John 9 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 And when he went on his way, he saw a man blind from birth.
1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.
1 Καὶ παράγων εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον τυφλὸν ἐκ γενετῆς.
2 And his disciples put a question to him, saying, Master, was it because of this man's sin, or the sin of his father and mother, that he has been blind from birth?
2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
2 καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· ῥαββί, τίς ἥμαρτεν, οὗτος ἢ οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα τυφλὸς γεννηθῇ;
3 Jesus said in answer, It was not because of his sin, or because of his father's or mother's; it was so that the works of God might be seen openly in him.
3 Jesus answered, “This man didn’t sin, nor did his parents, but that the works of God might be revealed in him.
3 ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς· οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ.
4 While it is day we have to do the works of him who sent me: the night comes when no work may be done.
4 I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.
4 ἐμὲ δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πέμψαντός με ἕως ἡμέρα ἐστίν· ἔρχεται νὺξ ὅτε οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐργάζεσθαι.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
5 ὅταν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὦ, φῶς εἰμι τοῦ κόσμου.
6 Having said these words, he put earth, mixed with water from his mouth, on the man's eyes,
6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud,
6 ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἔπτυσε χαμαὶ καὶ ἐποίησε πηλὸν ἐκ τοῦ πτύσματος, καὶ ἐπέχρισε τὸν πηλὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ τυφλοῦ
7 And said to him, Go and make yourself clean in the bath of Siloam (the sense of the name is, Sent). So he went away and, after washing, came back able to see.
7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went away, washed, and came back seeing.
7 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὕπαγε νίψαι εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν τοῦ Σιλωάμ, ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται ἀπεσταλμένος. ἀπῆλθεν οὖν καὶ ἐνίψατο, καὶ ἦλθε βλέπων.
8 Then the neighbours and others who had seen him before in the street, with his hand out for money, said, Is not this the man who got money from people?
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who saw that he was blind before said, “Isn’t this he who sat and begged?”
8 Οἱ οὖν γείτονες καὶ οἱ θεωροῦντες αὐτὸν τὸ πρότερον ὅτι τυφλὸς ἦν, ἔλεγον· οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ καθήμενος καὶ προσαιτῶν;
9 Some said, It is he: others said, No, but he is like him. He said, I am he.
9 Others were saying, “It is he.” Still others were saying, “He looks like him.” He said, “I am he.”
9 ἄλλοι ἔλεγον ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν· ἄλλοι δὲ ὅτι ὅμοιος αὐτῷ ἐστιν. ἐκεῖνος ἔλεγεν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι.
10 So they said to him, How then were your eyes made open?
10 They therefore were asking him, “How were your eyes opened?”
10 ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ· πῶς ἀνεῴχθησάν σου οἱ ὀφθαλμοί;
11 His answer was: The man who is named Jesus put earth mixed with water on my eyes, and said to me, Go and make yourself clean in Siloam: so I went away and, after washing, am now able to see.
11 He 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.”
11 ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος καὶ εἶπεν· ἄνθρωπος λεγόμενος Ἰησοῦς πηλὸν ἐποίησε καὶ ἐπέχρισέ μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ εἶπέ μοι· ὕπαγε εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν τοῦ Σιλωὰμ καὶ νίψαι· ἀπελθὼν δὲ καὶ νιψάμενος ἀνέβλεψα.
12 And they said to him, Where is he? His answer was: I have no knowledge.
12 Then they asked him, “Where is he?” He said, “I don’t know.”
12 εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ· ποῦ ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος; λέγει· οὐκ οἶδα.
13 They took him before the Pharisees — this man who had been blind.
13 They brought him who had been blind to the Pharisees.
13 Ἄγουσιν αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους, τόν ποτε τυφλόν.
14 Now the day on which the earth was mixed by Jesus and the man's eyes were made open was the Sabbath.
14 It was a Sabbath when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.
14 ἦν δὲ σάββατον ὅτε τὸν πηλὸν ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἀνέῳξεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς.
15 So the Pharisees put more questions to him about how his eyes had been made open. And he said to them, He put earth on my eyes, and I had a wash and am able to see.
