John 9:1-10:21

Contemporary English Version

Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

9 As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been blind since birth. ² Jesus' 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 work a miracle for him. ⁴ As 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. ^5 (A) While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.”

⁶ After Jesus said this, he spit on the ground. He made some mud and smeared it on the man's eyes. ⁷ Then he said, “Go 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.

⁸ The man's neighbors and the people who had seen him begging wondered if he really could be the same man. ⁹ Some 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.

¹¹ He 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

^13-14 The day when Jesus made the mud and healed the man was a Sabbath. So the people took the man to the Pharisees. ¹⁵ They 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.”

¹⁶ Some 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 work such a miracle?”^[a]

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

“He is a prophet!” the man told them.

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

²⁰ The man's parents answered, “We are certain that he is our son, and we know that he was born blind. ²¹ But 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.”

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

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

²⁵ The 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?” they asked. “How did he heal your eyes?”

²⁷ The 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?”

²⁸ The leaders insulted the man and said, “You are his follower! We are followers of Moses. ²⁹ We are sure 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. ³¹ We know that God listens only to people who love and obey him. God doesn't listen to sinners. ³² And this is the first time in history anyone has ever given sight to someone born blind. ³³ Jesus could not do anything unless he came from God.”

³⁴ The 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 synagogues!”

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

³⁶ He 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.”

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

³⁹ Jesus 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.”

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

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

A Story about Sheep

10 Jesus said:

I tell you for certain only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. ^2-3 But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.

⁴ When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. ⁵ The sheep will not follow strangers. They don't recognize a stranger's voice, and they run away.

⁶ Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.

Jesus Is the Good Shepherd

⁷ Jesus said:

I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸ Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. ⁹ I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.

¹⁰ A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully. ^11 (B) I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. ¹² Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don't own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. ¹³ Hired workers run away because they don't care about the sheep.

^14 (C) I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. ^15 (D) Just as the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give up my life for my sheep. ¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not in this sheep pen. I must also bring them together, when they hear my voice. Then there will be one flock of sheep and one shepherd.

¹⁷ The Father loves me, because I give up my life, so I may receive it back again. ¹⁸ No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly! I have the power to give it up and the power to receive it back again, just as my Father commanded me to do.

¹⁹ The people took sides because of what Jesus had told them. ²⁰ Many of them said, “He has a demon in him! He is crazy! Why listen to him?”

²¹ But others said, “How could anyone with a demon in him say these things? No one like this could give sight to a blind person!”