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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>John 9:2 and His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/john/9-2.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/1/43_Jhn_09_02.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="John 9:2 - Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="and His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="/vmenus/john/9-2.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmc/john/9-2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="/">Bible</a> > <a href="/john/">John</a> > <a href="/john/9.htm">Chapter 9</a> > Verse 2</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div><div id="ad1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/ad2.htm" width="100%" height="48" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/john/9-1.htm" title="John 9:1">◄</a> John 9:2 <a href="/john/9-3.htm" title="John 9:3">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#audio" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Audio Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Cross </a> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Study Bible"> Study </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Greek </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv">Verse<a href="/bsb/john/9.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><a href="/niv/john/9.htm">New International Version</a> His disciples asked him, &#8220Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?&#8221 <a href="/nlt/john/9.htm">New Living Translation</a> “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” <a href="/esv/john/9.htm">English Standard Version</a> And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” <a href="/bsb/john/9.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a> and His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” <a href="/blb/john/9.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?" <a href="/kjv/john/9.htm">King James Bible</a> And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? <a href="/nkjv/john/9.htm">New King James Version</a> And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” <a href="/nasb_/john/9.htm">New American Standard Bible</a> And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” <a href="/nasb/john/9.htm">NASB 1995</a> And His disciples asked Him, &#8220Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?&#8221 <a href="/nasb77/john/9.htm">NASB 1977 </a> And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” <a href="/lsb/john/9.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a> And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” <a href="/amp/john/9.htm">Amplified Bible</a> His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi (Teacher), who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” <a href="/csb/john/9.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a> His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? ” <a href="/hcsb/john/9.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a> His disciples questioned Him: &#8220Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?&#8221 <a href="/asv/john/9.htm">American Standard Version</a> And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? <a href="/cev/john/9.htm">Contemporary English Version</a> Jesus' disciples asked, "Teacher, why was this man born blind? Was it because he or his parents sinned?" <a href="/erv/john/9.htm">English Revised Version</a> And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? <a href="/gwt/john/9.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a> His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, why was this man born blind? Did he or his parents sin?" <a href="/gnt/john/9.htm">Good News Translation</a> His disciples asked him, "Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parents' sin?" <a href="/isv/john/9.htm">International Standard Version</a> His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that caused him to be born blind?" <a href="/msb/john/9.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a> and His disciples asked Him, ?Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?? <a href="/net/john/9.htm">NET Bible</a> His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?" <a href="/nheb/john/9.htm">New Heart English Bible</a> His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" <a href="/wbt/john/9.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a> And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? <a href="/wey/john/9.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> So His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned--this man or his parents--that he was born blind?" <a href="/web/john/9.htm">World English Bible</a> His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” <div class="vheading2">Literal Translations</div><a href="/lsv/john/9.htm">Literal Standard Version</a> and His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this one or his parents, that he should be born blind?” <a href="/blb/john/9.htm">Berean Literal Bible</a> And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?" <a href="/ylt/john/9.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a> and his disciples asked him, saying, 'Rabbi, who did sin, this one or his parents, that he should be born blind?' <a href="/slt/john/9.