The Pharisees’ Reaction to the Healing

9:13 They brought the man who used to be blind39 to the Pharisees.40 9:14 (Now the day on which Jesus made the mud41 and caused him to see42 was a Sabbath.)43 9:15 So the Pharisees asked him again how he had gained his sight.44 He replied,45 “He put mud46 on my eyes and I washed, and now47 I am able to see.”

9:16 Then some of the Pharisees began to say,48 “This man is not from God, because he does not observe49 the Sabbath.”50 But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform51 such miraculous signs?” Thus there was a division52 among them. 9:17 So again they asked the man who used to be blind,53 “What do you say about him, since he caused you to see?”54 “He is a prophet,” the man replied.55

9:18 Now the Jewish religious leaders56 refused to believe57 that he had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned58 the parents of the man who had become able to see.59 9:19 They asked the parents,60 “Is this your son, whom you say61 was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 9:20 So his parents replied,62 “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 9:21 But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see.63 Ask him, he is a mature adult.64 He will speak for himself.” 9:22 (His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders.65 For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus66 to be the Christ67 would be put out68 of the synagogue.69 9:23 For this reason his parents said, “He is a mature adult,70 ask him.”)71

9:24 Then they summoned72 the man who used to be blind73 a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth.74 We know that this man75 is a sinner.” 9:25 He replied,76 “I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing—that although I was blind, now I can see.” 9:26 Then they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he cause you to see?”77 9:27 He answered,78 “I told you already and you didn’t listen.79 Why do you want to hear it80 again? You people81 don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”

9:28 They82 heaped insults83 on him, saying,84 “You are his disciple!85 We are disciples of Moses! 9:29 We know that God has spoken to Moses! We do not know where this man86 comes from!” 9:30 The man replied,87 “This is a remarkable thing,88 that you don’t know where he comes from, and yet he caused me to see!89 9:31 We know that God doesn’t listen to90 sinners, but if anyone is devout91 and does his will, God92 listens to93 him.94 9:32 Never before95 has anyone heard of someone causing a man born blind to see.96 9:33 If this man97 were not from God, he could do nothing.” 9:34 They replied,98 “You were born completely in sinfulness,99 and yet you presume to teach us?”100 So they threw him out.