9 ¹³ THE MAN who had been blind was brought before the Pharisees. 9 ¹⁴ As it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the paste and opened his eyes, 9 ¹⁵ the Pharisees now asked him by what means he had gained his sight. The man told them, 'He spread a paste on my eyes; then I washed, and now I can see.' 9 ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, 'This fellow is no man of God; he does not keep the Sabbath.' Others said, 'How could such signs come from a sinful man?' So they took different sides. 9 ¹⁷ Then they continued to question him: 'What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.' He answered, 'He is a prophet.'

9 ¹⁸ The Jews would not believe that the man had been blind and had gained his sight, until they had summoned his parents 9 ¹⁹ and questioned them: 'Is this man your son? Do you say that he was born blind? How is it that he can see now?' 9 ²⁰ The parents replied, 'We know that he is our son, and that he was born blind. 9 ²¹ But how it is that he can now see, or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age; he will speak for himself.' 9 ²² His parents gave this answer because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jewish authorities had already agreed that anyone who acknowledged Jesus as Messiah should be banned from the synagogue. 9 ²³ That is why the parents said, 'He is of age; ask him.'

9 ²⁴ So for the second time they summoned the man who had been blind, and said, 'Speak the truth before God. We know that this fellow is a sinner.' 9 ²⁵ 'Whether or not he is a sinner, I do not know', the man replied. 'All I know is this: once I was blind, now I can see.' 9 ²⁶ 'What did he do to you?' they asked. 'How did he open your eyes?' 9 ²⁷ 'I have told you already,' he retorted, 'but you took no notice. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?' 9 ²⁸ Then they became abusive. 'You are that man's disciple,' they said, 'but we are disciples of Moses. 9 ²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we do not know where he comes from.'
9 ³⁰ The man replied, 'What an extraordinary thing! Here is a man who has opened my eyes, yet you do not know where he comes from! 9 ³¹ It is common knowledge that God does not listen to sinners; he listens to anyone who is devout and obeys his will. 9 ³² To open the eyes of a man born blind—it is unheard of since time began. 9 ³³ If that man had not come from God he could have done nothing.' 9 ³⁴ 'Who are you to give us lessons,' they retorted, 'born and bred in sin as you are?' Then they expelled him from the synagogue.