John 9:21

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“But we don’t know how he now sees, and we don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he’s of age. He will speak for himself.”

King James Version (1611)
But by what meanes he now seeth, we know not, or who hath opened his eyes we know not: hee is of age, aske him, he shall speake for himselfe.

King James Version
But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

English Standard Version
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."

New American Standard Bible
but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself."

New Century Version
But we don't know how he can now see. We don't know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself."

Amplified Bible
but as to how he now sees, we do not know; or who has opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him [and stop asking us]; he is of age, he will speak for himself and give his own account of it."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself."

Legacy Standard Bible
but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself."

Berean Standard Bible
But how he can now see or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself."

Contemporary English Version
But we don't know how he got his sight or who gave it to him. Ask him! He is old enough to speak for himself."

Complete Jewish Bible
but how it is that he can see now, we don't know; nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him — he's old enough, he can speak for himself!"

Darby Translation
but how he now sees we do not know, or who has opened his eyes we do not know. *He* is of age: ask *him*; *he* will speak concerning himself.

Easy-to-Read Version
But 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."

Geneva Bible (1587)
But by what meanes hee nowe seeth, we know not: or who hath opened his eyes, can we not tell: he is olde ynough: aske him: hee shall answere for himselfe.

George Lamsa Translation
But how he sees now, or who opened his eyes, we do not know; he is of age, ask him, he will speak for himself.

Good News Translation
But we do not know how it is that he is now able to see, nor do we know who cured him of his blindness. Ask him; he is old enough, and he can answer for himself!"

Lexham English Bible
But how he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. Ask him! He is a mature adult; he will speak for himself!"

Literal Translation
But how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. He is of age, ask him. He will speak about himself.

American Standard Version
but how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened his eyes, we know not: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for himself.

Bible in Basic English
But how it is he is now able to see, or who made his eyes open, we are not able to say: put the question to him; he is old enough to give an answer for himself.

Hebrew Names Version
but how he now sees, we don't know; or who opened his eyes, we don't know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself."

International Standard Version
But we don't know how it is that he now sees, and we don't know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is of age and can speak for himself."

Etheridge Translation
But how he now seeth, or who hath opened his eyes, we know not. He also hath entered on his years, ask him: he for himself shall speak.

Murdock Translation
but how he now seeth, or who opened his eyes, we know not. He hath come to his years, ask him; he will speak for himself.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But by what meanes he now seeth, we can not tell: Or who hath opened his eyes, can not we tell. He is olde inough, aske him, let him aunswere for himselfe.

English Revised Version
but how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened his eyes, we know not: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for himself.

World English Bible
but how he now sees, we don't know; or who opened his eyes, we don't know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself."

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But how he now seeth, we know not, or who hath opened his eyes, we know not.

Weymouth's New Testament
but how it is that he can now see or who has opened his eyes we do not know. Ask him himself; he is of full age; he himself will give his own account of it."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but hou he seeth now, we witen neuer, or who openyde hise iyen, we witen nere; axe ye hym, he hath age, speke he of hym silf.

Update Bible Version
but how he now sees, we don't know; or who opened his eyes, we don't know: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for himself.

Webster's Bible Translation
But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he will speak for himself.

New English Translation
But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see. Ask him, he is a mature adult. He will speak for himself."

New King James Version
but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself."

New Living Translation
but we don't know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself."

New Life Bible
But we do not know how it is that he can see now. We do not know who opened his eyes. He is old enough, ask him. He can tell you himself."

New Revised Standard
but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, how he now seeth, we know not, or, who opened his eyes, we, know not, - Question, him, he is, of age, he, concerning himself, shall speak.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But how he now seeth, we know not: or who hath opened his eyes, we know not. Ask himself: he is of age: Let him speak for himself.

Revised Standard Version
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."

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
but by what meanes he now seith that can we not tell or who hath opened his eyes can we not tell. He is olde ynough axe him let him answer for him selfe.

Young's Literal Translation
and how he now seeth, we have not known; or who opened his eyes, we have not known; himself is of age, ask him; he himself shall speak concerning himself.'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But how he now seyeth, we can not tell: or who hath opened his eyes, can we not tell. He is olde ynough himself, axe him, let him speake for him self.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but by what means it was that he now sees, that we know not; or who made him see, we know not: he is of age, ask him, he will answer for himself.

Simplified Cowboy Version
We have no idea how he can see now. Ask him that question. He's old enough to speak for himself."