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a> And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, he, or his parents, that he was born blind?<div class="vheading2">Catholic Translations</div><a href="/drb/john/9.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a> And his disciples asked him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? <a href="/cpdv/john/9.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a> And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” <a href="/nabre/john/9.htm">New American Bible</a> His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” <a href="/nrsvce/john/9.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a> His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”<div class="vheading2">Translations from Aramaic</div><a href="/lamsa/john/9.htm">Lamsa Bible</a> And his disciples asked him, saying, Teacher, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? <a href="/aramaic-plain-english/john/9.htm">Aramaic Bible in Plain English</a> And his disciples asked him and they were saying, “Our Master, who is it that has sinned, this one or his parents, that he would be born blind?”<div class="vheading2">NT Translations</div><a href="/anderson/john/9.htm">Anderson New Testament</a> And his disciples asked him, saying: Rabbi, who sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? <a href="/godbey/john/9.htm">Godbey New Testament</a> And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who sinned, this one, or his parents, that he was born blind? <a href="/haweis/john/9.htm">Haweis New Testament</a> And his disciples inquired of him, saying, Rabbi, who was in fault, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? <a href="/mace/john/9.htm">Mace New Testament</a> and his disciples propos'd to him this question, master, was it for his own sins, or for the sins of his parents, that he was born blind? <a href="/wey/john/9.htm">Weymouth New Testament</a> So His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned--this man or his parents--that he was born blind?" <a href="/worrell/john/9.htm">Worrell New Testament</a> And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" <a href="/worsley/john/9.htm">Worsley New Testament</a> And his disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who sinned? this man or his parents? that he was born blind. <a href="/parallel/john/9-2.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv">Audio Bible</div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ixy2bchmXZ0?start=3208" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe> <div class="vheadingv">Context</div><a href="/bsb/john/9.htm">Jesus Heals the Man Born Blind</a> 1Now as Jesus was passing by, He saw a man blind from birth, 2<a href="/greek/2532.htm" title="2532: kai (Conj) -- And, even, also, namely. ">and</a> <a href="/greek/846.htm" title="846: autou (PPro-GM3S) -- He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.">His</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: hoi (Art-NMP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the."></a> <a href="/greek/3101.htm" title="3101: mathētai (N-NMP) -- A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil.">disciples</a> <a href="/greek/2065.htm" title="2065: ērōtēsan (V-AIA-3P) -- Apparently from ereo; to interrogate; by implication, to request.">asked</a> <a href="/greek/846.htm" title="846: auton (PPro-AM3S) -- He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.">Him,</a> <a href="/greek/3004.htm" title="3004: legontes (V-PPA-NMP) -- (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command. "></a> <a href="/greek/4461.htm" title="4461: Rhabbi (N-VMS) -- Of Hebrew origin; my master, i.e Rabbi, as an official title of honor.">“Rabbi,</a> <a href="/greek/5101.htm" title="5101: tis (IPro-NMS) -- Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.">who</a> <a href="/greek/264.htm" title="264: hēmarten (V-AIA-3S) -- Perhaps from a and the base of meros; properly, to miss the mark, i.e. to err, especially to sin.">sinned,</a> <a href="/greek/3778.htm" title="3778: houtos (DPro-NMS) -- This; he, she, it. ">this man</a> <a href="/greek/2228.htm" title="2228: ē (Conj) -- Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than.">or</a> <a href="/greek/846.htm" title="846: autou (PPro-GM3S) -- He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.">his</a> <a href="/greek/3588.htm" title="3588: hoi (Art-NMP) -- The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the."></a> <a href="/greek/1118.htm" title="1118: goneis (N-NMP) -- A begetter, father; plur: parents. From the base of ginomai; a parent.">parents,</a> <a href="/greek/2443.htm" title="2443: hina (Conj) -- In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.">that</a> <a href="/greek/1080.htm" title="1080: gennēthē (V-ASP-3S) -- From a variation of genos; to procreate; figuratively, to regenerate.">he was born</a> <a href="/greek/5185.htm" title="5185: typhlos (Adj-NMS) -- Blind, physically or mentally. From, tuphoo; opaque, i.e. blind.">blind?”