John 9:13-41 : Easy-to-Read Version
The Jews Question the Man that Jesus Healed
13Then the people brought the man to the Pharisees.* This was the man that had been blind. 14Jesus had made mud and healed the man's eyes. The day Jesus did this was a Sabbath day.* 15So now the Pharisees asked the man, "How did you get your sight?" The man answered, "He put mud on my eyes. I washed, and now I can see." 16Some of the Pharisees* said, "This man (Jesus) does not obey the law about the Sabbath day.* So he is not from God." Other men said, "But a person that is a sinner cannot do miracles* like these." These Jews could not agree with each other. 17The Jewish leaders asked the man again, "This man (Jesus) healed you, and you can see. What do you say about him?" The man answered, "He is a prophet.*" 18The Jews still did not believe that this really happened to the man. They did not believe that this man was blind and was now healed. But later they sent for the man's parents. 19The Jews asked his parents, "Is this your son? You say that he was born blind. So why can he see now?" 20The parents answered, "We know that this man is our son. And we know that he was born blind. 21But we don't know why he can see now. We don't know who healed his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough to answer for himself." 22His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. The Jewish leaders had already decided that they would punish any person that said Jesus was the Christ.* The Jewish leaders would put those people out of the synagogue.* 23That is why his parents said, "He is old enough. Ask him." 24So the Jewish leaders called the man that had been blind. They told the man to come in again. The Jewish leaders said, "You should give God the glory [by telling the truth]. We know that this man (Jesus) is a sinner." 25The man answered, "I don't know if he is a sinner. But I do know this: I was blind, and now I can see." 26The Jewish leaders asked, "What did he (Jesus) do to you? How did he heal your eyes?" 27The man answered, "I have already told you that. But you would not listen to me. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his followers too?" 28The Jewish leaders [became angry and] said some very bad things to the man. Then they said, "You are a follower of that man (Jesus). We are followers of Moses. 29We know that God spoke to Moses. But we don't even know where this man (Jesus) comes from!" 30The man answered, "This is a very strange thing. You don't know where Jesus comes from. But he healed my eyes. 31We all know that God does not listen to sinners. But God will listen to a person that worships and obeys him. 32This is the first time that any person ever healed a man that was born blind. 33This man (Jesus) must be from God. If he were not from God, he could not do anything [like this]." 34The Jewish leaders answered, "You were born full of sin! Are you trying to teach us?" And the Jewish leaders forced the man to leave.
Spiritual Blindness
35Jesus heard that the Jewish leaders had forced the man to leave. Jesus found the man and said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of Man*?" 36The man asked, "Who is the Son of Man, sir? Tell me, so I can believe in him!" 37Jesus said to him, "You have already seen him. The Son of Man is the one talking with you now." 38The man answered, "Yes, I believe, Lord!" Then the man bowed and worshiped Jesus. 39Jesus said, "I came into this world so that the world could be judged. I came so that blind people* could see. And I came so that people that [think they can] see will become blind." 40Some of the Pharisees* were near Jesus. They heard Jesus say this. They asked, "What? Are you saying that we are blind too?" 41Jesus said, "If you were really blind (without understanding), you would not be guilty of sin. But you say that you see (know what you are doing). So you are guilty."
Pharisees The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group that claimed to follow carefully all Jewish laws and customs. Sabbath day(s) The Sabbath day (seventh day of the week) was a special religious day for the Jews. miracle(s) Miracles are amazing works done by God's power. prophet A person that spoke for God. Christ The "anointed one" (Messiah) or chosen one of God. synagogue(s) Synagogues were places where Jews gathered for prayer, study of the Scriptures, and other public meetings. Son of Man A name Jesus used for himself. In Dan. 7:13-14, this is the name for the Messiah, the one God chose to save his people. blind people Now Jesus is talking about people that are spiritually blind, not physically blind.