A Blind Man Sees

Title Options:Jesus gives sight to a blind man.A man born blind sees [and understands] clearly.Why do bad things happen?Rejected by men [leaders], but accepted by God!

There once was a grown man who had been born blind [unable to see]. One Sabbath day, Jesus and his disciples saw that man begging for money. One of them asked Jesus, “Why did God make [let] this man be born blind? Was God punishing him for his own sins, or for his parents’ sins?”

Jesus replied, “God was not punishing this man for anybody’s sins! He is blind so that [to let] God’s power be demonstrated [shown / seen] in him!”

So then, Jesus spat on the ground, made mud with his saliva, and applied it to the man’s eyes. Next, Jesus instructed [told] him, “Go to the water pool [called Siloam], and wash the mud from your eyes!”

The blind man obeyed Jesus. He went to the [Siloam] pool and washed the mud from his eyes. When he had done so, he shouted, “I can see! I can see!”

Later, everyone who knew that man was amazed [surprised]. When others would ask, “Are you the man who used to beg for money?” he would reply, “Yes, I am he!

“A man named Jesus put mud on my eyes and told me to go wash my eyes. Now I can see!”

Some people made the man go see religious leaders [called Pharisees], because Jesus had healed the man on a Sabbath day.

When the man told the Pharisees how he had gained [received] his sight, they declared, “We know that Jesus is not from God, because he violated God’s law by doing work on a Sabbath day!”

But other people said, “If Jesus were a sinner, then God would not have allowed [empowered] him to do such a miracle [powerful deed]!”

One Pharisee asked the man born blind, “What do you say about the man who gave you your sight?”The man replied, “He must be a prophet [from God]!”

The Pharisees made his parents come to them, and they asked his parents, “Is this man your son?” They replied, “Yes, he is our son!”Next, the Pharisees asked [the man’s parents], “Was he [your son] born blind?” They replied, “Yes, he was born blind!”

Next, the Pharisees asked, “How did he gain his sight?”They replied, “We do not know how he gained his sight. He is old enough to speak for himself, so ask him [directly]!”

Next, the Pharisees ordered the man, “Only thank God! Do not thank [give credit to] Jesus, for we know that Jesus is a sinner!”

The man replied, “I do not know if Jesus is a sinner, or not! All I know is that I did as he said to do, and now I can see!”

Next, the Pharisees ordered, “Tell us again how you gained your sight!” The man replied, “Why do you want me to tell you again [and again]? Do you [all] want to become Jesus’ disciples, you [all] too?”

Next an angry Pharisee said, “We are the prophet Moses’ disciples! But you! You are no longer a member of our synagogue [religious community]!”And they [the Pharisees] roughly pushed the man out from their meeting house [synagogue]!

After Jesus heard [say] what the Pharisees said to the man, Jesus went to see the man, and asked him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”The man replied, “Who is the Son of Man?”

Jesus explained, “You are looking at him. I who am speaking with you, I am He!”The man replied, “Sir! I believe in you!” The man then bowed down to worship Jesus.