</a> 3Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div> <a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><a href="/exodus/20-5.htm">Exodus 20:5</a> You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, <a href="/ezekiel/18-20.htm">Ezekiel 18:20</a> The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him. <a href="/job/4-7.htm">Job 4:7</a> Consider now, I plead: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed? <a href="/job/21-19.htm">Job 21:19</a> It is said that God lays up one’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the man himself, so he will know it. <a href="/job/31-3.htm">Job 31:3</a> Does not disaster come to the unjust and calamity to the workers of iniquity? <a href="/psalms/51-5.htm">Psalm 51:5</a> Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me. <a href="/psalms/58-3.htm">Psalm 58:3</a> The wicked are estranged from the womb; the liars go astray from birth. <a href="/lamentations/5-7.htm">Lamentations 5:7</a> Our fathers sinned and are no more, but we bear their punishment. <a href="/deuteronomy/24-16.htm">Deuteronomy 24:16</a> Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin. <a href="/1_samuel/2-3.htm">1 Samuel 2:3</a> Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed. <a href="/matthew/16-13.htm">Matthew 16:13-17</a> When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” / They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” / “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” ... <a href="/luke/13-1.htm">Luke 13:1-5</a> At that time some of those present told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. / To this He replied, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered this way? / No, I tell you. But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ... <a href="/john/3-2.htm">John 3:2</a> He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs You are doing if God were not with him.” <a href="/john/5-14.htm">John 5:14</a> Afterward, Jesus found the man at the temple and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Stop sinning, or something worse may happen to you.” <a href="/john/8-12.htm">John 8:12</a> Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”</div> <a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div>And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?who.<a href="/john/9-34.htm">John 9:34</a> They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.<a href="/matthew/16-14.htm">Matthew 16:14</a> And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.<div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/john/9-1.htm">Birth</a> <a href="/john/9-1.htm">Blind</a> <a href="/john/8-58.htm">Born</a> <a href="/john/8-31.htm">Disciples</a> <a href="/john/8-4.htm">Master</a> <a href="/john/6-42.htm">Mother</a> <a href="/luke/21-16.htm">Parents</a> <a href="/john/8-7.htm">Question</a> <a href="/john/8-4.htm">Rabbi</a> <a href="/john/8-46.htm">Sin</a> <a href="/luke/15-21.htm">Sinned</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/john/9-19.htm">Birth</a> <a href="/john/9-3.htm">Blind</a> <a href="/john/9-3.htm">Born</a> <a href="/john/9-27.htm">Disciples</a> <a href="/john/11-3.htm">Master</a> <a href="/john/9-18.htm">Mother</a> <a href="/john/9-3.htm">Parents</a> <a href="/john/9-19.htm">Question</a> <a href="/john/11-8.htm">Rabbi</a> <a href="/john/9-3.htm">Sin</a> <a href="/john/9-3.htm">Sinned</a><div class="vheading2">John 9</div>1. <a href="/john/9-1.htm">The man born blind is restored to sight.</a> 8. <a href="/john/9-8.htm">He is brought to the Pharisees.</a> 13. <a href="/john/9-13.htm">They are offended at it;</a> 35. <a href="/john/9-35.htm">but he is received of Jesus, and confesses him.</a> 39. <a href="/john/9-39.htm">Who they are whom Jesus enlightens.</a> </div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div>  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div>  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/john/9.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/john/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/john/9.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div>and His disciples asked Him The disciples often sought Jesus' wisdom on spiritual and theological matters, reflecting their role as learners. This question indicates their curiosity and desire to understand the relationship between sin and suffering, a common theme in Jewish thought. The disciples' inquiry also shows their trust in Jesus as a teacher who could provide insight into complex issues.“Rabbi, who sinned The title "Rabbi" signifies respect and acknowledges Jesus as a teacher. The question reflects a prevalent belief in Jewish culture that suffering, such as illness or disability, was a direct result of personal sin or the sin of one's ancestors. This belief is rooted in passages like <a href="/exodus/20-5.htm">Exodus 20:5</a>, which speaks of the sins of the fathers being visited upon the children. The disciples' question reveals their struggle with understanding the nature of sin and its consequences.this man or his parents The mention of the man or his parents highlights the two primary explanations for suffering in Jewish thought: personal sin or ancestral sin. The idea that a person could sin before birth, possibly in the womb, was a topic of debate among Jewish scholars. Alternatively, the concept of generational sin, where the sins of the parents affect their children, was a common interpretation of certain Old Testament passages.that he was born blind?” The condition of being born blind presents a theological dilemma for the disciples, as it challenges the notion of personal sin being the cause of suffering. This question sets the stage for Jesus to address and correct misunderstandings about the relationship between sin and suffering. The healing of the blind man later in the chapter serves as a demonstration of Jesus' power and authority, fulfilling prophecies such as <a href="/isaiah/35-5.htm">Isaiah 35:5</a>, which speaks of the eyes of the blind being opened.