15 Again 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.”
15 πάλιν οὖν ἠρώτων αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι πῶς ἀνέβλεψεν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· πηλὸν ἐπέθηκέ μου ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, καὶ ἐνιψάμην, καὶ βλέπω.
16 Then some of the Pharisees said, That man has not come from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath. Others said, How is it possible for a sinner to do such signs? So there was a division among them.
16 Some 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.
16 ἔλεγον οὖν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων τινές· οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔστι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι τὸ σάββατον οὐ τηρεῖ. ἄλλοι ἔλεγον· πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτωλὸς τοιαῦτα σημεῖα ποιεῖν; καὶ σχίσμα ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς.
17 Again they said to the blind man, What have you to say about him for opening your eyes? And he said, He is a prophet.
17 Therefore they asked the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”
17 λέγουσι τῷ τυφλῷ πάλιν· σὺ τί λέγεις περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἤνοιξέ σου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ὅτι προφήτης ἐστίν.
18 Now the Jews had no belief in the statement that he had been blind and was now able to see, till they sent for the father and mother of the man whose eyes had been made open,
18 The 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,
18 οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι περὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι τυφλὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέβλεψεν, ἕως ὅτου ἐφώνησαν τοὺς γονεῖς αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀναβλέψαντος
19 And put the question to them, saying, Is this your son, of whom you say that he was blind at birth? how is it then that he is now able to see?
19 and asked them, “Is this your son, whom you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
19 καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτοὺς λέγοντες· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς ὑμῶν, ὃν ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι τυφλὸς ἐγεννήθη; πῶς οὖν ἄρτι βλέπει;
20 In answer his father and mother said, We are certain that this is our son and that he was blind at birth:
20 His parents answered them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
20 ἀπεκρίθησαν δὲ αὐτοῖς οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπον· οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ὅτι τυφλὸς ἐγεννήθη·
21 But how it is he is now able to see, or who made his eyes open, we are not able to say: put the question to him; he is old enough to give an answer for himself.
21 but 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.”
21 πῶς δὲ νῦν βλέπει οὐκ οἴδαμεν, ἢ τίς ἤνοιξεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμεῖς οὐκ οἴδαμεν· αὐτὸς ἡλικίαν ἔχει, αὐτὸν ἐρωτήσατε, αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λαλήσει.
22 They said this because of their fear of the Jews: for the Jews had come to an agreement that if any man said that Jesus was the Christ he would be put out of the Synagogue.
22 His 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.
22 ταῦτα εἶπον οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐφοβοῦντο τοὺς Ἰουδαίους· ἤδη γὰρ συνετέθειντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἵνα, ἐάν τις αὐτὸν ὁμολογήσῃ Χριστόν, ἀποσυνάγωγος γένηται.
23 That was the reason why they said, He is old enough; put the question to him.
23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.”
23 διὰ τοῦτο οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ εἶπον ὅτι ἡλικίαν ἔχει, αὐτὸν ἐρωτήσατε.
24 So they sent a second time for the man who had been blind and they said to him, Give glory to God: it is clear to us that this man is a sinner.
24 So 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.”
24 ἐφώνησαν οὖν ἐκ δευτέρου τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὃς ἦν τυφλός, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· δὸς δόξαν τῷ Θεῷ· ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν.
25 He said in answer, I have no knowledge if he is a sinner or not, but one thing I am certain about; I was blind, and now I see.
25 He therefore answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
25 ἀπεκρίθη οὖν ἐκεῖνος καὶ εἶπεν· εἰ ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν οὐκ οἶδα· ἓν οἶδα, ὅτι τυφλὸς ὢν ἄρτι βλέπω.
26 Then they said to him, What did he do to you? how did he give you the use of your eyes?
26 They said to him again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
26 εἶπον δὲ αὐτῷ πάλιν· τί ἐποίησέ σοι; πῶς ἤνοιξέ σου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς;
27 His answer was: I have said it before, but your ears were shut: why would you have me say it again? is it your desire to become his disciples?
