Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. New Living Translation “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see. English Standard Version Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains. Berean Standard Bible “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” Berean Literal Bible Jesus said to them, “If you⁺ were blind, you⁺ would not have sin. But now that you⁺ say, ‘We see,’ your⁺ sin remains.” King James Bible Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. New King James Version Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. New American Standard Bible Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you maintain, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. NASB 1995 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. NASB 1977 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. Legacy Standard Bible Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. Amplified Bible Jesus 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. Berean Annotated Bible “If you⁺ were blind, Jesus (YHWH saves) replied, “you⁺ would not be guilty of sin. But since you⁺ claim you can see, your⁺ guilt remains. Christian Standard Bible “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. Holman Christian Standard Bible “If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, We see—your sin remains. American Standard Version Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see: your sin remaineth. Contemporary English Version Jesus answered, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But now that you claim to see, you will keep on being guilty." English Revised Version Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see: your sin remaineth. GOD'S WORD® Translation Jesus told them, "If you were blind, you wouldn't be sinners. But now you say, 'We see,' so you continue to be sinners. Good News Translation Jesus answered, "If you were blind, then you would not be guilty; but since you claim that you can see, this means that you are still guilty." International Standard Version Jesus told them, "If you were blind, you would not have any sin. But now that you insist, 'We see,' your sin still exists." NET Bible Jesus replied, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains." New Heart English Bible Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains. Webster's Bible Translation Jesus said to them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. Weymouth New Testament "If you were blind," answered Jesus, "you would have no sin; but as a matter of fact you boast that you see. So your sin remains!" Majority Text Translations Majority Standard Bible“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.” World English Bible Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionJesus said to them, “If you were blind, you were not having had sin, but now you say—We see, therefore your sin remains.” Berean Literal Bible Jesus said to them, “If you⁺ were blind, you⁺ would not have sin. But now that you⁺ say, ‘We see,’ your⁺ sin remains.” Young's Literal Translation Jesus said to them, 'If ye were blind, ye were not having had sin, but now ye say -- We see, therefore doth your sin remain. Smith's Literal Translation We are not also blind? Jesus said to them If ye were blind, ye had not sinned: and now ye say, That we see; therefore your sin remains. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleJesus said to them: If you were blind, you should not have sin: but now you say: We see. Your sin remaineth. Catholic Public Domain Version Jesus said to them: “If you were blind, you would not have sin. Yet now you say, ‘We see.’ So your sin persists.” New American Bible Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains. New Revised Standard Version Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleJesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, We see; because of this your sin remains. Aramaic Bible in Plain English Yeshua said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin, but now you say, 'We see.' Because of this, your sin stands.” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentJesus said to them: If you were blind, you would not have sin; but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains. Godbey New Testament Jesus said to them, Haweis New Testament Jesus said to them, If ye were blind, ye should not have had sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin is permanent. Mace New Testament Jesus said to them, if you were blind, you would be excusable; but since you own that you see, you stand convicted. Weymouth New Testament "If you were blind," answered Jesus, "you would have no sin; but as a matter of fact you boast that you see. So your sin remains!" Worrell New Testament Jesus said to them, Worsley New Testament Jesus replied, Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Spiritual Blindness…40Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?” 41“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” Cross References “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, 1 Timothy 1:13 I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy. Acts 17:30 Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent. Luke 12:47-48 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows. / But the one who unknowingly does things worthy of punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded. “you would not be guilty of sin. Numbers 15:27-31 Also, if one person sins unintentionally, he is to present a year-old female goat as a sin offering. / And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD on behalf of the person who erred by sinning unintentionally; and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven. / You shall have the same law for the one who acts in error, whether he is a native-born Israelite or a foreigner residing among you. … Acts 3:17 