John 9:8 kjv
The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
John 9:8 nkjv
Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"
John 9:8 niv
His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?"
John 9:8 esv
The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?"
John 9:8 nlt
His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, "Isn't this the man who used to sit and beg?"
John 9 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 9:1 | As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. | Direct Context: preceding event |
| John 9:9 | Others said, “No, he is like him,” but he said, “I am the one.” | Direct Context: confirming identity |
| Luke 5:18-25 | Jesus heals a paralyzed man, showing divine authority to forgive sins and enabling the man to walk. | Parallel Miracle: Authority proven |
| Acts 4:16 | saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that indeed a notable miracle has been done through them…” | Persecution: Miracle validation |
| Isaiah 35:5 | Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. | OT Prophecy: Fulfillment |
| Isaiah 29:18 | They shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. | OT Prophecy: Light for the blind |
| John 1:9 | The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. | Christ's Identity: Light |
| John 8:12 | Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness…” | Christ's Identity: Light |
| 1 John 1:5 | God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. | God's Nature: Light |
| Ephesians 5:8 | for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. | Believers' Transformation: Light |
| Matthew 9:33 | And when the crowds heard it, they marveled, saying, “It has never been seen like this in Israel.” | Reaction to Miracles: Astonishment |
| Mark 7:37 | And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” | Reaction to Miracles: Amazement |
| John 10:21 | Others said, “Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” | Alternative Explanations |
| John 11:37 | but could they not have kept this man from dying?” | Skepticism towards miracles |
| Romans 1:20 | For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. | Divine Revelation in Creation |
| Psalm 139:14 | I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. | God's Creative Work |
| Genesis 1:27 | So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. | Creation of Humanity |
| 2 Corinthians 4:6 | For it is God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. | Spiritual Illumination |
| Philippians 2:15 | that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. | Believers as Lights |
| Colossians 1:13 | He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, | Transfer from Darkness to Light |
| John 3:19 | And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. | Rejection of Light |
| John 9:1 | As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. | Context: Man's Condition |
| John 9:7 | and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came seeing. | Jesus' Command and Effect |
John 9 verses
John 9 8 Meaning
Neighbors and those who had formerly seen him being blind questioned if this was truly the same man.
John 9 8 Context
This verse occurs in John chapter 9, which details Jesus healing a man born blind. The healing itself, performed on the Sabbath, becomes a point of contention with the Pharisees. Following the miraculous cure, Jesus encounters the formerly blind man again. This interaction occurs after the man has been cast out of the synagogue by the religious authorities because he testified that Jesus had healed him. This verse captures the initial reaction of disbelief and questioning from the neighbors and those who had known him prior to his healing. It highlights the societal impact and scrutiny surrounding Jesus' miraculous works.
John 9 8 Word Analysis
- ἄλλοι (alloi)
- Meaning: Others.
- Significance: Refers to people in the vicinity, distinct from the immediately present neighbors. This shows a broader group's awareness and reaction.
- ἔλεγον (elegon)
- Meaning: Were saying / were stating.
- Significance: Imperfect tense indicates a continuous or repeated action, suggesting ongoing debate and uncertainty among the onlookers.
- οὐχ (ouch)
- Meaning: Not.
- Significance: A strong negation.
- οὗτός (houtos)
- Meaning: This man / this one.
- Significance: A demonstrative pronoun, pointing directly at the healed individual, emphasizing his identity being questioned.
- ἐστιν (estin)
- Meaning: Is.
- Significance: The verb "to be," asserting existence or identity.
- οὗ (hou)
- Meaning: Who.
- Significance: A relative pronoun, introducing a subordinate clause.
- πτωχός (ptōchos)
- Meaning: Poor / beggar.
- Significance: Describes the man's former state of life, reliant on the charity of others due to his blindness. This poverty amplified his visibility in society.
- ὁ (ho)
- Meaning: The.
- Significance: Definite article, specifying "beggar."
- πρότερον (proteron)
- Meaning: Before / formerly / previously.
- Significance: Places the blindness in the past, distinguishing the man's current state from his past condition.
- θεασάμενοι (theasamanoi)
- Meaning: Having beheld / having seen.
- Significance: Aorist participle from
theaomai, implying a thorough and prolonged looking, suggesting they observed him closely over time.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ πτωχός..." (ouch houtos estin ho ptōchos...): This phrase literally means "Is not this the poor..." It encapsulates the core of the dispute: the identity of the man now experiencing sight.
- "...ὁ πρότερον ἐκαθήτο καὶ ἐλεοῦσε;'" (...ho proteron ekathēto kai eleōne;): This part means "...who formerly sat and begged?" It anchors the doubt in their memory of his persistent state of begging. The verb "ekathēto" (he sat) and "eleōne" (he begged) vividly portrays his stationary, dependent existence.
John 9 8 Bonus Section
This moment illustrates how familiar circumstances can obscure miraculous reality. The witnesses focused on their past perception rather than the present evidence. Their inability to reconcile the healed man with the beggar they remembered reveals a limited worldview that struggled to accept supernatural intervention. The emphasis on "sitting and begging" highlights his societal status as someone needy and perhaps overlooked, but his healing now positions him as a testament to Christ's restorative power.
John 9 8 Commentary
The onlookers' skepticism is a natural human reaction to the extraordinary. The man they knew was defined by his visible disability and his position as a beggar. Now, transformed by Jesus' power, his physical appearance is no longer associated with that state. This disbelief underscores the profound nature of Jesus' miracle – it wasn't just a subtle change, but a restoration so complete that it challenged people's very perception of the man's identity. It prompts deeper questions about who Jesus is and what power He possesses. This questioning reflects spiritual blindness as well, as some were unwilling to acknowledge the divine power at work due to prejudice or preconceived notions.