27 He 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?”
27 ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς· εἶπον ὑμῖν ἤδη, καὶ οὐκ ἠκούσατε· τί πάλιν θέλετε ἀκούειν; μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε αὐτοῦ μαθηταὶ γενέσθαι;
28 And they were angry with him and said, You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
28 They insulted him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
28 ἐλοιδόρησαν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπον· σὺ εἶ μαθητὴς ἐκείνου· ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῦ Μωϋσέως ἐσμὲν μαθηταί.
29 We are certain that God gave his word to Moses: but as for this man, we have no knowledge where he comes from.
29 We know that God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.”
29 ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι Μωϋσεῖ λελάληκεν ὁ Θεός· τοῦτον δὲ οὐκ οἴδαμεν πόθεν ἐστίν.
30 The man said in answer, Why, here is a strange thing! You have no knowledge where he comes from though he gave me the use of my eyes.
30 The man answered them, “How amazing! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.
30 ἀπεκρίθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἐν γὰρ τούτῳ θαυμαστόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε πόθεν ἐστί, καὶ ἀνέῳξέ μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς.
31 We have knowledge that God does not give ear to sinners, but if any man is a worshipper of God and does his pleasure, to him God's ears are open.
31 We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, he listens to him.
31 οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἀκούει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐάν τις θεοσεβὴς ᾖ καὶ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιῇ, τούτου ἀκούει.
32 In all the years nobody has ever before seen the eyes of a man blind from birth made open.
32 Since the world began it has never been heard of that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind.
32 ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἠκούσθη ὅτι ἤνοιξέ τις ὀφθαλμοὺς τυφλοῦ γεγεννημένου.
33 If this man did not come from God he would be unable to do anything.
33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”
33 εἰ μὴ ἦν οὗτος παρὰ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἠδύνατο ποιεῖν οὐδέν.
34 Their answer was: You came to birth through sin; do you make yourself our teacher? And they put him out of the Synagogue.
34 They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” Then they threw him out.
34 ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· ἐν ἁμαρτίαις σὺ ἐγεννήθης ὅλος, καὶ σὺ διδάσκεις ἡμᾶς; καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω.
35 It came to the ears of Jesus that they had put him out, and meeting him he said, Have you faith in the Son of man?
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
35 Ἤκουσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω, καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν εἶπεν αὐτῷ· σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ;
36 He said in answer, And who is he, Lord? Say, so that I may have faith in him.
36 He answered, “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?”
36 ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος καὶ εἶπε· καὶ τίς ἐστι, Κύριε, ἵνα πιστεύσω εἰς αὐτόν;
37 Jesus said to him, You have seen him; it is he who is talking to you.
37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.”
37 εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· καὶ ἑώρακας αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ λαλῶν μετὰ σοῦ ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν.
38 And he said, Lord, I have faith. And he gave him worship.
38 He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped him.
38 ὁ δὲ ἔφη· πιστεύω, Κύριε· καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ.
39 And Jesus said, I came into this world to be a judge, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.
39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”
39 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰς κρῖμα ἐγὼ εἰς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον ἦλθον, ἵνα οἱ μὴ βλέποντες βλέπωσι καὶ οἱ βλέποντες τυφλοὶ γένωνται.
40 These words came to the ears of the Pharisees who were with him and they said to him, Are we, then, blind?
40 Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”
40 καὶ ἤκουσαν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων ταῦτα οἱ ὄντες μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ· μὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τυφλοί ἐσμεν;
41 Jesus said to them, If you were blind you would have no sin: but now that you say, We see; your sin is there still.
41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
41 εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· εἰ τυφλοὶ ἦτε, οὐκ ἂν εἴχετε ἁμαρτίαν· νῦν δὲ λέγετε ὅτι βλέπομεν· ἡ οὖν ἁμαρτία ὑμῶν μένει.