And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots. But since you claim you can see, Romans 2:19-24 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, / an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— / you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? … Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. your guilt remains.” John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. John 3:36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.” Romans 1:20-21 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. / For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Matthew 13:13-15 This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ / In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’ Isaiah 6:9-10 And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” 1 John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. / If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. / If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us. Matthew 15:14 Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Treasury of Scripture Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains. If. John 15:22-24 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin… Proverbs 26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. Isaiah 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Jump to Previous Blind Boast Claim Fact Guilt Guilty Jesus Matter SinJump to Next Blind Boast Claim Fact Guilt Guilty Jesus Matter SinJohn 9 1. The man born blind is restored to sight.8. He is brought to the Pharisees. 13. They are offended at it; 35. but he is received of Jesus, and confesses him. 39. Who they are whom Jesus enlightens. “If you were blind,” Jesus replied, In this context, Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, who were religious leaders in Israel. The term "blind" here is metaphorical, referring to spiritual blindness or ignorance. In biblical times, blindness was often seen as a physical ailment that rendered a person helpless, symbolizing a lack of understanding or insight. Jesus uses this metaphor to address the Pharisees' inability to recognize Him as the Messiah. This echoes Isaiah 42:7, where the Messiah is prophesied to open the eyes of the blind, both physically and spiritually. “you would not be guilty of sin.” But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” Persons / Places / Events 1. JesusThe central figure in this passage, Jesus is addressing the Pharisees, challenging their spiritual blindness and self-righteousness. 2. Pharisees A religious group known for strict adherence to the Law and traditions. They are often depicted as spiritually blind in the Gospels. 3. The Man Born Blind Earlier in John 9, Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth, which leads to a confrontation with the Pharisees. 4. Jerusalem The setting of this event, where Jesus often taught and performed miracles. 5. Spiritual Blindness A metaphorical concept used by Jesus to describe the inability to recognize spiritual truth. Teaching Points Spiritual Awareness vs. Self-DeceptionTrue spiritual insight requires humility and acknowledgment of one's own limitations and sins. The Danger of Self-Righteousness Claiming spiritual sight while being blind to one's own sin leads to greater guilt and separation from God. The Role of Jesus as the Light Jesus is the light of the world, and only through Him can true spiritual sight be gained. The Importance of Humility Recognizing our own spiritual blindness is the first step toward receiving God's grace and forgiveness. The Call to Self-Examination Regularly examine your heart and actions to ensure you are not blind to your own faults and sins. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of John 9:41?2. How does John 9:41 challenge us to acknowledge our spiritual blindness? 3. What does "your guilt remains" in John 9:41 imply about personal responsibility? 4. How can we apply John 9:41 to discern spiritual pride in our lives? 5. What connections exist between John 9:41 and the concept of spiritual sight in Scripture? 6. How does John 9:41 encourage humility in our walk with Christ? 7. What does John 9:41 reveal about spiritual blindness and accountability? 8. How does John 9:41 challenge our understanding of sin and guilt? 9. Why does Jesus say "your guilt remains" in John 9:41? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from John 9? 11. What constitutes willful sin? 12. Does God judge us by our response to received light? 13. What does spiritual blindness mean? 14. In John 9:13-16, why would the Pharisees react so harshly if this account were verifiable? What Does John 9:41 Mean If you were blind• Jesus is speaking to Pharisees who have just rejected the testimony of the man born blind (John 9:13-34). • “Blind” here pictures people who recognize they lack spiritual understanding. When a person honestly admits ignorance, God graciously moves to give sight (Psalm 25:8-9; Matthew 11:25). • Scripture shows that genuine ignorance lessens culpability—“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin” (John 15:22; cf. Luke 23:34; 1 Timothy 1:13). • The point is not that the ignorant are sinless (Romans 3:23), but that accountability increases with light received (Romans 4:15). you would not be guilty of sin • Jesus states a real principle: awareness brings responsibility. When revelation is absent, specific guilt tied to that revelation is not imputed (Romans 5:13). • The Lord is not excusing all wrongdoing; He is addressing the particular sin of willfully rejecting Him. • When people confess their need—“I’m blind; help me see”—He freely forgives (Psalm 32:5; 1 John 1:9). But since you claim you can see • The Pharisees insisted they already possessed spiritual insight (John 9:40; Romans 2:17-20). • Self-confidence hardens the heart: “If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). • Pretending