Contextual Overview

¹³They marched the man to the Pharisees. This day when Jesus made the paste and healed his blindness was the Sabbath. The Pharisees grilled him again on how he had come to see. He said, "He put a clay paste on my eyes, and I washed, and now I see." ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, "Obviously, this man can't be from God. He doesn't keep the Sabbath." Others countered, "How can a bad man do miraculous, God-revealing things like this?" There was a split in their ranks. ¹⁷ They came back at the blind man, "You're the expert. He opened your eyes. What do you say about him?" He said, "He is a prophet." ¹⁸The Jews didn't believe it, didn't believe the man was blind to begin with. So they called the parents of the man now bright-eyed with sight. They asked them, "Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? So how is it that he now sees?" ²⁰His parents said, "We know he is our son, and we know he was born blind. But we don't know how he came to see—haven't a clue about who opened his eyes. Why don't you ask him? He's a grown man and can speak for himself." (His parents were talking like this because they were intimidated by the Jewish leaders, who had already decided that anyone who took a stand that this was the Messiah would be kicked out of the meeting place. That's why his parents said, "Ask him. He's a grown man.") ²⁴ They called the man back a second time—the man who had been blind—and told him, "Give credit to God. We know this man is an impostor." ²⁵ He replied, "I know nothing about that one way or the other. But I know one thing for sure: I was blind... I now see." ²⁶ They said, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?" ²⁷ "I've told you over and over and you haven't listened. Why do you want to hear it again? Are you so eager to become his disciples?" ²⁸With that they jumped all over him. "You might be a disciple of that man, but we're disciples of Moses. We know for sure that God spoke to Moses, but we have no idea where this man even comes from."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Reciprocal: Mark 9:21 - How Luke 8:43 - twelve John 5:5 - thirty John 9:10 - General John 9:23 - He is Acts 9:33 - which

Cross-References

Genesis 6:9
This is the story of Noah: Noah was a good man, a man of integrity in his community. Noah walked with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Proverbs 20:1
Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome— a staggering drunk is not much fun.

Ecclesiastes 7:20
There's not one totally good person on earth, Not one who is truly pure and sinless.

Revelation 3:18
"Here's what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that's been through the refiner's fire. Then you'll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You've gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But by what means he now seeth we know not,.... As to the third question they could say nothing to it, they were not present when the cure was wrought, and knew nothing of the matter, but what they had heard from their son, or from others, or both:

or who hath opened his eyes we know not; they had heard it was Jesus, and their son had doubtless told them it was he; but since they could say nothing of their own personal knowledge, they choose not to say anything of him:

he is of age; at man's estate, as, with the Jews, one was, who was at the age of thirteen years, if he could produce the signs of puberty: and such an one was allowed a witness in any case, but not under this age; nor if he was arrived to it, if the above signs could not be produced q. This man very likely was much older, as may be thought from the whole of his conduct, his pertinent answers, and just reasoning: wherefore his parents direct the sanhedrim to him for an answer to their third question,

ask him, he shall speak for himself; or "of himself", as the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions render it: their sense is, he is capable of giving an account of himself in this matter, and he will do it, and let him do it; put the question to him, and a proper answer will be returned; and so they left the affair to be issued in this way.

q Maimon. Hilchot Eduth, c. 9. sect. 7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

His parents answered ... - To the first two questions they answered without hesitation. They knew that he was their son, and that he was born blind. The third question they could not positively answer, as they had not witnessed the means of the cure, and were afraid to express their belief. It appears that they had themselves no doubt, but they were not eye-witnesses, and could not be therefore legal evidence.

He is of age - He is of sufficient age to give testimony. Among the Jews this age was fixed at thirteen years.

If any man did confess that he was Christ - Did acknowledge that he was the Messiah. They had prejudged the case, and were determined to put down all free inquiry, and not to be convinced by any means.

Put out of the synagogue - This took place in the temple, or near the temple. It does not refer, therefore, to any immediate and violent putting forth from the place where they were. It refers to excommunication from the synagogue. Among the Jews there were two grades of excommunication; the one for lighter offences, of which they mentioned 24 causes; the other for greater offences. The first excluded a man for 30 days from the privilege of entering a synagogue, and from coming nearer to his wife or friends than 4 cubits. The other was a solemn exclusion forever from the worship of the synagogue, attended with awful maledictions and curses, and an exclusion from all contact with the people. This was called the curse, and so thoroughly excluded the person from all communion whatever with his countrymen, that they were not allowed to sell to him anything, even the necessaries of life (Buxtorf). It is probable that this latter punishment was what they intended to inflict if anyone should confess that Jesus was the Messiah: and it was the fear of this terrible punishment that deterred his parents from expressing their opinion.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 9:21. He is of age — ηλικιαν εχει, literally, he has stature, i.e. he is a full-grown man; and in this sense the phrase is used by the best Greek writers. See Kypke and Raphelius. Mature age was fixed among the Jews at thirty years.