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <a href="/topical/j/jesus.htm">Jesus</a> - The central figure in the Gospel of John, Jesus is the Rabbi (teacher) whom the disciples are questioning. He is about to perform a miracle that will reveal His divine authority and purpose. 2. <a href="/topical/d/disciples.htm">Disciples</a> - Followers of Jesus who are learning from His teachings and actions. They ask a question reflecting common beliefs of their time regarding sin and suffering. 3. <a href="/topical/b/blind_man.htm">Blind Man</a> - A man who was born blind, whose condition prompts the disciples' question. He becomes the recipient of Jesus' miraculous healing. 4. <a href="/topical/j/jerusalem.htm">Jerusalem</a> - While not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the events of <a href="/bsb/john/9.htm">John 9</a> occur in or around Jerusalem, a significant location for Jesus' ministry. 5. <a href="/topical/s/sin.htm">Sin</a> - A central theme in the disciples' question, reflecting the belief that physical ailments were often a result of personal or ancestral sin.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><a href="/topical/u/understanding_suffering.htm">Understanding Suffering</a> The disciples' question reflects a common misunderstanding that suffering is always a direct result of sin. Jesus' response (in the following verses) challenges this view, teaching that suffering can serve a greater purpose in God's plan. <a href="/topical/a/avoiding_judgment.htm">Avoiding Judgment</a> We should be cautious not to judge others' suffering as a consequence of sin. Instead, we should seek to understand and support those who are suffering. <a href="/topical/g/god's_sovereignty.htm">God's Sovereignty</a> This passage reminds us of God's sovereignty and His ability to use difficult circumstances for His glory and our growth. <a href="/topical/c/compassion_over_condemnation.htm">Compassion Over Condemnation</a> Jesus' approach to the blind man emphasizes compassion over condemnation. We are called to show love and mercy to those in need. <a href="/topical/s/spiritual_blindness.htm">Spiritual Blindness</a> The physical blindness of the man can also be seen as a metaphor for spiritual blindness. We should seek Jesus to open our eyes to spiritual truths.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_john_9.htm">Top 10 Lessons from John 9</a> <a href="/q/do_children_inherit_parents'_sins.htm">Are parents' sins inherited by their children?</a> <a href="/q/why_does_god_permit_illness.htm">Why does God permit illness?</a> <a href="/q/why_is_the_crowd_unsure_about_the_man.htm">In John 9:8–9, why does the crowd seem uncertain about recognizing the healed man? </a> <a href="/q/what_is_the_pre-existence_of_souls.htm">What is the pre-existence of souls?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/john/9.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(2) Who did sin, this man, or his parents?--The disciples noticed that He looked at the man, and it may be that He halted as He was walking by. Their attention is directed to the sufferer, and with suffering they connect the idea of sin. They ask a question which may have come to them many times before, and which has in various forms come to men's hearts many times since. Some of them may have heard it discussed in Rabbinic schools, and may have wished to know what answer He whom they had come to regard as greater than the Rabbis, would give. But it is a question not of the learned only, but of men generally, and those who now ask it do not propound it as a matter for discussion, but as a mystery of human life brought home to them in all its darkness, and for which they seek a solution at His hands. His teaching on the wider questions of the existence of evil and the connection of sin and suffering, though coming in the order of events after these words, and in part probably arising out of them, has in the order of the record occurred before them, and has been already dealt with in Notes on <a href="/context/luke/13-1.htm" title="There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.">Luke 13:1-5</a>. What is special to the question, as it meets us here, is that what is deemed to be the punishment had come with birth before possibility of thought or action, and therefore, as we think, before possibility of sin.The form of the question puts two alternatives on precisely the same grounds; and we have no right therefore to assume that one of them is excluded by the questioners themselves. The fact of sin is stated as beyond question. The problem is, "Was the sin that of the man himself, or that of his parents?" The latter alternative is familiar to us, and daily experience shows us that within limits it holds good in both the moral and the physical worlds. It was clearly taught in the Second Commandment, and there is abundant evidence that the belief was at this time widely spread. We have greater difficulty in tracing the origin of the former alternative. It is not easy to accept the view that they thought of sin in his mother's womb, though it seems certain that the Jews currently interpreted such passages as <a