John 9:41
New International Version
Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

New Living Translation
“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.

English Standard Version
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

Berean Standard Bible
“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

Berean Literal Bible
Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin. But since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains."

King James Bible
Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

New King James Version
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

New American Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you maintain, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

NASB 1995
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

NASB 1977
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Amplified Bible
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind [to spiritual things], you would have no sin [and would not be blamed for your unbelief]; but since you claim to have [spiritual] sight, [you have no excuse so] your sin and guilt remain.

Christian Standard Bible
“If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
“If you were blind,” Jesus told them, “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, We see—your sin remains.

American Standard Version
Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see: your sin remaineth.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus answered, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty. But now that you claim to see, you will keep on being guilty."

English Revised Version
Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see: your sin remaineth.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus told them, "If you were blind, you wouldn't be sinners. But now you say, 'We see,' so you continue to be sinners.

Good News Translation
Jesus answered, "If you were blind, then you would not be guilty; but since you claim that you can see, this means that you are still guilty."

International Standard Version
Jesus told them, "If you were blind, you would not have any sin. But now that you insist, 'We see,' your sin still exists."

Majority Standard Bible
?If you were blind,? Jesus replied, ?you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.?

NET Bible
Jesus replied, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains."

New Heart English Bible
Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.

Webster's Bible Translation
Jesus said to them, If ye were blind, ye would have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Weymouth New Testament
"If you were blind," answered Jesus, "you would have no sin; but as a matter of fact you boast that you see. So your sin remains!"

World English Bible
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you were not having had sin, but now you say—We see, therefore your sin remains.”

Berean Literal Bible
Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no sin. But since you say, 'We see,' your sin remains."

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus said to them, 'If ye were blind, ye were not having had sin, but now ye say -- We see, therefore doth your sin remain.

Smith's Literal Translation
We are not also blind? Jesus said to them If ye were blind, ye had not sinned: and now ye say, That we see; therefore your sin remains.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus said to them: If you were blind, you should not have sin: but now you say: We see. Your sin remaineth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Jesus said to them: “If you were blind, you would not have sin. Yet now you say, ‘We see.’ So your sin persists.”

New American Bible
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you are saying, ‘We see,’ so your sin remains.

New Revised Standard Version
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, We see; because of this your sin remains.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Yeshua said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin, but now you say, 'We see.' Because of this, your sin stands.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Jesus said to them: If you were blind, you would not have sin; but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains.

Godbey New Testament
Jesus said to them, If you were blind you would not have sin: but now you say that, We see: your sin remaineth.

Haweis New Testament
Jesus said to them, If ye were blind, ye should not have had sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin is permanent.

Mace New Testament
Jesus said to them, if you were blind, you would be excusable; but since you own that you see, you stand convicted.

Weymouth New Testament
"If you were blind," answered Jesus, "you would have no sin; but as a matter of fact you boast that you see. So your sin remains!"

Worrell New Testament
Jesus said to them, "If ye were blind, ye would have no sin; but now ye say, 'We see,' your sin abides."

Worsley New Testament
Jesus replied, If ye were blind, ye would not have sin: but now ye say, We see; your sin therefore remaineth.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Spiritual Blindness
40Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?” 41“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”

Cross References
Matthew 13:13-15
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ / In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Romans 1:20-21
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. / For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.

1 John 1:8-10
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. / If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. / If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.

Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Matthew 15:14
Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

2 Corinthians 4:3-4
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. / The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Jeremiah 5:21
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Luke 11:34-36
Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness. / Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness. / So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, you will be radiant, as though a lamp were shining on you.”

Ezekiel 12:2
“Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

John 3:19-21
And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil. / Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. / But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be seen clearly that what he has done has been accomplished in God.”

Matthew 23:16-17
Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ / You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

Isaiah 42:18-20
Listen, you deaf ones; look, you blind ones, that you may see! / Who is blind but My servant, or deaf like the messenger I am sending? Who is blind like My covenant partner, or blind like the servant of the LORD? / Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear.”

1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.


Treasury of Scripture

Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, We see; therefore your sin remains.

If.

John 15:22-24
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin…

Proverbs 26:12
Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

Isaiah 5:21
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

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John 9
1. The man born blind is restored to sight.
8. He is brought to the Pharisees.
13. They are offended at it;
35. but he is received of Jesus, and confesses him.
39. Who they are whom Jesus enlightens.














If you were blind
In this context, "blind" refers to spiritual blindness rather than physical. The Greek word used here is "τυφλοί" (typhloi), which can mean both physical and metaphorical blindness. Jesus is addressing the Pharisees, who prided themselves on their spiritual insight and knowledge of the law. The implication is that if they were truly unaware of their spiritual state, they would not be held accountable for their ignorance. This highlights the biblical principle that God judges based on the light one has received (Luke 12:48).

