John 9:40

Some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they asked Him, “Are we blind too?”

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus has just declared that He entered the world for judgment, causing the blind to see and the seeing to become blind. Some Pharisees present hear this statement and respond by asking, “Are we blind too?”

The words — ἤκουσαν (ēkousan) = Heard; records their auditory reception of Jesus’ claim. ταῦτα (tauta) = these things; points directly to the preceding declaration about spiritual sight and blindness.

The thread — The danger of unperceived spiritual blindness runs through Revelation 3:17, where a community boasts of wealth while remaining spiritually destitute. Matthew 15:12 and Matthew 23:16 track the Pharisees’ recurring pattern of taking offense at Jesus’ words while maintaining an unexamined claim to spiritual insight.

Why it lands — The text records a direct question that exposes the Pharisees’ unverified assumption of their own spiritual sight. It requires the reader to test whether their own claims of understanding conceal unacknowledged blindness.

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

ΚαὶKaiand ἤκουσανēkousanHeard ἐκekfrom τῶνtōnthe ΦαρισαίωνPharisaiōnPharisees ταῦταtautathese things οἱhoiwho μετ᾽met᾽with αὐτοῦautouHim ὄντεςontesbeing καὶkaiand εἶπονeiponthey said αὐτῷ·autōto Him;μὴmēSurely not καὶkaialso ἡμεῖςhēmeiswe ourselves τυφλοίtuphloiblind ἐσμεν;esmenare?

King James Version

And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

Cross-references

Revelation 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.
Matthew 15:12 Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Are You aware that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”
Matthew 23:16 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.’
Luke 11:39 Then the Lord said, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
John 7:47 “Have you also been deceived?” replied the Pharisees.
John 9:34 They replied, “You were born in utter sin, and you are instructing us?” And they threw him out.
Romans 2:19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness,