And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
Parallel translations
- WEB Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”
- BSB Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”
- NKJV Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
- NASB Those who were with Him from the Pharisees heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?”
- NLT Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”
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
Some Pharisees, stung by Jesus' words, ask whether He means they too are blind. Their question reveals offended pride rather than genuine inquiry.
Overview
The Pharisees prided themselves as guides of the blind and teachers of Israel, so the charge of blindness offended them. Their defensive question shows they sense the rebuke but resist it. Their self-confidence sets up Jesus' sobering verdict in the next verse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Rev 3:17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
- Matt 15:12–14Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
- Matt 23:16–28Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
- Rom 2:19–22And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
- John 7:47–52Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
- Luke 11:39–54And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
- John 9:34They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
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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 9:40 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.