Cross references (36)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 2 Luke 13:2; John 9:34; Exodus 20:5; Acts 28:4
- 3 John 11:4; John 11:40; Ecclesiastes 9:1–2; Job 2:3–6; Job 42:7
- 4 John 12:35; Ephesians 5:16; John 4:34; Ecclesiastes 9:10; John 11:9–10
- 5 John 8:12; John 12:46; Acts 13:47; John 1:4–9; Revelation 21:23
- 6 Mark 8:23; Mark 7:33; Revelation 3:18
- 7 Isaiah 35:5; John 9:11; John 11:37; Isaiah 8:6; Acts 26:18
- 8 1 Samuel 2:8; Luke 18:35; 1 Samuel 21:11; Acts 3:2–11; Luke 16:20–22
- 10 Mark 4:27; Ecclesiastes 11:5; John 3:9; John 9:26; John 9:15
- 11 John 9:6–7; John 9:27
- 12 Exodus 2:18–20; John 5:11–13; John 7:11
- 13 John 12:42; John 8:3–8; John 11:46–47; John 11:57; John 12:19
- 14 John 5:9; Luke 13:10–17; Matthew 12:1–14; Luke 14:1; Mark 2:23–3:6
- 15 John 9:26–27; John 9:10–11
- 16 John 10:19; John 7:43; John 7:12; Matthew 12:2; John 3:2
- 17 John 4:19; John 6:14; Acts 3:22–26; Acts 10:38; Acts 2:22
- 18 Hebrews 3:15–19; John 12:37–40; Hebrews 4:11; John 1:19; Isaiah 26:11
- 19 Acts 4:14; John 9:8–9; Acts 3:10
- 22 John 7:13; John 16:2; Luke 6:22; Isaiah 57:11; John 12:42–43
- 23 John 9:21
- 24 John 9:16; Joshua 7:19; John 8:49; John 19:6; Psalm 50:14–15
- 25 1 John 5:10; John 9:30; John 5:11
- 27 Luke 22:67
- 28 Romans 2:17; 1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Corinthians 6:10; John 7:19; Matthew 27:39
- 29 John 8:14; Numbers 12:2–7; Psalm 22:6; 2 Kings 9:11; Isaiah 53:2–3
- 30 Psalm 119:18; John 12:37; Isaiah 29:18; Isaiah 29:14; John 3:10
- 31 Proverbs 15:29; Isaiah 1:15; Proverbs 28:9; Micah 3:4; Proverbs 1:28–29
- 32 Isaiah 64:4; Job 20:4; Luke 1:70; Revelation 16:18
- 33 John 9:16; John 3:2; Acts 5:38–39
- 34 John 9:2; John 9:22; Isaiah 66:5; Job 25:4; Luke 18:17
- 35 John 20:31; Romans 10:20; 1 John 5:13; 1 John 4:15; John 10:36
- 36 Romans 10:14; Song of Songs 5:9; Proverbs 30:3–4; John 1:38; Matthew 11:3
- 37 John 4:26; Psalm 25:8–9; John 7:17; Psalm 25:14; John 14:21–23
- 38 Matthew 14:33; Matthew 28:9; John 20:28; Matthew 28:17; Luke 24:52
- 39 John 3:19; Acts 26:18; John 12:46; John 8:12; 1 John 2:11
- 40 Revelation 3:17; Matthew 15:12–14; John 9:34; Matthew 23:16–28; Romans 2:19–22
- 41 Isaiah 5:21; John 15:22–24; Luke 18:14; 1 John 1:8–10; Proverbs 26:12
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The Lord Jesus, as we heard when the Holy Gospel was being read, opened the eyes of a man who was born blind. Brethren, if we consider our hereditary punishment, the whole world is blind. And therefore came Christ the Enlightener, because the devil had been the Blinder.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
We have just read the long lesson of the man born blind, whom the Lord Jesus restored to the light; but were we to attempt handling the whole of it, and considering, according to our ability, each passage in a way proportionate to its worth, the day would be insufficient.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
"And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth." Being full of love for man, and caring for our salvation, and desiring to stop the mouths of the foolish, He omitteth nothing of His own part, though there be none to give heed.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
They also maintain that the Saviour exhibited an emblem of this mystery in the case of that man who was blind from his birth, since the Æon was in this manner produced by Monogenes blind, that is, in ignorance, thus falsely ascribing ignorance and blindness to the Word of God, who, according to their own theory, holds the second [place …
The pool of Siloam, for example, where the man whose eyes our Lord had anointed with clay made out of spittle was commanded to wash, has a figurative significance, and undoubtedly conveys a secret sense; but yet if the evangelist had not interpreted that name, a meaning so important would lie unnoticed.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)