John 9 25

John 9:25 kjv

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

John 9:25 nkjv

He answered and said, "Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see."

John 9:25 niv

He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

John 9:25 esv

He answered, "Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see."

John 9:25 nlt

"I don't know whether he is a sinner," the man replied. "But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!"

John 9 verses

John 9 25 Meaning

John 9:25 records the simple yet profound testimony of the man who was born blind and miraculously healed by Jesus. It articulates his unwavering personal experience of transformation, stating that regardless of the Pharisees' theological accusations or his own lack of understanding of Jesus's moral status, he knows with certainty that he was once sightless and now he can see. This powerful statement prioritizes undeniable reality over speculative debate, standing as a direct and unassailable witness to Jesus's power.

John 9 25 Context

John 9:25 occurs in the midst of intense scrutiny and opposition from the Jewish religious authorities (the Pharisees and scribes). Following Jesus's miraculous healing of a man born blind on the Sabbath, these leaders repeatedly question the healed man, his parents, and eventually Jesus Himself, attempting to discredit the miracle and portray Jesus as a law-breaker and a sinner. Their main concern is their legalistic interpretation of the Sabbath law and their perceived authority, not the undeniable truth of the miracle. The formerly blind man's straightforward testimony in verse 25 is his response to their persistent grilling and their attempt to force him to declare Jesus a sinner. This event also follows Jesus's declaration as the "Light of the World" in John 8 and 9:5, with the miracle serving as a vivid illustration of spiritual enlightenment versus the spiritual blindness of the authorities.

John 9 25 Word analysis

• He answered: This simple phrase denotes a direct, often firm, response to interrogation, signifying that the man, though unlearned, was not intimidated. It indicates his growing confidence in stating what he knew to be true, despite the hostility of his inquisitors.
• "Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know."
  • Whether he is a sinner (Greek: ei hamartōlos estin): Reflects the core accusation of the Pharisees (Jn 9:24), who branded Jesus a "sinner" due to their interpretation of His actions (healing on the Sabbath) and His origins (not being from God). A hamartōlos is someone habitually guilty of transgressing divine law. The Pharisees' charge against Jesus was that He was a lawbreaker (specifically, regarding the Sabbath), which, in their framework, disqualified Him from being of God. This polemic highlights the conflict between outward adherence to law and divine compassionate action.
  • or not, I do not know. (Greek: ouk oida): This is a crucial admission of ignorance regarding a theological matter. The man humbly defers on an issue he is not equipped to resolve, displaying remarkable honesty and discernment. He rejects the Pharisees' judgmental framework and focuses instead on his own personal experience. This response bypasses speculative theology for irrefutable fact.
• "One thing I do know:" (Greek: hen oida): This is a powerful, emphatic declaration. "This one thing I do know" asserts a clear, undeniable truth gained through direct experience, contrasting sharply with his previous statement of uncertainty. It serves as a decisive pivot from debate to an unshakeable, experiential truth. It elevates personal testimony above human contention.
• "that though I was blind," (Greek: hoti typhlos ōn): This describes his indisputable previous condition, universally acknowledged by those around him (Jn 9:1, 8). The term typhlos signifies profound, total blindness from birth. This established fact provides the irrefutable baseline for his transformative testimony.
• "now I see." (Greek: arti blepō): The climactic statement of miraculous, instantaneous, and complete transformation. Arti (now) underscores the immediacy and recency of the change, while blepō (I see) refers to the full recovery of physical sight. In the context of John's Gospel, this physical healing also points to the dawning of spiritual sight, linking it to Jesus being the Light of the World (Jn 9:5). It's the simple, unanswerable truth of an eyewitness account.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Whether he is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I do know:" This contrast highlights the core conflict of the chapter: the intellectual, legalistic, and judgmental skepticism of the religious authorities versus the simple, experiential certainty of the one transformed. The man implicitly dismisses the relevance of their legal debate about Jesus's moral character, instead emphasizing the concrete impact Jesus had on his life. This rhetorical shift demonstrates true wisdom.
• "that though I was blind, now I see." This powerful, antithetical phrase encapsulates the profound change wrought by Christ. It is an unassailable, empirically verifiable testimony that stands stronger than any theological argument or prejudiced accusation. It forms the irreducible core of faith that relies on direct, lived encounter with divine power rather than human intellectual assent alone.

John 9 25 Bonus section

• The man's journey of understanding Jesus progresses remarkably through the chapter. From initially referring to Him as "A man called Jesus" (Jn 9:11), he comes to call Him "A prophet" (Jn 9:17), then courageously defends Him (Jn 9:30-33), and finally, after further revelation, worships Him as "Lord" (Jn 9:38) and the "Son of Man" (Jn 9:35). His statement in Jn 9:25 marks a key step in this spiritual growth, showing increasing clarity and conviction.
• The man born blind's physical healing parallels a deeper spiritual awakening that bypasses the rigid doctrines of the Pharisees. While they claimed spiritual sight but remained blind to God's work, the formerly blind man received both physical and spiritual sight.
• This verse underscores that true faith often arises from an encounter with Christ's transformative power, even if one doesn't possess complete theological understanding or can perfectly articulate every detail about His identity. It emphasizes experiential knowledge over purely intellectual assent.
• The phrase "One thing I do know" has become a powerful adage in Christian witness, highlighting the foundational truth of personal experience with God over debates that do not directly address the immediate impact of His grace.

John 9 25 Commentary

John 9:25 presents a quintessential expression of an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ. Confronted by religious authorities deeply entrenched in their own human traditions and quick to condemn, the healed man offers a testimony stripped of theological complexity or human conjecture. His strength lies in his honesty and reliance on observable fact: he does not pretend to fully grasp Jesus's identity or the intricate laws the Pharisees debate. What he does know is deeply personal and irrefutable: he experienced a radical, undeniable shift from total darkness to clear sight. This simple yet potent declaration illustrates that the most powerful evidence for Jesus often comes not from intricate arguments but from the profound transformation He brings to individual lives. It stands as a timeless model for Christians to share what God has truly done for them, trusting in the power of an authentic witness.