John 9:1-5

Healing a Man Born Blind

9:1 Now as Jesus was passing by, ¹  he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 9:2 His disciples asked him, ²  “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man ³  or his parents?” ⁴  9:3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man ⁵  nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that ⁶  the acts ⁷  of God may be revealed ⁸  through what happens to him. ⁹  9:4 We must perform the deeds ¹⁰  of the one who sent me ¹¹  as long as ¹²  it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work. 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ¹³ 

[9:1]  ¹ tn Or “going along.” The opening words of chap. 9, καὶ παράγων (kai paragwn), convey only the vaguest indication of the circumstances.

[9:2]  ² tn Grk “asked him, saying.”

[9:2]  ³ tn Grk “this one.”

[9:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “in order that he should be born blind.”

[9:3]  ⁵ tn Grk “this one.”

[9:3]  ⁶ tn Grk “but so that.” There is an ellipsis that must be supplied: “but [he was born blind] so that” or “but [it happened to him] so that.”

[9:3]  ⁷ tn Or “deeds”; Grk “works.”

[9:3]  ⁸ tn Or “manifested,” “brought to light.”

[9:3]  ⁹ tn Grk “in him.”

[9:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “We must work the works.”

[9:4]  ¹¹ tn Or “of him who sent me” (God).

[9:4]  ¹² tn Or “while.”

[9:5]  ¹³ sn Jesus’ statement I am the light of the world connects the present account with 8:12. Here (seen more clearly than at 8:12) it is obvious what the author sees as the significance of Jesus’ statement. “Light” is not a metaphysical definition of the person of Jesus but a description of his effect on the world, forcing everyone in the world to ‘choose up sides’ for or against him (cf. 3:19-21).