ONE MAN'S TESTIMONY

Passage: John 9:13-23

Key verse: 15

NIV

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.(A) 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.(B) “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”(C)

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”(D) So they were divided.(E)

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”(F)

18 They(G) still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders,(H) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(I) of the synagogue.(J) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(K)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 (A)Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 (B)So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not (C)from God, (D)for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, (E)“How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And (F)there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, (G)“He is a prophet.”

18 (H)The Jews[a] did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things (I)because they feared the Jews, for (J)the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should (K)confess Jesus[b] to be Christ, (L)he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, (M)“He is of age; ask him.”

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Footnotes
  1. John 9:18 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verse 22
  2. John 9:22 Greek him
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. He put mud on my eyes; now I see (13-15)

The Pharisees were upset because Jesus had healed a man's eyes on the Sabbath. They questioned the man about this, and he testified simply, telling the facts. When they heard that Jesus had made mud and put it on the man's eyes, they were even more upset--Jesus had worked on the Sabbath! There were a few people who realized that God was working in this event, but it was not politically expedient to say this.

2. He is a prophet (16-23)

The former blind man had told them the objective facts. Now they asked him for a subjective opinion. He could have avoided making a commitment, as his parents did later, but he was a man of truth. He didn't calculate about his personal advantage or disadvantage. He believed that the man who had healed him was a man of God, and he said so. This small decision set a direction that changed his life.

Prayer: Lord, help me to testify to your grace in my life without fear or shame.

One Word: Be a truthful witness