John 9 - International Children’s Bible (ICB)

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His followers asked him, “Teacher, whose sin caused this man to be born blind—his own sin or his parents’ sin?”

3 Jesus answered, “It is not this man’s sin or his parents’ sin that made him blind. This man was born blind so that God’s power could be shown in him. 4 While it is daytime, we must continue doing the work of the One who sent me. The night is coming. And no one can work at night. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 After Jesus said this, he spit on the ground and made some mud with it. He put the mud on the man’s eyes. 7 Then he told the man, “Go and wash in the Pool of Siloam.” (Siloam means Sent.) So the man went to the pool. He washed and came back. And he was able to see.

8 Some people had seen this man begging before. They and the man’s neighbors said, “Look! Is this the same man who always sits and begs?”

9 Some said, “Yes! He is the one.” But others said, “No, he’s not the same man. He only looks like him.”

So the man himself said, “I am the man.”

10 They asked, “What happened? How did you get your sight?”

11 He answered, “The man named Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. Then he told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed and came back seeing.”

12 They asked him, “Where is this man?”

The man answered, “I don’t know.”

Pharisees Question the Healing

13 Then the people took to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 The day Jesus had made mud and healed his eyes was a Sabbath day. 15 So now the Pharisees asked the man, “How did you get your sight?”

He answered, “He put mud on my eyes. I washed, and now I can see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man does not keep the Sabbath day. He is not from God!”

Others said, “But a man who is a sinner can’t do miracles like these.” So they could not agree with each other.

17 They asked the man again, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man answered, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and could now see again. So they sent for the man’s parents 19 and asked them, “Is this your son? You say that he was born blind. Then how does he see now?”

20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and we know that he was born blind. 21 But we don’t know how he can see now. We don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough to answer for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had already decided that anyone who said that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That is why his parents said, “He is old enough. Ask him.”

24 So for the second time, they called the man who had been blind. They said, “You should give God the glory by telling the truth. We know that this man is a sinner.”

25 He answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. But one thing I do know. I was blind, and now I can see.”

26 They asked, “What did he do to you? How did he make you see again?”

27 He answered, “I have already told you that. But you would not listen to me. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his followers, too?”

28 Then they insulted him and said, “You are his follower. We are followers of Moses. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses. But we don’t even know where this man comes from!”

30 The man answered, “This is a very strange thing. You don’t know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We all know that God does not listen to sinners. But God listens to anyone who worships and obeys him. 32 Nobody has ever heard of anyone giving sight to a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34 They answered, “You were born full of sin! Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw the man out.

Spiritual Blindness

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. So Jesus found him and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 He asked, “Who is the Son of Man, sir? Tell me, so I can believe in him!”

37 Jesus said to him, “You have already seen him. The Son of Man is the one talking with you now.”

38 He said, “Yes, Lord, I believe!” Then the man bowed and worshiped Jesus.

39 Jesus said, “I came into this world so that the world could be judged. I came so that the blind[a] could see and so that those who see will become blind.”

40 Some of the Pharisees were near Jesus. When they heard him say this, they asked, “What? Are you saying that we are blind, too?”

41 Jesus said, “If you were really blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But now that you say you can see, your guilt remains.”

Footnotes

  1. 9:39 blind Jesus is talking about people who are spiritually blind, not physically blind.

You Might Also Like:

John 9 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

9 And passing by, he saw a man blind from birth, 2 and his disciples asked him, saying, `Rabbi, who did sin, this one or his parents, that he should be born blind?' 3 Jesus answered, `Neither did this one sin nor his parents, but that the works of God may be manifested in him; 4 it behoveth me to be...
Read More

John 9 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

9 And Jesus passing, saw a man blind from the birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, Master, who sinned, this man, or his elders [And his disciples asked him, Rabbi, that is, Master, who sinned, this man, or his father and mother], that he should be born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither this man si...
Read More

John 9 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

9 On his way out of the temple Jesus saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His disciples asked Jesus, `Master, was this man born blind because of the wrong things he did, or was it the wrong things his parents did?' 3 Jesus answered, `It was not that he or his parents did any wrong thing. But it was ...
Read More

John 9 - World English Bible (WEB)

9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “This man didn’t sin, nor did his parents; but, that the works of God might be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of him who se...
Read More

John 9 - The Voice (VOICE)

John and many people in his community are Jews. As a son of Abraham, his criticism of certain Jewish leaders is not a criticism of a whole people. He’s not stereotyping or making generalizations. “The Jews” he remembers in this passage are a corrupt group of power brokers who conspire against Jesus ...
Read More

John 9 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Bringing Light to the Blind9 As Yeshua was passing by, He saw a man who had been blind since birth. 2 His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” 3 Yeshua answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. This happened so that the works of ...
Read More

John 9 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made mani...
Read More

John 9 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be made mani...
Read More

John 9 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

9 And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from his birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Master, who sinned - this man, or his parents - that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents have sinned. But this is so that the works of God would be shown i...
Read More

John 9 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

The Man Born Blind9 As Jesus was going along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 ‘Teacher,’ his disciples asked him, ‘whose sin was it that caused this man to be born blind? Did he sin, or did his parents?’ 3 ‘He didn’t sin,’ replied Jesus, ‘nor did his parents. It happened so that God’s ...
Read More

John 9 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight9 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed i...
Read More

John 9 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight9 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ 3 Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed i...
Read More

John 9 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight9 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in ...
Read More

John 9 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Christ makes the man who was born blind able to see. 9 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from his birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin: this man, or his father and mother, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned, nor yet h...
Read More

John 9 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This...
Read More

John 9 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Born Blind9 As Jesus went on His way, He saw a man who had been born blind. 2 His followers asked Him, “Teacher, whose sin made this man to be born blind? Was it the sin of this man or the sin of his parents?” 3 Jesus answered, “The sin of this man or the sin of his paren...
Read More

John 9 - New King James Version (NKJV)

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight9 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, (A)who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, (B)but that the works of God sh...
Read More