Study Desk

As He was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth.

His disciples questioned Him: "Rabbi,^(a) who sinned, this man^(b) or his parents,^(c) that he was born blind?"

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," Jesus answered. "This came about so that God's works^(d) might be displayed in him.

We^[a] must do the works^(e) of Him who sent Me^[b] while it is day.^(f) Night is coming when no one can work.

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." ^(g)

After He said these things He spit on the ground, made some mud^(h) from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes.

"Go," He told him, "wash in the pool of Siloam" ⁽ⁱ⁾ (which means "Sent"). So he left, washed, and came back seeing.^(j)

His neighbors and those who formerly had seen him as a beggar said, "Isn't this the man who sat begging?"

Some said, "He's the one." "No," others were saying, "but he looks like him." He kept saying, "I'm the one!"

Therefore they asked him, "Then how were your eyes opened?"

He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam^(k) and wash.' So when I went and washed I received my sight."^(l)

"Where is He?" they asked. "I don't know," he said.

They brought the man who used to be blind to the Pharisees.^(m)

The day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes was a Sabbath.⁽ⁿ⁾

So again the Pharisees asked him how he received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," he told them. "I washed and I can see."

Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God,^(o) for He doesn't keep the Sabbath!" But others were saying, "How can a sinful man^(p) perform such signs?" And there was a division^(q) among them.

Again they asked the blind man,^[c] "What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?" "He's a prophet,"^(r) he said.

The Jews did not believe this about him—that he was blind and received sight—until they summoned the parents of the one who had received his sight.

They asked them, "Is this your son, the one you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"

"We know this is our son and that he was born blind," his parents answered.

"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."

His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews, since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him as Messiah,^(s) he would be banned from the synagogue.

This is why his parents said, "He's of age; ask him."

So a second time they summoned the man who had been blind and told him, "Give glory^(t) to God.^[d](u) We know that this man is a sinner!"

He answered, "Whether or not He's a sinner, I don't know. One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!"

Then they asked him, "What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?"

"I already told you," he said, "and you didn't listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don't want to become His disciples too, do you?"

They ridiculed him: "You're that man's disciple, but we're Moses'^(v) disciples.

We know that God has spoken to Moses. But this man—we don't know where He's from!"^(w)

"This is an amazing thing," the man told them. "You don't know where He is from, yet He opened my eyes!

We know that God doesn't listen to sinners,^(x) but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will,^(y) He listens to him.^(z)

Throughout history^[e] no one has ever heard of someone opening the eyes of a person born blind.^(aa)

If this man were not from God, He wouldn't be able to do anything."^(ab)

"You were born entirely in sin,"^(ac) they replied, "and are you trying to teach us?" Then they threw him out.^[f](ad)

When Jesus heard that they had thrown the man out, He found him and asked, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" ^[g](ae)

"Who is He, Sir,^(af) that I may believe in Him?" he asked.

Jesus answered, "You have seen Him; in fact, He is the One speaking with you."

"I believe, Lord!" he said, and he worshiped Him.

Jesus said, "I came into this world^(ag) for judgment,^(ah) in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind." ^(ai)

Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and asked Him, "We aren't blind too, are we?"

"If you were blind," Jesus told them, "you wouldn't have sin. ^[h](aj) But now that you say, ‘We see'—your sin remains.

"I assure you: Anyone who doesn't enter the sheep pen by the door but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.^(a)

The one who enters by the door is the shepherd^(b) of the sheep.^(c)

The doorkeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they recognize his voice.

They will never follow a stranger; instead they will run away from him, because they don't recognize the voice of strangers."

Jesus gave them this illustration, but they did not understand^(d) what He was telling them.

So Jesus said again, "I assure you: I am^(e) the door of the sheep.^(f)

All who came before Me^[a] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn't listen to them.

I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture.

A thief comes only to steal^(g) and to kill and to destroy.^(h) I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

"I am the good shepherd.⁽ⁱ⁾ The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.^(j)

The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and doesn't own the sheep, leaves them^[b] and runs away when he sees a wolf^(k) coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them.

This happens because he is a hired man and doesn't care about the sheep.

"I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me,

as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father.^(l) I lay down My life^(m) for the sheep.

But I have other sheep⁽ⁿ⁾ that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.^(o)

This is why the Father loves Me,^(p) because I am laying down My life^(q) so I may take it up again.

No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father." ^(r)

Again a division^(s) took place among the Jews because of these words.

Many of them were saying, "He has a demon^(t) and He's crazy! Why do you listen to Him?"

Others were saying, "These aren't the words of someone demon-possessed. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"^(u)

Then the Festival of Dedication^[c] took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter.

Jesus was walking in the temple complex in Solomon's Colonnade.^[d](v)

Then the Jews surrounded Him and asked, "How long are You going to keep us in suspense?^[e] If You are the Messiah,^(w) tell us plainly."^[f](x)

"I did tell you and you don't believe," Jesus answered them. "The works^(y) that I do in My Father's name testify about Me.

But you don't believe because you are not My sheep. ^[g](z)

My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me.

I give them eternal life,^(aa) and they will never perish^(ab)—ever! No one will snatch^(ac) them out of My hand.

My Father,^(ad) who has given them to Me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

The Father and I are one." ^[h](ae)

Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him.^(af)

Jesus replied, "I have shown you many good works^(ag) from the Father. Which of these works are you stoning Me for?"

"We aren't stoning^(ah) You for a good work," the Jews answered, "but for blasphemy, because You—being a man—make Yourself God."

Jesus answered them, "Isn't it written in your scripture,^[i] I said, you are gods ? ^(ai)[j]

If He called those whom the word^(aj) of God came to ‘gods'—and the Scripture^(ak) cannot be broken—

do you say, ‘You are blaspheming' to the One the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?^(al)

If I am not doing My Father's works,^(am) don't believe Me.

But if I am doing them and you don't believe Me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand^[k] that the Father is in Me and I in the Father." ^(an)

Then they were trying again to seize Him,^(ao) yet He eluded their grasp.^(ap)

So He departed again across the Jordan^(aq) to the place where John^(ar) had been baptizing earlier, and He remained there.

Many came to Him^(as) and said, "John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true."

And many believed in Him there.