John 9:19 kjv
And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
John 9:19 nkjv
And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"
John 9:19 niv
"Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
John 9:19 esv
and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"
John 9:19 nlt
They asked them, "Is this your son? Was he born blind? If so, how can he now see?"
John 9 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 9:20 | "We know that this is our son and that he was born blind." | Explains their parental knowledge. |
| John 9:21 | "But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we do not know." | Their stated ignorance. |
| John 9:22 | "His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews." | Reason for their cautious response. |
| John 12:42 | "Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him..." | Another instance of believers' fear. |
| Luke 12:4-5 | "And I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body..." | Jesus' instruction on fear. |
| Isa 41:10 | "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God." | God’s assurance against fear. |
| Matt 10:28 | "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul." | Jesus on fearing God over men. |
| Acts 5:40 | "And they took his advice. After flogging them, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and dismissed them." | Example of synagogue expulsion. |
| 1 Cor 1:18 | "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." | Rejection of Jesus’ power. |
| Gal 1:8-9 | "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed." | Warning against deviation. |
| Heb 12:3 | "Consider him who endured from sinners such opposition so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." | Encouragement in suffering. |
| Acts 4:1-2 | "And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead." | Religious leaders’ opposition. |
| Acts 4:18 | "So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus." | The command to stop preaching. |
| Acts 4:21 | "But when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened." | Public opinion against authorities. |
| Deut 13:6-10 | "If your brother, or your son, or your daughter, or the wife most dear to you, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you..." | Law against enticement. |
| John 9:34 | "They answered him, 'You were born in lifelong sin, and do you teach us?' And they cast him out." | The blind man’s rejection. |
| 1 Sam 2:24 | "No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear the people of the Lord spreading." | Fear of public opinion. |
| Ps 119:115 | "Get away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God." | Stance against opposition. |
| Prov 29:25 | "The fear of man lays a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord is secure." | Trust in God over man. |
| Mal 2:7 | "For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts." | Priestly duty and teaching. |
| John 7:47-49 | "The Pharisees answered them, 'Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.'" | Pharisees' scorn for believers. |
John 9 verses
John 9 19 Meaning
This verse describes the blind man’s parents’ fearful response when questioned about their son’s healing. They confirm that their son is indeed theirs and that he can now see, but they defer any explanation of how this happened to their son, fearing expulsion from the synagogue.
John 9 19 Context
This verse occurs within John chapter 9, which details Jesus’ miraculous healing of a man born blind. The religious leaders, the Pharisees, are actively seeking to discredit Jesus and his power. They question the healed man and then summon his parents to interrogate them about the identity of the healer and the circumstances of the healing. The parents' response here is a direct result of the hostile interrogation and the known severe penalties, including excommunication (which implies social and religious ostracism, symbolized by expulsion from the synagogue), that followers of Jesus could face. The primary concern in this immediate context is the parents' fear of the Jewish religious authorities and their established power structure.
John 9 19 Word Analysis
- "His parents": Refers to the man's father and mother. They are the immediate family, with direct knowledge of their son's birth and condition.
- "said": The verb indicates their verbal communication, their spoken testimony.
- "this": Refers to what they were about to state, specifically about their son’s identity and blindness.
- "because": Introduces the reason for their particular statement and cautious approach.
- "they feared": The root of their response. The Greek word ephobonto (ἐφοβοῦντο) signifies an active state of fear, not a passive one. This fear was directed towards the authorities.
- "the Jews": In this context, "the Jews" does not refer to the Jewish people as a whole, but specifically to the religious authorities and leaders of the time (Pharisees, Sadducees, temple officials) who held sway and exercised disciplinary power through institutions like the synagogue. This is evident from earlier in the chapter (John 9:22). They represented the established religious order that opposed Jesus.
Word Group Analysis:
- "His parents said this because they feared the Jews": This phrase highlights a direct causal relationship. Their testimony was constrained and shaped by their apprehension of the powerful religious faction, leading them to distance themselves from a clear endorsement of Jesus, lest they too face repercussions. Their words are motivated by self-preservation within a controlling system.
John 9 19 Bonus Section
The situation of the parents illustrates the conflict between worldly authority and divine truth. Their fear of expulsion from the synagogue represents a fear of social death and loss of identity within their community. This echoes the warning in John 9:34 where the healed man, when confronting the Pharisees, is cast out of the synagogue, demonstrating that even a direct testimony led to excommunication. This experience also highlights the different levels of courage shown; while the parents waver, their son, despite being blind for his whole life, shows greater boldness in affirming Jesus’ power and divine origin. His eventual faith is shown to be more developed than his parents' guarded affirmation, possibly due to his personal encounter with Jesus and his spiritual enlightenment. This verse indirectly points to the pressure exerted by the religious elite to maintain their control and suppress the burgeoning movement centered around Jesus, a tactic common among authoritarian regimes throughout history.
John 9 19 Commentary
The parents, while acknowledging the undeniable fact of their son’s restored sight and his own testimony, are unable to offer a robust defense or explanation for the miracle. Their fear of the dominant religious party—the "Jews" who were actively persecuting anyone associated with Jesus—prevents them from openly identifying Jesus as the healer. This fear led them to defer to their son, essentially shifting the responsibility to him. Their response underscores the intense pressure and intimidation faced by those who witnessed or experienced Jesus' ministry during that period. They prioritized their belonging within the established religious community over their spiritual convictions or their son’s fuller vindication, revealing the human tendency to compromise under duress. It serves as a stark reminder of the societal and political forces at play, which influenced even the immediate family’s public confession.