Jesus heals a man born blind

1As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been blind since birth. 2Jesus' disciples asked, “Teacher, why was this man born blind? Was it because he or his parents sinned?”

3“No, it wasn't!” Jesus answered. “But because of his blindness, you will see God perform a miracle for him. 4As long as it is day, we must do what the one who sent me wants me to do. When night comes, no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.”9.5: Mt 5.14; Jn 8.12.

6After Jesus said this, he spat on the ground. He made some mud and smeared it on the man's eyes. 7Then he said, “Go and wash off the mud in Siloam Pool.” The man went and washed in Siloam, which means “One who is sent”. When he had washed off the mud, he could see.

8The man's neighbours and the people who had seen him begging wondered if he really could be the same man. 9Some of them said he was the same beggar, while others said he only looked like him. But he told them, “I am that man.”

10“Then how can you see?” they asked.

11He answered, “Someone named Jesus made some mud and smeared it on my eyes. He told me to go and wash it off in Siloam Pool. When I did, I could see.”

12“Where is he now?” they asked.

“I don't know,” he answered.

The Pharisees try to find out what happened

13-14The day when Jesus made the mud and healed the man was a Sabbath. So the people took the man to the Pharisees. 15They asked him how he was able to see, and he answered, “Jesus made some mud and smeared it on my eyes. Then after I washed it off, I could see.”

16Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus doesn't come from God. If he did, he would not break the law of the Sabbath.”

Others asked, “How could someone who is a sinner perform such a miracle?”9.16 miracle: See the note at 2.11.

Since the Pharisees could not agree among themselves, 17they asked the man, “What do you say about this one who healed your eyes?”

“He is a prophet!” the man told them.

18But the Jewish leaders would not believe that the man had once been blind. They sent for his parents 19and asked them, “Is this the son that you said was born blind? How can he now see?”

20The man's parents answered, “We are certain that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind. 21But we don't know how he got his sight or who gave it to him. Ask him! He is old enough to speak for himself.”

22-23The man's parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The leaders had already agreed that no one was to have anything to do with anyone who said Jesus was the Messiah.

24The leaders called the man back and said, “Swear by God to tell the truth! We know that Jesus is a sinner.”

25The man replied, “I don't know if he is a sinner or not. All I know is that I used to be blind, but now I can see!”

26“What did he do to you?” the Jewish leaders asked. “How did he heal your eyes?”

27The man answered, “I have already told you once, and you refused to listen. Why do you want me to tell you again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”

28The leaders insulted the man and said, “You are his follower! We are followers of Moses. 29We are sure that God spoke to Moses, but we don't even know where Jesus comes from.”

30“How strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don't know where he comes from. 31We know that God listens only to people who love and obey him. God doesn't listen to sinners. 32And this is the first time in history that anyone has ever given sight to someone born blind. 33Jesus could not do anything unless he came from God.”

34The leaders told the man, “You have been a sinner since the day you were born! Do you think you can teach us anything?” Then they said, “You can never come back into any of our meeting places!”

35When Jesus heard what had happened, he went and found the man. Then Jesus asked, “Do you have faith in the Son of Man?”

36He replied, “Sir, if you will tell me who he is, I will put my faith in him.”

37“You have already seen him,” Jesus answered, “and right now he is talking with you.”

38The man said, “Lord, I put my faith in you!” Then he worshipped Jesus.

39Jesus told him, “I came to judge the people of this world. I am here to give sight to the blind and to make blind everyone who can see.”

40When the Pharisees heard Jesus say this, they asked, “Are we blind?”

41Jesus answered, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But now that you claim to see, you will keep on being guilty.”