The Blind Accusing the Blind

Below is a rough translation and some initial comments regarding John 9, the Revised Common Lectionary gospel reading for the third Sunday of Lent. Because this is such a long text, I am focusing on the healing event itself and Jesus’ encounter with the healed man after he was cast out of the temple. Some verses are simply left un-translated. Others, I have more recently translated, but have not yet added my comments. As usual, your comments are welcomed.

¹ Καὶ παράγων εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον τυφλὸν ἐκ γενετῆς.

And passing by he saw a blind man out of birth.

παράγων: PAPart nsm, παράγω, 1) pass by  1a) to lead past, lead by

εἶδεν: AAI 3s, ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes

1.The word “blind” is used 17x in John, 15 of them in this chapter. The other two uses are in 10:21 and 11:37. In both of the latter cases, others are commenting that Jesus opened the eyes of the blind.

² καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες, Ῥαββί, τίς ἥμαρτεν, οὗτος ἢ οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα τυφλὸς γεννηθῇ;

And his disciples questioned him saying to him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this one or his parents, in order that he should be born blind?”

ἠρώτησαν: AAI 3p, ἐρωτάω, 1) to question 

λέγοντες: PAPart npm, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἥμαρτεν: AAI 3s, ἁμαρτάνω, 1) to be without a share in  2) to miss the mark  3) to err, be mistaken  4) to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and  honor, to do or go wrong  5) to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin 

γεννηθῇ: APSubj, 3s, γεννάω, 1) of men who fathered children  1a) to be born 

1. I’m curious that the lexical meaning of ἁμαρτάνω, which I captured from www.greekbible.com, has numerous definitions before finally saying “sin.” Yet, in the previous chapter, when Jesus says, “Let one without sin cast the first stone,” the same resource as the definition of ἀν-αμάρτητος as 1) sinless  1a) of one who has not sinned  1b) of one who cannot sin.

2. I’m ready to re-think whether the word “sin” has become too familiar and, frankly, too religious in our translations and common discourse to be meaningful. It seems to be a very dynamic word, not only when Paul speaks of the “power of sin” as some kind of real bondage on people’s lives, but even here. Maybe if we translated it, “Whose life was so errant that a baby was born blind as a result? This man? Or, his parents?” it might feel less like an ancient (and frankly, weirdly superstitious) debate and more like a question about some kind of cause-and-effect power in the world.

3. Or, maybe this question is simply reflective of some bad theology. The oft-repeated Scriptural principle that the “sins of the parents are visited on the children to the 3^rd and 4^th generation” could mean something very different than, “if this man is blind, it is a sign that either he or his parents sinned.” It could mean: “A generation of parents polluted the waters with runoff from mining near their rivers and now many generations of children have been born with defects.” In that sense, sin is a power with real effects, but not a direct cause-and-effect.

³ ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς, Οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ.

Jesus answered, “Neither this one sinned nor his parents, but in order that the works of God may be made apparent in him.”

ἀπεκρίθη: API 3s, ἀποκρίνομαι, 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer

ἥμαρτεν: AAI 3s, ἁμαρτάνω, 1) to be without a share in  2) to miss the mark  3) to err, be mistaken  4) to miss or wander from the path of uprightness and  honour, to do or go wrong  5) to wander from the law of God, violate God's law, sin 

φανερωθῇ: APSubj 3s, φανερόω, 1) to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way

1. This sentence is constructed a bit curiously. Some translations add “but this happened in order that” to smooth it out. That addition assumes the subject of the sentence is the blindness.

2. But, imagine that the one who inserted the period after “in him” was mistaken and that this verse and part of the next are actually one sentence. To wit: “Neither this man nor his parents sinned. But in order that the works of God may be made apparent in him, it is necessary for us to work the works of the one having sent me while it is day. Night comes when nobody is able to work.” Then the subject shifts from the man’s blindness/blame to Jesus’ need to work while there is light – or, before the blindness of night rests on everyone and there is no more opportunity to work.

3. I don’t know if I’m ready to go to the mat for the interpretation that I just suggested, but I do have a little trouble following the transition than happens in vv.3-4 and I do think that “blindness,” “day,” “light,” and “night” are all family terms here.

⁴ ἡμᾶς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πέμψαντός με ἕως ἡμέρα ἐστίν: ἔρχεται νὺξ ὅτε οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐργάζεσθαι.

It is necessary for us to work the works of the one having sent me while it is day; Night comes when nobody is able to work.

δεῖ: PAI 3s, δέω, 1) to bind tie, fasten 

ἐργάζεσθαι: PMInf, ἐργάζομαι, 1) to work, labor, do work 

πέμψαντός: AAPart gsm, πέμπω, 1) to send 

ἐστίν: PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ἔρχεται:  PMI 3s, ἔρχομαι, 1) to come  1a) of persons 

δύναται:  PMI 3s, δύναμαι, 1) to be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and  resources,

ἐργάζεσθαι: PMInf, ἐργάζομαι, 1) to work, labour, do work 

1. I often grouse about how the verb δεῖ is reduced to “must” in many translations. Its frequent use in the gospels seems to denote something between a destiny and a calling, with a feeling of necessity. In order to be consistent, I use “it is necessary for” here, since the cases of δεῖ that I am thinking of are almost always in the 3^rd person singular. To keep more strictly with the grammar, it could read, “It behooves us to work” or something like that.

⁵ ὅταν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὦ, φῶς εἰμι τοῦ κόσμου.

While I am in the world, I am a light of the world.

ὦ: PASubj 1s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

εἰμι: PAI 1s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

1. I know that we like for Jesus to say, “I am the light of the world,” but there is no definite article for “light” in this verse. For those that need that definite article, there is John 8:12.

2. The clause, “While (or “As long as”) I am in the world,” is interesting in that it seems to qualify Jesus’ identity as a light of the world to a specific time of being in the world. One might argue that – as the eternal Logos or as the resurrected one – Jesus is always in the world in some way, hence always the light of the world. But, that would make this qualifying phrase unnecessary.

3. In my quick overview, I see “light” appearing in John’s gospel 23 times – all of them in cc. 1-12. That begs the question of what c.13 signifies with regard to the role of light in John’s gospel.

⁶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἔπτυσεν χαμαὶ καὶ ἐποίησεν πηλὸν ἐκ τοῦ πτύσματος, καὶ ἐπέχρισεν αὐτοῦ τὸν πηλὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς

Having said these things he spat groundward and made clay out of the spittle, and spread to him the clay on the eyes.

εἰπὼν: AAPart nsm, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἔπτυσεν: AAI 3s, πτύω, 1) to spit 

ἐποίησεν: AAI 3s, ποιέω, 1) to make 1a) with the names of things made, to produce, construct,  form, fashion, etc. 

ἐπέχρισεν: AAI 3s, ἐπιχρίω, 1) to spread on, anoint anything upon anything 

1. I know that “groundward” sounds kind of dumb, but χαμαὶ is an adverb and I’m trying to express it as a way of qualifying the verb “spit.”  

⁷ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Υπαγε νίψαι εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν τοῦ Σιλωάμ {ὃ ἑρμηνεύεται Ἀπεσταλμένος}. ἀπῆλθεν οὖν καὶ ἐνίψατο, καὶ ἦλθεν βλέπων.

And said to him, Go wash in the pool of the Siloam (which is interpreted “Sent”). Therefore he went and washed, and returned seeing.

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

Υπαγε: PAImpv 2s, ὑπάγω, 1) to lead under, bring under  2) to withdraw one's self, to go away, depart

νίψαι: AMImpv 2s, νίπτω, 1) to wash  2) to wash one's self 

ἑρμηνεύεται: PPI 3s, ἑρμηνεύω, 1) to explain in words, expound 

ἀπῆλθεν: AAI 3s, ἀπέρχομαι, 1) to go away, depart 

ἐνίψατο: AMI 3s, νίπτω, 1) to wash  2) to wash one's self 

ἦλθεν: AAI 3s, ἔρχομαι, 1) to come 

βλέπων: PAPart nsm, βλέπω, 1) to see, discern, of the bodily eye

1. The other uses of “wash” (νίπτω) in John, outside of this chapter, are in c.13 and refer to washing another’s feet.

2. I am translating ἦλθεν as “returned” to show its relationship to ἀπῆλθεν, “went away.”

 ⁸Οἱ οὖν γείτονες καὶ οἱ θεωροῦντες αὐτὸν τὸ πρότερον ὅτι προσαίτης ἦν ἔλεγον, Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ καθήμενος καὶ προσαιτῶν; ⁹ἄλλοι ἔλεγον ὅτι Οὗτός ἐστιν: ἄλλοι ἔλεγον, Οὐχί, ἀλλὰ ὅμοιος αὐτῷ ἐστιν. ἐκεῖνος ἔλεγεν ὅτι Ἐγώ εἰμι. ¹⁰ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ, Πῶς [οὖν] ἠνεῴχθησάν σου οἱ ὀφθαλμοί; ¹¹ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος, Ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ λεγόμενος Ἰησοῦς πηλὸν ἐποίησεν καὶ ἐπέχρισέν μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ εἶπέν μοι ὅτι Υπαγε εἰς τὸν Σιλωὰμ καὶ νίψαι: ἀπελθὼν οὖν καὶ νιψάμενος ἀνέβλεψα. ¹²καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Ποῦ ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος; λέγει, Οὐκ οἶδα. ¹³Ἄγουσιν αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους τόν ποτε τυφλόν. ¹⁴ἦν δὲ σάββατον ἐν ἧ ἡμέρᾳ τὸν πηλὸν ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἀνέῳξεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς. ¹⁵πάλιν οὖν ἠρώτων αὐτὸν καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι πῶς ἀνέβλεψεν. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Πηλὸν ἐπέθηκέν μου ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς, καὶ ἐνιψάμην, καὶ βλέπω. ¹⁶ἔλεγον οὖν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων τινές, Οὐκ ἔστιν οὗτος παρὰ θεοῦ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι τὸ σάββατον οὐ τηρεῖ. ἄλλοι [δὲ] ἔλεγον, Πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτωλὸς τοιαῦτα σημεῖα ποιεῖν; καὶ σχίσμα ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς. ¹⁷λέγουσιν οὖν τῷ τυφλῷ πάλιν, Τί σὺ λέγεις περὶ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἠνέῳξέν σου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν ὅτι Προφήτης ἐστίν. ¹⁸Οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι περὶ αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἦν τυφλὸς καὶ ἀνέβλεψεν, ἕως ὅτου ἐφώνησαν τοὺς γονεῖς αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἀναβλέψαντος ¹⁹καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτοὺς λέγοντες, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς ὑμῶν, ὃν ὑμεῖς λέγετε ὅτι τυφλὸς ἐγεννήθη; πῶς οὖν βλέπει ἄρτι; ²⁰ἀπεκρίθησαν οὖν οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπαν, Οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ὅτι τυφλὸς ἐγεννήθη: ²¹πῶς δὲ νῦν βλέπει οὐκ οἴδαμεν, ἢ τίς ἤνοιξεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμεῖς οὐκ οἴδαμεν: αὐτὸν ἐρωτήσατε, ἡλικίαν ἔχει, αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λαλήσει. ²²ταῦτα εἶπαν οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἐφοβοῦντο τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, ἤδη γὰρ συνετέθειντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἵνα ἐάν τις αὐτὸν ὁμολογήσῃ Χριστόν, ἀποσυνάγωγος γένηται. ²³διὰ τοῦτο οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ εἶπαν ὅτι Ἡλικίαν ἔχει, αὐτὸν ἐπερωτήσατε.

²⁴  Ἐφώνησαν οὖν τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐκ δευτέρου ὃς ἦν τυφλὸς καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Δὸς δόξαν τῷ θεῷ: ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν.

Therefore they called the man a second time who was blind and said to him, “Give glory to God; We have known that this man is a sinner.”

Ἐφώνησαν: AAI 3p, φωνέω, 1) to sound, emit a sound, to speak

ἦν: IAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

εἶπαν: AAI 3p, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

Δὸς: AAImpv 2s, δίδωμι, 1) to give

οἴδαμεν: PerfAI 1p, εἴδω 1) to see 2) to know.

ἐστιν: PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

²⁵ ἀπεκρίθη οὖν ἐκεῖνος, Εἰ ἁμαρτωλός ἐστιν οὐκ οἶδα: ἓν οἶδα, ὅτι τυφλὸς ὢν ἄρτι βλέπω.

Therefore he answered them, “If he is a sinner I do not know; I know one thing, that being blind now I see.”

ἀπεκρίθη: API 3s, ἀποκρίνομαι, 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer

ἐστιν: PAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

οἶδα: PerfAI 1s, εἴδω 1) to see 2) to know.

οἶδα: PerfAI 1s, εἴδω 1) to see 2) to know.

ὢν: PAPart nsm, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

βλέπω: PAI 1s, βλέπω, 1) to see, discern, of the bodily eye

²⁶ εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ, Τί ἐποίησέν σοι; πῶς ἤνοιξέν σου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς;

Therefore they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

εἶπον: AAI 3p, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἐποίησέν: AAI 3s, ποιέω, 1) to make

ἤνοιξέν: AAI 3s, ἀνοίγω, 1) to open

²⁷ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς, Εἶπον ὑμῖν ἤδη καὶ οὐκ ἠκούσατε: τί πάλιν θέλετε ἀκούειν; μὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς θέλετε αὐτοῦ μαθηταὶ γενέσθαι;

He answered to them, “I told you and you did not hear; why are you wanting to hear again? Do you also want to become his disciples?”

ἀπεκρίθη: API 3s, ἀποκρίνομαι, 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer

Εἶπον: AAI 1s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἠκούσατε: AAI 2p, ἀκούω, 1) to be endowed with the faculty of hearing

θέλετε: PAI 2p, θέλω, 1) to will, have in mind, intend

ἀκούειν: PAInf, ἀκούω, 1) to be endowed with the faculty of hearing

θέλετε: PAI 2p, θέλω, 1) to will, have in mind, intend

γενέσθαι: AMInf, γίνομαι, 1) to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be

²⁸ καὶ ἐλοιδόρησαν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπον, Σὺ μαθητὴς εἶ ἐκείνου, ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῦ Μωϋσέως ἐσμὲν μαθηταί:

And they reviled him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses!

ἐλοιδόρησαν: AAI 3p, λοιδορέω, 1) to reproach, rail at, revile, heap abuse upon

εἶπον: AAI 3p, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

εἶ: PAI 2s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ἐσμὲν: PAI 1p, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

²⁹ ἡμεῖς οἴδαμεν ὅτι Μωϋσεῖ λελάληκεν ὁ θεός, τοῦτον δὲ οὐκ οἴδαμεν πόθεν ἐστίν.

We have known that God has spoken to Moses, but this one we do not know from whence he is.”

οἴδαμεν: PerfAI, 1p, εἴδω 1) to see 2) to know.

λελάληκεν: PerfAI, 3s, λαλέω, 1) to utter a voice or emit a sound  2) to speak

οἴδαμεν: PerfAI, 1p, εἴδω 1) to see 2) to know.

ἐστίν:  PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

³⁰ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἐν τούτῳ γὰρ τὸ θαυμαστόν ἐστιν ὅτι ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε πόθεν ἐστίν, καὶ ἤνοιξέν μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς.

The man answered and said to them, “For in this is the marvel that you have not known whence he is, and he opened my eyes.

ἀπεκρίθη: API 3s, ἀποκρίνομαι, 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἐστιν: PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

οἴδατε: PerfAI 2p, εἴδω 1) to see 2) to know.

ἐστίν: PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ἤνοιξέν: AAI 3s, ἀνοίγω, 1) to open

³¹ οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἁμαρτωλῶν ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἀκούει, ἀλλ' ἐάν τις θεοσεβὴς ᾖ καὶ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ ποιῇ τούτου ἀκούει.

We have known that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone might be a God-fearer and might do his will he listens to him. 

οἴδαμεν: PerfAI 1p, εἴδω 1) to see 2) to know.

ἀκούει: PAI 3s, ἀκούω, 1) to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf

ᾖ: PASubj 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ποιῇ: PASubj 3s, ποιέω, 1) to make

ἀκούει: PAI 3s, ἀκούω, 1) to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf

1. I typically make ἀκούω “hear” but in both cases here the object is in the genitive case, so I’m making it “listen to …”  My only apprehension is that the same verb appears in the next sentence and there “hear” seems to fit better.

2. The term θεοσεβὴς is ripe for study. It is typically translated “worshipper,” but it’s not the typical term for “worship.” It does not seem to be typical anything, since thebible.org indicates that this is its only appearance in the NT. I seem to recall Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan referring this term, or one related to it, as part of the discussion of God-fearing non-Jews that Paul would encounter on his missionary journeys outside of Israel.

3. I also recall that Bailey Smith, then the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, once echoed this verse to argue that God does not hear the prayers of a Jew. It was an assertion that Jerry Falwell also made, before reversing himself. What a curious use of a Jew’s word to invalidate a Jew’s prayer. 

³² ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐκ ἠκούσθη ὅτι ἠνέῳξέν τις ὀφθαλμοὺς τυφλοῦ γεγεννημένου:

Out of the age it has not been heard that anyone opened eyes of the one who was born blind;

ἠκούσθη: API 3s, ἀκούω, 1) to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf

ἠνέῳξέν: AAI 3s, ἀνοίγω, 1) to open

γεγεννημένου: PerfPPart gsm, γεννάω, 1) of men who fathered children  1a) to be born 

³³ εἰ μὴ ἦν οὗτος παρὰ θεοῦ, οὐκ ἠδύνατο ποιεῖν οὐδέν.

If this were not from God, he would not be able to do nothing.

ἦν: IAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

ἠδύνατο: IMI 3s, δύναμαι, 1) to be able, have power

ποιεῖν: PAInf, ποιέω, 1) to make  1a) with the names of things made

³⁴ ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, Ἐν ἁμαρτίαις σὺ ἐγεννήθης ὅλος, καὶ σὺ διδάσκεις ἡμᾶς; καὶ ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω.

They answered him and said to him, “In sin you were born altogether, and you are teaching us?” And they threw him out.

ἀπεκρίθησαν: API 3p, ἀποκρίνομαι, 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer

εἶπαν: AAI 3p, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἐγεννήθης: API 2s, γεννάω, 1) of men who fathered children  1a) to be born 

διδάσκεις: PAI 2s, διδάσκω, 1) to teach

ἐξέβαλον: AAI 3p, ἐκβάλλω, 1) to cast out, drive out, to send out

1. For an interesting intertext, remember that Jesus “cast out” (ἐκβάλλω) the money-changers from the temple in John 2:15.

³⁵   Ἤκουσεν Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἐξέβαλον αὐτὸν ἔξω, καὶ εὑρὼν αὐτὸν εἶπεν, Σὺ πιστεύεις εἰς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου;

Jesus heard that they threw him out, and having seen him said, “Do you believe in the son of the man?”

Ἤκουσεν: AAI 3s, ἀκούω, 1) to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf 

ἐξέβαλον: AAI 3p, ἐκβάλλω, 1) to cast out, drive out, to send out 

εὑρὼν: AAPart nsm, εὑρίσκω, 1) to come upon, hit upon, to meet with 

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

πιστεύεις: AASubj 1s, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in 

³⁶ ἀπεκρίθη ἐκεῖνος καὶ εἶπεν, Καὶ τίς ἐστιν, κύριε, ἵνα πιστεύσω εἰς αὐτόν;

The man answered and said, “And who is he, Lord, in order that I may believe in him?”

ἀπεκρίθη: API 3s, ἀποκρίνομαι, 1) to give an answer to a question proposed, to answer 

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἐστιν: PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

πιστεύσω: AASubj 1s, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in

³⁷ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Καὶ ἑώρακας αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ λαλῶν μετὰ σοῦ ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν.

Jesus said to him, “You have both seen him and the one who speaks with you is he.”

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἑώρακας: PerfAI 2s, ὁράω, 1) to see with the eyes

λαλῶν: PAPart nsm, λαλέω, 1) to utter a voice or emit a sound  2) to speak 

ἐστιν: PAI 3s, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present

³⁸ ὁ δὲ ἔφη, Πιστεύω, κύριε: καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ.

Then the man was declaring, “I believe, Lord;” and he knelt to him.

ἔφη: IAI 3s, φημί, 1) to make known one's thoughts, to declare   2) to say

Πιστεύω: PAI 1s, πιστεύω, 1) to think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place  confidence in

προσεκύνησεν: AAI 3s, προσκυνέω, 1) to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence 

1. John uses φημί instead of λέγω to describe the man’s response to Jesus. And it is in the imperfect tense, which indicates repeated past not simply a one-time simple past. Hence, “was declaring.”

2. προσκυνέω could be translated “worshiped,” but since “him” is in the dative case, “knelt” or “bowed” “to him” seems more accurate. (4:24a, for example, is a case where προσκυνέω is followed by an accusative, or direct object.) 

³⁹καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Εἰς κρίμα ἐγὼ εἰς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον ἦλθον, ἵνα οἱ μὴ βλέποντες βλέπωσιν καὶ οἱ βλέποντες τυφλοὶ γένωνται.

And Jesus said, “Into judgment I came into this world, in order that the ones who do not see may see and the ones who do see may become blind ones.”

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἦλθον: AAI 1s, ἔρχομαι, 1) to come 

βλέποντες: PAPart npm, βλέπω, 1) to see, discern, of the bodily eye

βλέπωσιν: PASubj 3p, βλέπω, 1) to see, discern, of the bodily eye

βλέποντες: PAPart npm, βλέπω, 1) to see, discern, of the bodily eye

γένωνται: AMSubj 3p, γίνομαι, 1) to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being

1. It would appear, from this verse, that the “judgment” that Jesus brings is not the fire and brimstone for all eternity stuff, but the revelation of truth, which subverts and common assumptions by exposing the seeing ones as truly the blind ones and the blind ones as truly the seeing ones.

⁴⁰  Ἤκουσαν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων ταῦτα οἱ μετ' αὐτοῦ ὄντες, καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ, Μὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τυφλοί ἐσμεν;

The ones out of the Pharisees who were with him were hearing these things and said to him, “We are not also blind are we?”

Ἤκουσαν: AAI 3p, ἀκούω, 1) to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf

ὄντες: PAPart npm, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present 

εἶπον: AAI 3p, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἐσμεν: PAI 1p, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present 

1. It is a bit difficult to translate this question strictly, because the subjunctive negative particle Μὴ indicates an expected negative answer. (Warning: obscure and tenuous movie reference alert:) It is like the scene from “My Cousin Vinny” when the New Yorker says, “I shot the clerk?” to the Alabaman, who interprets it as “I shot the clerk.” The subjunctive adds the inflection.

⁴¹ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Εἰ τυφλοὶ ἦτε, οὐκ ἂν εἴχετε ἁμαρτίαν: νῦν δὲ λέγετε ὅτι Βλέπομεν: ἡ ἁμαρτία ὑμῶν μένει.

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind ones, then you would not be having sin; but now you say ‘We see;’ your sin remains.

εἶπεν: AAI 3s, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak

ἦτε: IAI 2p, εἰμί, 1) to be, to exist, to happen, to be present 

εἴχετε: IAI 2p, ἔχω, 1) to have, i.e. to hold 

λέγετε: PAI 2p, λέγω, 1) to say, to speak 

Βλέπομεν: PAI 1p, βλέπω, 1) to see, discern, of the bodily eye 

μένει: PAI 3s, μένω, 1) to remain, abide 

1. The text has circled back to the word ‘sin’ which was the initial question that evoked the whole conversation and healing. From “Who sinned this man or his parents?” (asked by the disciples) to “Your sin remains because you say ‘We see,’” spoken to the Pharisees.