering
- Repentance
- Revelation
- Sight
- Sin
- Social Justice
- Son of God
- Son of Man
- Sovereignty of God
- Spiritual Awakening
- Spiritual Enlightenment
- Spiritual Light
- Temple
- The Man Born Blind (John 9)
- Trust
Related chapters
- John 8Spiritual LightIlluminationCivil Rights in the Biblical Context
- Mark 8Spiritual EnlightenmentSpiritual SightBlindness
- John 5HealerSon of GodPharisees
- John 1Light of the WorldSon of GodDivinity
- Isaiah 42Light of the WorldSpiritual BlindnessLight
- 2 Kings 5FearTestimonyEvangelism
- John 11Son of GodBeliefMiracles
- Isaiah 29EnlightenmentBlindnessSpiritual Awakening
- John 3PhariseesBeliefDarkness
- Acts 9Amazing GraceSightBlindness
- Mark 3HealerReligious LeadersPharisees
- John 12Light of the WorldSpiritual BlindnessBelief
Your study
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