href="/genesis/25-22.htm" title="And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.">Genesis 25:22</a>, and <a href="/psalms/51-5.htm" title="Behold, I was shaped in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.">Psalm 51:5</a> in this sense. That a more or less definite belief in the transmigration of souls was common among Jews at the time of our Lord's ministry, is made probable by references in Philo and Josephus. We know it was a doctrine of the Essenes and of the Cabbala; and we find it in the nearly contemporary words of the Wisdom of Solomon, "Yea rather being good, I came into a body undefiled" (<a href="//apocrypha.org/wisdom_of_solomon/8-20.htm" title="Yea rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled.">Wisdom Of Solomon 8:20</a>). Still it has been urged that it is not likely that such a belief would have made its way among the fishermen of Galilee. We have to remember, however, that among the disciples there are now men of Jerusalem as well as of Galilee, and that questions which men found hard to understand were constantly being raised and answered in the Rabbinic schools. In the meetings of the yearly festivals the answers of great Rabbis would be talked over and become generally known, and be handed on as maxims to those who knew little of the principle on which they were based. It was, then, probably with some thought that the life in this maimed body may not have been the first stage of his existence, that they ask, Did this man sin?<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/john/9.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div>Verse 2. - And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi. This honorific appellation is found in <a href="/john/1-38.htm">John 1:38, 49</a>; <a href="/john/3-2.htm">John 3:2</a>; <a href="/john/4-31.htm">John 4:31</a>; <a href="/john/6-25.htm">John 6:25</a>; <a href="/john/11-8.htm">John 11:8</a>; but very rarely in the other Gospels. It is applied to John the Baptist (<a href="/john/3-26.htm">John 3:26</a>). The question seems to denote a very different frame of mind from that with which the previous chapter terminated. Who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? It was the current idea and popular doctrine, not only that all suffering in this life had its origin in sin, and was a witness to the damage done to our nature by sin, by the disruption of our normal relations with the living God, but furthermore that every peculiar disaster pointed to some special or particular sin. Doubtless the Book of Job was a formal discussion of the question. The writer of that work repudiates the right of any onlooker to infer special sins from peculiar punishments. Jesus, moreover (<a href="/luke/13-1.htm">Luke 13:1-3</a>); had repeatedly discouraged the tendency to judge, but he did this by the still more solemn assurance that all men deserved the special fate of some. Still, the calamity of congenital blindness, with all its hopelessness, provided a very apt occasion for raising the question, "Who did sin, this man, or his parents?" It is and always will be difficult to say whether the disciples thought that they had exhausted the alternatives, or believed that they had plausible reasons for thinking either alternative possible. Some have argued that they had Scripture ground for the second of the suppositions, that the sin of the parents of the blind man was the real cause of the blindness of their son. Thus (<a href="/exodus/20-5.htm">Exodus 20:5</a>) the idea is embedded in the Decalogue, and it is repeated in <a href="/exodus/34-7.htm">Exodus 34:7</a> and <a href="/numbers/14-18.htm">Numbers 14:18</a>, that the iniquities of fathers are visited upon their children. The forty years in the wilderness was a case in point (<a href="/numbers/14-33.htm">Numbers 14:33, 34</a>; <a href="/jeremiah/32-18.htm">Jeremiah 32:18</a>), and numerous examples may be given of the punishment descending from parent to child; e.g., upon the house of Ahab, and on the sufferers from exile in Babylon. Compare the continuous threatening of vengeance for unfaithfulness upon the generation to come. The argument may have been strengthened by observation of the lot of men who have brought poverty, disease, and disgrace upon their unborn children. Ezekiel had deliberately repudiated the inference that Israel had drawn from their Scriptures, in the dictum or proverb (<a href="/ezekiel/18-2.htm">Ezekiel 18:2</a>) that "the fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge," and maintained with great and passionate earnestness, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." This may have led the disciples to put the conjectural solution. Did this man sin? Is there any way or sense in which the man's own sin could be the cause of so great a calamity? It seems entirely gratuitous to derive from this passage any final conclusion as to the method in which they supposed it possible that the man's personality preceded his birth, or any certain conviction that they meant more by their question than this - if sin is the cause of such fearful privation, it must either be the man's parents' or his own. It could not have been his own; was it then his parents'? There was sufficient discussion of the problem among the Jews for one or more vague and unsettled opinions to be floating in their minds. (1) It cannot be proved that the doctrine of metempsychosis was ever held by the Jews. The language in which Josephus refers to the views of the Pharisees is ambiguous (cf. 