1   As he went on his way Jesus saw a man blind from his birth. 2   His disciples put the question, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents? 3   Why was he born blind?’ ‘It is not that this man or his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered; ‘he was born blind so that God's power might be displayed in curing him. 4   While daylight lasts we ^note must carry on the work of him who sent me; night comes, when no one can work. 5   While I am in the world I am the light of the world.’

6   With these words he spat on the ground and made a paste with the spittle; 7   he spread it on the man's eyes, and said to him, ‘Go and wash in the pool of Siloam.’ (The name means ‘sent’.) The man went away and washed, and when he returned he could see.

8   His neighbours and those who were accustomed to see him begging said, ‘Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?’ Others said, ‘Yes, this is the man.’ 9   Others again said, ‘No, but it is someone like him.’ 10   The man himself said, ‘I am the man.’ They asked him, ‘How were your eyes opened?’ 11   He replied, ‘The man called Jesus made a paste and smeared my eyes with it, and told me to go to Siloam and wash. 12   I went and washed, and gained my sight.’ ‘Where is he?’ they asked. He answered, ‘I do not know.’

13   The man who had been blind was brought before the Pharisees. 14   As it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened his eyes, 15   the Pharisees now asked him by what means he had gained his sight. The man told them, ‘He spread a paste on my eyes; then I washed, and now I can see.’ 16   Some of the Pharisees said, ‘This fellow is no man of God; he does not keep the Sabbath.’ Others said, ‘How could such signs come from a sinful man?’ So they took different sides. 17   Then they continued to question him: ‘What have

The great controversy you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.’ He answered, ‘He is a prophet.’

18   The Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had gained his sight, 19   until they had summoned his parents and questioned them: ‘Is this man your son? Do you say that he was born blind? 20   How is it that he can see now?’ The parents replied, ‘We know that he is our son, and that he was born blind. 21   But how it is that he can now see, or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age; he will speak for himself.’ 22   His parents gave this answer because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jewish authorities had already agreed that anyone who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah should be banned from the synagogue. 23   That is why the parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.’

24   So for the second time they summoned the man who had been blind, and said, ‘Speak the truth before God. We know that this fellow is a sinner.’ 25   ‘Whether or not he is a sinner, I do not know’, the man replied. ‘All I know is this: once I was blind, now I can see.’ 26   ‘What did he do to you?’ they asked. ‘How did he open your eyes?’ 27   ‘I have told you already,’ he retorted, ‘but you took no notice. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?’ 28   Then they became abusive. ‘You are that man's disciple,’ they said, ‘but we are disciples of Moses. 29   We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we do not know where he comes from.’

30   The man replied, ‘What an extraordinary thing! Here is a man who has opened my eyes, yet you do not know where he comes from! 31   It is common knowledge that God does not listen to sinners; he listens to anyone who is devout and obeys his will. 32   To open the eyes of a man born blind—it is unheard of since time began. 33   If that man had not come from God he could have done nothing.’ 34   ‘Who are you to give us lessons,’ they retorted, ‘born and bred in sin as you are?’ Then they expelled him from the synagogue.

35   Jesus heard that they had expelled him. When he found him he asked, ‘Have you faith in the Son of Man ^note?’ 36   The man answered, ‘Tell me who he is, sir, that I should put my faith in him.’ 37   ‘You have seen him,’ said Jesus; ‘indeed, it is he who is speaking to you.’ 38   ‘Lord, I believe’, he said, and bowed before him.

39   Jesus said, ‘It is for judgement that I have come into this world— to give sight to the sightless and to make blind those who see.’

The great controversy 40   Some Pharisees in his company asked, ‘Do you mean that we are blind?’ 41   ‘If you were blind,’ said Jesus, ‘you would not be guilty, but because you say “We see”, your guilt remains.

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