JESUS GIVES SIGHT
TO ONE WHO WAS BORN BLIND.
AND as Jesus passed by, he saw a man who was blind from his birth. And his disciples said, ''Who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus then answered, "Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents;" and intimated that the man's condition gave opportunity for showing the power of God in healing him. He then went on to teach that we must work for God while the day lasts, for the night will come in which no man can work. Of himself, he said, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When he had thus spoken, he moistened some clay with spittle, and rubbed it on the eyes of the blind man, saying, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam."
The man obeyed, and returned seeing.
When those who had known the blind man, saw him in this condition, they said, "Is not this he that sat and begged?" Some thought he must be the man, while others said, "He is like him." But the man himself answered, saying, "I am he."
They then asked how his eyes were opened and he said, "A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam and wash; and I went and washed, and received sight." On being asked where Jesus was, he said, "I know not."
Then they took him to the Pharisees who, when they had heard his story, said of Jesus,
"This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath-day.”
They accused him thus, because he had healed this man on the Sabbath. But others said," How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?" So there was a division among the people, some believing, and some denying. Finally they called the man again, and said unto him "What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet." But the Jews, not yet satisfied called the parents of him that had received his sight, and questioned them saying, "Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? How then doth he now see?”
Then said his parents, ''We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 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." His parents spoke in this way to avoid being condemned, and turned out of the synagogue; for it had been agreed among the Jews that whoever should confess that Jesus was the Christ should be cast out.
Again the unbelieving Jews called the man upon whom the miracle had been performed, and said unto him, ''Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner."
But the man said, "Whether he be a sinner I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see." Then they began to question him again, hoping, no doubt, to entangle him in his words.
They said, "What did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes?" The man answered, "I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? Will ye also be his disciples?" But they reviled him, saying, "Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses' disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is." Then said the man, "Why, herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners; but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began, was it not beard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing." But the Jews said to him, "Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out."