Bible Strands
John 9:41
“If you were blind,” Jesus replied, “you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, your guilt remains.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus answers the Pharisees who just asked, “Are we blind too?” immediately after He healed a man born blind and exposed their spiritual condition. The words — τυφλοὶ (tuphloi) means blind, and ἦτε (ēte) is the imperfect “you were,” establishing the conditional basis of His reply. The thread — The warning against self-deceived spiritual sight runs through Isaiah 5:21, John 15:22, and Luke 18:14. Why it lands — The text states that claiming spiritual sight leaves guilt intact, requiring readers to abandon prideful self-assessment before responding to Christ’s word.
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
Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.
- John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.
- Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
- 1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth 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.
- Hebrews 10:26 If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
- Jeremiah 2:35 you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
- Luke 12:47 That servant who knows his master’s will but does not get ready or follow his instructions will be beaten with many blows.