'Bell. Jud.,' 2:08. 14; 'Ant.,' 18:01. 3). The view held by them was simply that "the immortal souls of the good (only) pass into another body," are raised into a new life; "but that the souls of the sinful αἰδίῳ τιμωρίᾳ κολαζέσθαι, are afflicted with eternal punishment." This differs profoundly from the Oriental, or Pythagorean, or Platonic doctrine of transmigration. (2) The Jewish speculation of the pre-existence of souls has some countenance from Wisd. 8:19, 20, where the pseudo-Solomon says, "I was a witty child, and... being good, I came into a body undefiled," modifying somewhat the Platonic idea of a harmony between the pre-existing soul and the body (see Grimm, 'Exeg. Handb.,' in loc.; Bruch, 'The Pre-existence of the Soul,' freely translated; American 'Bibliotheca Sacra:' 1863); but beyond this there is no sound indication that the Jewish mind had accepted the doctrine which played so great a part in the later discussions as to the views of Origen. (3) Lightfoot ('Horae Hebraicae,' in, loc.) thinks "the dogma held by R. Akiba, commenting on Ecclesiastes 13:1, to the effect that "in the days of Messiah there will be neither merit nor demerit" - i.e. that neither merit nor demerit of parents will be imputed to posterity - may account for the query of the apostles. . . . <a href="/commentaries/john/9-2.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a> <a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Greek</div>and καὶ (kai) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2532.htm">Strong's 2532: </a> And, even, also, namely. His αὐτοῦ (autou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_846.htm">Strong's 846: </a> He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. disciples μαθηταὶ (mathētai) Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_3101.htm">Strong's 3101: </a> A learner, disciple, pupil. From manthano; a learner, i.e. Pupil. asked ἠρώτησαν (ērōtēsan) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_2065.htm">Strong's 2065: </a> Apparently from ereo; to interrogate; by implication, to request. Him, αὐτὸν (auton) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_846.htm">Strong's 846: </a> He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. “Rabbi, Ῥαββί (Rhabbi) Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_4461.htm">Strong's 4461: </a> Of Hebrew origin; my master, i.e Rabbi, as an official title of honor. who τίς (tis) Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_5101.htm">Strong's 5101: </a> Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what. sinned, ἥμαρτεν (hēmarten) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_264.htm">Strong's 264: </a> Perhaps from a and the base of meros; properly, to miss the mark, i.e. to err, especially to sin. this [man] οὗτος (houtos) Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_3778.htm">Strong's 3778: </a> This; he, she, it. or ἢ (ē) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2228.htm">Strong's 2228: </a> Or, than. A primary particle of distinction between two connected terms; disjunctive, or; comparative, than. his αὐτοῦ (autou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_846.htm">Strong's 846: </a> He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. parents, γονεῖς (goneis) Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural <a href="/greek/strongs_1118.htm">Strong's 1118: </a> A begetter, father; plur: parents. From the base of ginomai; a parent. that ἵνα (hina) Conjunction <a href="/greek/strongs_2443.htm">Strong's 2443: </a> In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that. he was born γεννηθῇ (gennēthē) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_1080.htm">Strong's 1080: </a> From a variation of genos; to procreate; figuratively, to regenerate. blind?” τυφλὸς (typhlos) Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular <a href="/greek/strongs_5185.htm">Strong's 5185: </a> Blind, physically or mentally. From, tuphoo; opaque, i.e. blind. <div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 NIV</a> <a href="/nlt/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 NLT</a> <a href="/esv/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 ESV</a> <a href="/nasb/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 NASB</a> <a href="/kjv/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 KJV</a> <a href="//bibleapps.com/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 BibleApps.com</a> <a href="//bibliaparalela.com/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 Biblia Paralela</a> <a href="//holybible.com.cn/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 Chinese Bible</a> <a href="//saintebible.com/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 French Bible</a> <a href="/catholic/john/9-2.htm">John 9:2 Catholic Bible</a> <a href="/john/9-2.htm">NT Gospels: John 9:2 His disciples asked him Rabbi who sinned (Jhn Jo Jn) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/john/9-1.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="John 9:1"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="John 9:1" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/john/9-3.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="John 9:3"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="John 9:3" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>