Healing the Man Born Blind

1While He was passing by, He noticed a man [who had been] blind from birth. 2His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), who [a]sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed and illustrated in him. 4We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the world [giving guidance through My word and works].” 6When He had said this, He spat on the ground and made mud with His saliva, and He spread the mud [like an ointment] on the man’s eyes. 7And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of [b]Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. 8So the neighbors, and those who used to know him as a beggar, said, “Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?” 9Some said, “It is he.” Still others said, “No, but he looks like him.” But he kept saying, “I am the man.” 10So they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” 11He replied, “The Man called Jesus made mud and smeared it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received my sight!” 12They asked him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

Controversy over the Man

13Then they brought the man who was formerly blind to the Pharisees. 14Now it was on a Sabbath day that Jesus made the mud and opened the man’s eyes. 15So the Pharisees asked him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He smeared mud on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see.” 16Then some of the Pharisees said, “This Man [Jesus] is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner (a non-observant Jew) do such signs and miracles?” So there was a difference of opinion among them. 17Accordingly they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “[It must be that] He is a [c]prophet!”

18However, the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the man’s parents. 19They asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21but as to how he now sees, we do not know; or who has opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him [and stop asking us]; [d]he is of age, he will speak for himself and give his own account of it.” 22His parents said this because they were afraid of [the leaders of] the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone acknowledged Jesus to be the Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue (excommunicated). 23Because of this his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24So a second time they called the man who had been [born] blind, and said to him, “Give God glory and praise [for your sight]! We know this Man [Jesus] is a sinner [separated from God].” 25Then he answered, “I do not know whether He is a sinner [separated from God]; but one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26So they said to him, “What did He [actually] do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27He answered, “I already told you and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again and again? Do you want to become His disciples, too?” 28And [at that remark] they stormed at him and jeered, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! 29We know [for certain] that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this Man, we do not know where He is from.” 30The man replied, “Well, this is astonishing! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes! 31We know [according to your tradition] that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone fears God and does His will, He hears him. 32Since the [e]beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33If this Man were not from God, He would not be able to do anything [like this because God would not hear His prayer].” 34They answered him, “You were [f]born entirely in sins [from head to foot], and you [presume to] teach us?” Then they threw him out [of the synagogue].

Jesus Affirms His Deity

35Jesus heard that they had [g]put him out [of the synagogue], and finding him, He asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36He answered, “Who is He, Sir? Tell me so that I may believe in Him.” 37Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and [in fact] He is the one who is talking with you.” 38And he said, “Lord, I believe [in You and Your word]!” And he worshiped Him [with reverence and awe]. 39Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment [to separate those who believe in Me from those who reject Me--to declare judgment on those who choose to be separated from God], so that the sightless would see, and those who see would become blind.” 40Some Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind [to spiritual things], you would have no sin [and would not be blamed for your unbelief]; but since you claim to have [spiritual] sight, [you have no excuse so] your sin and guilt remain.

[a] 2 It was a commonly held belief that suffering was punishment for a specific, personal sin.
[b] 7 The ancient town of Siloam is now an Arab village named Silwan. It is east of Jerusalem and south of the Old City. The pool of Siloam was fed by the Gihon Spring in the Kidron Valley through a channel (Hezekiah’s tunnel) that carried water into Jerusalem.
[c] 17 Prophets were able to foretell the future and perform other miracles under the power and direction of God.
[d] 21 Anyone 13 years and one day old was considered of age.
[e] 32 There is no OT record of any blind person being healed.
[f] 34 See note v 2.
[g] 35 I.e. excommunicated him.