The Jews then did not believe it about him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight,
Parallel translations
- WEB The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight,
- KJV But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
- BSB The Jews still did not believe that the man had been blind and had received his sight until they summoned his parents
- ESV The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight
- NKJV But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight.
- NLT The Jewish leaders still refused to believe the man had been blind and could now see, so they called in his parents.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The leaders refuse to believe the man was born blind and now sees, so they summon his parents. Their unbelief drives them to seek another explanation.
Overview
Determined to discredit the miracle, the authorities doubt that the man was ever truly blind. They call his parents hoping to overturn the testimony. Their willful unbelief, in the face of clear evidence, exemplifies how a hardened heart resists even undeniable signs of God's work.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Heb 3:15–19while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.”
- Heb 4:11Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.
- Isa 53:1Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed?
- Gen 19:14Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.
- John 9:22His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.
- John 12:37–40But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,
- Luke 16:31“He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”
- John 1:19This is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
- John 5:44How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- Isa 26:11Yahweh, your hand is lifted up, yet they don’t see; but they will see your zeal for the people, and be disappointed. Yes, fire will consume your adversaries.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 9:18 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.