John 9:21 kjv
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.
John 9:21 nkjv
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."
John 9:21 niv
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."
John 9:21 esv
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."
John 9:21 nlt
but we don't know how he can see or who healed him. Ask him. He is old enough to speak for himself."
John 9 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 9:20 | "My father told me, 'He is an adult. Ask him.'" | John 9:20 (Shows their delegation) |
| John 9:22 | "His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews,..." | John 9:22 (Reason for their evasion) |
| John 9:34 | "...They answered him, 'You were born in utter sin, and are you teaching us?'" | John 9:34 (Excommunication of the man) |
| Isaiah 43:10 | "‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen,..." | Isaiah 43:10 (Contrast in testimony) |
| Luke 12:11 | "And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities,..." | Luke 12:11 (Warning of persecution) |
| Mark 8:38 | "If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him..." | Mark 8:38 (Consequences of denial) |
| 1 Samuel 12:3 | "I stand here before you now. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe...?" | 1 Samuel 12:3 (A call for integrity) |
| Matthew 10:28 | "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." | Matthew 10:28 (True fear) |
| Jeremiah 17:5 | "This is what the LORD says: ‘Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh..." | Jeremiah 17:5 (Trust in man vs. God) |
| Proverbs 29:25 | "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe." | Proverbs 29:25 (Trust vs. fear) |
| Psalm 118:6 | "The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?" | Psalm 118:6 (Confidence in God) |
| Acts 4:19-20 | "But Peter and John replied, 'Which is right in God’s sight: to listen to you, or Him? You be the judges! For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.'" | Acts 4:19-20 (Bold witness) |
| John 12:42 | "Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their belief for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;" | John 12:42 (Similar fear among authorities) |
| Galatians 1:10 | "Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ’s servant." | Galatians 1:10 (Servant's allegiance) |
| 2 Timothy 1:8 | "So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel..." | 2 Timothy 1:8 (Not ashamed of Christ) |
| John 15:18 | "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." | John 15:18 (Christ's experience) |
| Matthew 23:13 | "“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow the ones entering to go in." | Matthew 23:13 (Hypocrisy of leaders) |
| Hebrews 11:24-26 | "By faith Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin..." | Hebrews 11:24-26 (Faith over fear) |
| Philippians 3:7-8 | "But whatever was gain to me I counted loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." | Philippians 3:7-8 (Counting loss for Christ) |
| 1 John 4:18 | "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." | 1 John 4:18 (Love casts out fear) |
| John 11:50 | "Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, rather than the whole nation perish." | John 11:50 (Sacrifice for the people) |
John 9 verses
John 9 21 Meaning
The verse states that the parents of the man born blind affirmed their son was born blind and declared they did not know how he received his sight. This response reflects a calculated evasion of responsibility and a fear of the Jewish authorities.
John 9 21 Context
This verse occurs in John chapter 9, a narrative detailing Jesus healing a man born blind. Following the miracle, the religious authorities (Pharisees) interrogate the man and then his parents. The parents' testimony comes after they have already expressed fear of the religious establishment. They were aware of the potential repercussions of acknowledging Jesus' power, particularly the threat of excommunication (synagogue expulsion), a severe social and religious penalty in that era. Their statement is a deliberate distancing from Jesus and their son’s healing.
John 9 21 Word Analysis
- 'they': Refers to the parents of the man who was healed.
- 'said': From the Greek eipon, meaning to speak or say. It signifies their verbal response.
- 'this': Refers to the statements that immediately preceded this, specifically the ones from their son.
- 'because': Indicates the reason for their statement.
- 'they': Again, referring to the parents.
- 'were': A state of being.
- 'afraid': From the Greek phoboumenoi, meaning fearing or being afraid. This conveys a strong sense of dread and apprehension.
- 'of': Denotes the object of their fear.
- 'the Jews': In this context, "the Jews" refers not to all Jewish people but specifically to the ruling religious authorities, the chief priests and Pharisees, who held power over the populace and enforced religious law.
- 'for': Introduces the explanation for their fear.
- 'the Jews': Same as above, emphasizing the authorities they feared.
- 'had': Possession or prior condition.
- 'agreed': From the Greek sunethento, meaning to agree, conspire, or plot. This implies a prior consensus or established practice among the religious leaders.
- 'already': Indicating this agreement was in place beforehand.
- 'that': Introduces the content of their agreement.
- 'if': A conditional clause.
- 'anyone': Any person.
- 'should': Modal verb indicating purpose or intention.
- 'confess': From the Greek homologesē, meaning to acknowledge, confess, or profess. In this context, it means to admit or declare Jesus to be the Christ.
- 'him': Referring to Jesus Christ.
- 'to be': State of existence.
- 'Christ': The Anointed One, the Messiah.
- 'they': The parents.
- 'would be': Future conditional action.
- 'put': From the Greek aporriptō, meaning to cast out, reject, or excommunicate. This refers to being expelled from the synagogue.
- 'out': Indicates removal from a place or community.
- 'of': The place from which they would be expelled.
- 'the synagogue': The place of Jewish worship and community gathering.
Grouped Analysis:
- "afraid of the Jews": This highlights the power and authority wielded by the religious leaders. The "Jews" here refers to the ruling religious council and their adherents, whose condemnation carried significant weight, including excommunication from the synagogue, which was a devastating social and religious consequence.
- "had agreed already that if anyone should confess Him to be Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue": This points to a concerted effort by the religious leadership to suppress any acknowledgment of Jesus' messiahship. They had established a penalty (excommunication) and communicated it, creating an atmosphere of fear to enforce conformity and ostracize those who followed Jesus.
John 9 21 Bonus Section
This incident illustrates the palpable tension between the burgeoning movement of Jesus and the established religious hierarchy. The parents' response reflects the social and religious ostracism faced by early Christians and those associated with Jesus. Their fear is understandable given the severe penalties associated with deviation from accepted religious norms. However, their choice prioritizes earthly safety over heavenly reward and alignment with God's work. Jesus Himself later addresses the deeper issue of fearing man over God (John 12:43). This event foreshadows the excommunication experienced by the man born blind (John 9:34).
John 9 21 Commentary
The parents, caught between their son’s newfound sight and the oppressive religious climate, chose self-preservation over courageous witness. Their fear of the Jewish authorities (likely the Sanhedrin) and the threat of excommunication led them to feign ignorance. They implicitly acknowledged Jesus' power by deflecting the question back to their son, but their unwillingness to identify Jesus as the Christ starkly contrasts with the faith Jesus commended. This highlights the danger of letting fear of human opinion override allegiance to truth and the Lord.