to see shuts the door to further light (Proverbs 26:12; 1 Corinthians 8:2). • Their claim exposes prideful unbelief, not true discernment (John 5:39-40). your guilt remains • Because they knowingly reject the Light of the world (John 8:12) their sin stays on them (John 3:18-19). • Greater knowledge means greater judgment (Luke 12:47-48; Hebrews 10:26-27). • Only Christ can remove guilt (John 1:29). By refusing Him, they keep the very burden He came to lift (Isaiah 53:6). • This sober warning still stands: to see the truth in Scripture yet resist it is to remain under condemnation (James 4:17). summary John 9:41 draws a sharp line between humble confession and self-satisfied denial. If we admit spiritual blindness, Jesus graciously opens our eyes and removes our guilt. If we boast that we already see, we prove ourselves blind, and our sin clings to us. True sight begins with humble dependence on the Light sent from the Father. (41) If ye were blind, ye should have no sin.--His answer is that He does not place them among those who are in this second sense blind. If they were among those "which see not" they would be conscious of their blindness, and would seek for spiritual light. They would ask, "Who is He, Lord, that we may believe on Him?" and would not ask in vain. In that case their present rejection of Him would arise from ignorance willing to be overcome, and this ignorance, not being wilful, would not be sin. Conscious ignorance would be the first step towards knowledge.But now ye say, We see.--Their true place is among those who were spiritually blind, and were unconscious of it, "they which see," they which think they see." For them the first step towards true spiritual light must be a consciousness of blindness. As it is, as long as they think that they see, there is no ground for hope. (Comp. Matthew 9:12-13.) Therefore your sin remaineth.--The word "therefore" should probably be omitted. The words "Your sin remaineth," or better, Your sin abideth (comp. Note on John 3:36), stand alone in their awful solemnity. They stand side by side with "Ye say, We see." The two states are one. The assertion of spiritual knowledge and independence was the original cause of sin (Genesis 3:4), and while spiritual pride exists sin cannot cease. Verse 41. - The reply of our Lord is not meant to be a crushing and final retort, condemning them to hopeless night, but was obviously intended to show them that they are not yet free from sin, that they are only partially appreciating the light which shines upon them. If ye were blind - incapable of sight; if ye had all along been deprived of the faculty of perceiving the true Light that shineth in the darkness (a condition of things which would have emancipated them from responsibility, and which Christ would not admit to be the case); perhaps more, if ye had been utterly blind to the light which is shining upon you now, which, however, is not true - ye would not have sin. This is akin to the solemn language of John 15:22-24. They did not themselves admit that there was any congenital blindness about them. They did not pretend or expect to ride off on such a πρόφασις, such an excuse. Could they be, judicially or naturally, blind? The very idea was an absurdity, and so Jesus added, But now ye say, We see. You even boast that you are "instructors of the ignorant, and leaders of the blind; a light to those who sit in darkness, having the form of knowledge and truth in the Law" (Romans 2:17-21). You are the very opposite of the "not-seeing" (μὴ βλέποντες); you are self-satisfied; you will not come to the Light. What is the issue? The Lord seems to pause before his answer (the οϋν, "therefore," is rejected by the best manuscripts and critics): Your sin abideth; or, remaineth. It will remain until you fully admit the great principle and reason, the motive and characteristics, of my mission. The very facility you profess, the intimacy you claim with the Law and its founder, and your partial knowledge of my claim, take away your excuse. The discourse which follows shows how entire must be the submission to Christ, how complete the union with him, of those who say, "We see."
Greek “IfΕἰ (Ei) Conjunction Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc. you were ἦτε (ēte) Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. blind,” τυφλοὶ (typhloi) Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural Strong's 5185: Blind, physically or mentally. From, tuphoo; opaque, i.e. blind. Jesus Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites. replied, Εἶπεν (Eipen) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say. “you would not be εἴχετε (eichete) Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold. guilty of sin. ἁμαρτίαν (hamartian) Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 266: From hamartano; a sin. But δὲ (de) Conjunction Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc. since νῦν (nyn) Adverb Strong's 3568: A primary particle of present time; 'now'; also as noun or adjective present or immediate. you claim λέγετε (legete) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command. [you] can see, Βλέπομεν (Blepomen) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at. your ὑμῶν (hymōn) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou. guilt ἁμαρτία (hamartia) Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular Strong's 266: From hamartano; a sin. remains.” μένει (menei) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 3306: To remain, abide, stay, wait; with acc: I wait for, await. A primary verb; to stay. Links John 9:41 NIVJohn 9:41 NLT John 9:41 ESV John 9:41 NASB John 9:41 KJV John 9:41 BibleApps.com John 9:41 Biblia Paralela John 9:41 Chinese Bible John 9:41 French Bible John 9:41 Catholic Bible NT Gospels: John 9:41 Jesus said to them If you were (Jhn Jo Jn) |
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