John 9:16

Because of this, some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a sinful man perform such signs?” And there was division among them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Pharisees question the healed blind man about Jesus after He applied mud and restored his sight. Some declare Jesus unqualified because He worked on the Sabbath, while others ask how a sinner could perform such signs, creating a split among the group.

The words — The narrative uses ἔλεγον (elegon), literally "were saying," to mark a sustained dispute. Their reasoning is anchored in οὖν (oun), rendered "therefore" or "because of this," which ties their verdict directly to the Sabbath violation.

The thread — This internal conflict aligns with John 7:43 and John 10:19, where Jesus' ministry consistently provokes division among the people. The Sabbath dispute also parallels the Pharisees' earlier charge in Matthew 12:2 regarding unlawful work.

Why it lands — The text presents a direct confrontation between established religious rules and an observable miracle. It requires a reader to decide whether to prioritize tradition or acknowledge the evidence before them.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

Cross-references

John 7:43 So there was division in the crowd because of Jesus.
John 10:19 Again there was division among the Jews because of Jesus’ message.
Matthew 12:2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
John 3:2 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.”
John 7:12 Many in the crowds were whispering about Him. Some said, “He is a good man.” But others replied, “No, He deceives the people.”
Luke 13:31 At that very hour, some Pharisees came to Jesus and told Him, “Leave this place and get away, because Herod wants to kill You.”
John 5:36 But I have testimony more substantial than that of John. For the works that the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works I am doing—testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.
John 6:52 At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
John 9:24 So a second time they called for the man who had been blind and said, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.”
John 9:30 “That is remarkable indeed!” the man said. “You do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes.