Bible / John
John 9
Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner revision (1749–1752), the traditional Catholic English Bible, translated from the Latin Vulgate. If you read a modern Bible, this is the same Scripture in older English; some names are spelled differently (Cesarea for Caesarea, Apocalypse for Revelation). About this translation
1 And Jesus passing by, saw a man who was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?
3 Jesus answered: Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. Fathers
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6 When he had said these things, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and spread the clay upon his eyes, CCC
7 And said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloe, which is interpreted, Sent. He went therefore and washed: and he came seeing. CCC · Fathers
8 The neighbours, therefore, and they who had seen him before that he was a beggar, said: Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said: This is he.
9 But others said: No, but he is like him. But he said: I am he.
10 They said therefore to him: How were thy eyes opened?
11 He answered: That man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me: Go to the pool of Siloe and wash. And I went: I washed: and I see.
12 And they said to him: Where is he? He saith: I know not.
13 They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees.
14 Now it was the sabbath, when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.
15 Again therefore the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. But he said to them: He put clay upon my eyes: and I washed: and I see.
16 Some therefore of the Pharisees said: This man is not of God, who keepeth not the sabbath. But others said: How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. CCC
17 They say therefore to the blind man again: What sayest thou of him that hath opened thy eyes? And he said: He is a prophet.
18 The Jews then did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight,
19 And asked them, saying: Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then doth he now see?
20 His parents answered them and said: We know that this is our son and that he was born blind:
21 But how he now seeth, we know not: or who hath opened his eyes, we know not. Ask himself: he is of age: Let him speak for himself.
22 These things his parents said, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had already agreed among themselves that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. CCC
23 Therefore did his parents say: He is of age. Ask himself.
24 They therefore called the man again that had been blind and said to him: Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.
25 He said therefore to them: If he be a sinner, I know not. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind. now I see.
26 They said then to him: What did he to thee? How did he open thy eyes?
27 He answered them: I have told you already, and you have heard. Why would you hear it again? Will you also become his disciples?
28 They reviled him therefore and said: Be thou his disciple; but we are the disciples of Moses.
29 We know that God spoke to Moses: but as to this man, we know not from whence he is.
30 The man answered and said to them: why, herein is a wonderful thing, that you know not from whence he is, and he hath opened my eyes. Fathers
31 Now we know that God doth not hear sinners: but if a man be a server of God and doth his, will, him he heareth. CCC
32 From the beginning of the world it hath not been heard, that any man hath opened the eyes of one born blind.
33 Unless this man were of God, he could not do anything.
34 They answered and said to him: Thou wast wholly born in sins; and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. CCC
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out. And when he had found him, he said to him: Dost thou believe in the Son of God?
36 He answered, and said: Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?
37 And Jesus said to him: Thou hast both seen him; and it is he that talketh with thee.
38 And he said: I believe, Lord. And falling down, he adored him.
39 And Jesus said: For judgment I am come into this world: that they who see not may see; and they who see may become blind.
40 And some of the Pharisees, who were with him, heard: and they said unto him: Are we also blind? CCC
41 Jesus said to them: If you were blind, you should not have sin: but now you say: We see. Your sin remaineth. CCC
This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church
Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.
Read the Fathers
“… therefore, when His disciples asked Him for what cause the man had been born blind, whether for his own or his parents' fault, He replied, "Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism and Fathers
- CCC 1504 “Often Jesus asks the sick to believe. He makes use of signs to heal: spittle and the laying on of hands, mud…”
“… as man, with respect to that formation which, was after Adam, having fallen into transgression, needed the laver of regeneration, [the Lord] said to him [upon whom He had conferred sight], after He had smeared his eyes with the clay, "Go to Siloam, and wash;”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XV. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism
- CCC 596 “The religious authorities in Jerusalem were not unanimous about what stance to take towards Jesus. The Pharisees threatened to excommunicate his followers.…”
- CCC 2173 “The Gospel reports many incidents when Jesus was accused of violating the sabbath law. But Jesus never fails to respect the holiness…”
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- CCC 575 “Many of Jesus' deeds and words constituted a "sign of contradiction", but more so for the religious authorities in Jerusalem, whom the…”
- CCC 596 “The religious authorities in Jerusalem were not unanimous about what stance to take towards Jesus. The Pharisees threatened to excommunicate his followers.…”
Read the Fathers
“… who speak against their own salvation – inform us [as to this point]: The deceased daughter of the high priest; the widow's dead son, who was being carried out [to burial] near the gate [of the city]; and Lazarus, who had lain four days in the tomb,”
Quoted in Against Heresies, Book V, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XIII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1
Read the Catechism
- CCC 2827 “If any one is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him." Such is the power of the…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 588 “Jesus scandalized the Pharisees by eating with tax collectors and sinners as familiarly as with themselves. Against those among them "who trusted…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 588 “Jesus scandalized the Pharisees by eating with tax collectors and sinners as familiarly as with themselves. Against those among them "who trusted…”
Read the Catechism
- CCC 588 “Jesus scandalized the Pharisees by eating with tax collectors and sinners as familiarly as with themselves. Against those among them "who trusted…”
A modern English Catholic translation will be added once its publisher grants permission.