John 9:25

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.”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

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.”

BSB

He answered, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. There is one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see!”

KJV

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

ASV

He therefore answered, Whether he is a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

BBE

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.

Original Greek

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The early church

"He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not; one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." Surely the blind man was not terrified? That be far from him. How then doth he who said, "He is a Prophet", now say, "Whether he be a sinner, I know not"? He said so, not as being in such a state of mind, nor as having persuaded himself of this thing, but desiring to clear Him from their charges by the testimony of the fact, not by his own declaration, and to make the defense credible, when the testimony of the good deed done should decide the matter against them. Since if after many words when the blind man said, "Except this were a righteous man he could not do such miracles", they were so enraged as to reply, "Thou wast altogether born in sin, and dost thou teach us?" what would they not have said, if he had spoken so from the beginning; what would they not have done? "Whether he be a sinner or not, I know not"; as though he had said, "I say nothing in this man's favor, I make no declaration at present, yet this I certainly know and would affirm, that if he were a sinner he could not have done such things." Thus he kept himself free from suspicion, and his testimony uncorrupted, as not speaking from partiality, but as bearing witness according to the fact.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on John
The man, that he might neither expose himself to calumny, nor at the same time conceal the truth, answers not that he knew Him to be righteous, but, Whether He be a sinner or no, I know not.
Alcuin of York · d. 804Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
"Then again called they the man who had been blind, and said unto him, Give God the glory." What is that, "Give God the glory"? Deny what thou hast received. Such conduct is manifestly not to give God the glory, but rather to blaspheme Him. "Give God," they say, "the glory: we know that this man is a sinner. Then said he, If he is a sinner, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see."
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Tractates on John

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 24–34

As Christ's mercies are most valued by those who have felt the want of them, that have been blind, and now see; so the most powerful and lasting affections to Christ, arise from actual knowledge of him. In the work of grace in the soul, though we cannot tell when, and how, and by what steps the blessed change was wrought, yet we may take the comfort, if we can say, through grace, Whereas I was blind, now I see. I did live a worldly, sensual life, but, thanks be to God, it is now otherwise with me, Ep 5:8. The unbelief of those who enjoy the means of knowledge and conviction, is indeed marvellous. All who have felt the power and grace of the Lord Jesus, wonder at the wilfulness of others who reject him. He argues strongly against them, not only that Jesus was not a sinner, but that he was of God. We may each of us know by this, whether we are of God or not. What do we? What do we for God? What do we for our souls? What do we more than others?

Read Matthew Henry on John 9 →

Cross-references

3

Topics

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.