Jesus replied
The phrase indicates a direct response from Jesus, emphasizing His role as the authoritative teacher and the one who reveals truth. In the Gospel of John, Jesus often engages in dialogues that reveal deeper spiritual truths. His replies are not just answers but revelations of His divine wisdom and insight into human nature.

you would not be guilty of sin
The Greek word for "guilty" is "ἁμαρτίαν" (hamartian), which is often translated as "sin." Here, Jesus is making a profound statement about accountability. If the Pharisees were truly ignorant of their spiritual condition, they would not be held accountable for their sin. This reflects the biblical teaching that sin is not just an action but a state of being that requires awareness and repentance.

But since you claim you can see
The phrase "claim you can see" is a direct challenge to the Pharisees' self-perception. The Greek word for "see" is "βλέπετε" (blepete), which means to perceive or understand. The Pharisees believed they had spiritual insight, yet their rejection of Jesus showed their true blindness. This serves as a warning against spiritual pride and self-deception.

your guilt remains
The word "remains" is translated from the Greek "μένει" (menei), which means to stay or abide. Jesus is stating that because the Pharisees claim to have spiritual sight yet reject Him, their sin remains with them. This is a sobering reminder that knowledge without acceptance of Christ leads to judgment. The verse underscores the necessity of recognizing one's spiritual need and the danger of self-righteousness.

(41) If ye were blind, ye should have no sin.--His answer is that He does not place them among those who are in this second sense blind. If they were among those "which see not" they would be conscious of their blindness, and would seek for spiritual light. They would ask, "Who is He, Lord, that we may believe on Him?" and would not ask in vain. In that case their present rejection of Him would arise from ignorance willing to be overcome, and this ignorance, not being wilful, would not be sin. Conscious ignorance would be the first step towards knowledge.

But now ye say, We see.--Their true place is among those who were spiritually blind, and were unconscious of it, "they which see," they which think they see." For them the first step towards true spiritual light must be a consciousness of blindness. As it is, as long as they think that they see, there is no ground for hope. (Comp. Matthew 9:12-13.)

Therefore your sin remaineth.--The word "therefore" should probably be omitted. The words "Your sin remaineth," or better, Your sin abideth (comp. Note on John 3:36), stand alone in their awful solemnity. They stand side by side with "Ye say, We see." The two states are one. The assertion of spiritual knowledge and independence was the original cause of sin (Genesis 3:4), and while spiritual pride exists sin cannot cease.

Verse 41. - The reply of our Lord is not meant to be a crushing and final retort, condemning them to hopeless night, but was obviously intended to show them that they are not yet free from sin, that they are only partially appreciating the light which shines upon them. If ye were blind - incapable of sight; if ye had all along been deprived of the faculty of perceiving the true Light that shineth in the darkness (a condition of things which would have emancipated them from responsibility, and which Christ would not admit to be the case); perhaps more, if ye had been utterly blind to the light which is shining upon you now, which, however, is not true - ye would not have sin. This is akin to the solemn language of John 15:22-24. They did not themselves admit that there was any congenital blindness about them. They did not pretend or expect to ride off on such a πρόφασις, such an excuse. Could they be, judicially or naturally, blind? The very idea was an absurdity, and so Jesus added, But now ye say, We see. You even boast that you are "instructors of the ignorant, and leaders of the blind; a light to those who sit in darkness, having the form of knowledge and truth in the Law" (Romans 2:17-21). You are the very opposite of the "not-seeing" (μὴ βλέποντες); you are self-satisfied; you will not come to the Light. What is the issue? The Lord seems to pause before his answer (the οϋν, "therefore," is rejected by the best manuscripts and critics): Your sin abideth; or, remaineth. It will remain until you fully admit the great principle and reason, the motive and characteristics, of my mission. The very facility you profess, the intimacy you claim with the Law and its founder, and your partial knowledge of my claim, take away your excuse. The discourse which follows shows how entire must be the submission to Christ, how complete the union with him, of those who say, "We see."



Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“If
Εἰ (Ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

you were
ἦτε (ēte)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

blind,”
τυφλοὶ (typhloi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 5185: Blind, physically or mentally. From, tuphoo; opaque, i.e. blind.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

replied,
Εἶπεν (Eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

“you would not be
εἴχετε (eichete)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

guilty of sin.
ἁμαρτίαν (hamartian)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 266: From hamartano; a sin.

But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

since
νῦν (nyn)
Adverb
Strong's 3568: A primary particle of present time; 'now'; also as noun or adjective present or immediate.

you claim
λέγετε (legete)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

[you] can see,
Βλέπομεν (Blepomen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

your
ὑμῶν (hymōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

guilt
ἁμαρτία (hamartia)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 266: From hamartano; a sin.

remains.”
μένει (menei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 3306: To remain, abide, stay, wait; with acc: I wait for, await. A primary verb; to stay.


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