John 9:40

Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard him say that, and said to him, “You are not suggesting that we are like blind people, are you?”

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

In Context

39Jesus said, “I have come into this world to judge the people in the world. The result will be that those who realize that they do not know God’s truth will perceive it. That is like [MET] enabling those who are blind to see. But the result will also be that people who falsely think [IRO] that they understand God’s truth will never understand it. That is like [MET] people who are blind remaining blind permanently.”

41Jesus said to them, “If you realized that you did not yet know God’s truth, but you wanted to, then you would be like blind people who wanted to see. God would be able to forgive your sins. But you are now falsely claiming that you know God’s truth, so you are like people who are blind who claim that they can see. Because of that, God is not able to forgive your sins.”

Read all of John 9

Cross References

Matthew 23:16“You Jewish leaders, your punishment will be terrible! You are like people who are blind [MET] who are trying to lead others. You say, ‘ In the case of those who promise to do something and then ask the Temple to affirm what they have promised, it means nothing if they do not do what they have promised. But if they ask the gold that is in the Temple to affirm what they have promised, they must do what they promised.’

John 7:47Then the Pharisees replied, “Have you been deceived {Has he deceived you}, too?

Romans 2:19You are certain that you are able to show God’s truth to non-Jews, as guides show the road to those who are blind [MET]. You are certain that by what you say you can show God’s way to the non-Jews who do not understand it, as a light shows the way to those who walk in the darkness [MET, DOU].

Matthew Henry on John 9:40-41

Christ's Address to the Pharisees. 39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth. Christ, having spoken comfort to the poor man that was persecuted, here speaks conviction to his persecutors, a… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study John 9:40