We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus emphasizes that "we" (not just "I") must work, showing he includes his disciples in God's mission, and that this work is urgent because life's opportunities are fleeting like daylight before nightfall. The "night" here specifically symbolizes death, the absolute end of our chance to act for God, not just a temporary pause.
We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus and his disciples pass by, they encounter a man blind from birth, prompting the disciples to question the cause of his condition, whether due to his sin or his parents'. Jesus redirects their focus, stating the man's condition is an opportunity for God's works to be revealed, then declares his urgent mission to perform the works of God while he has the time, likening his earthly ministry to a day that is quickly fading into the night of death.
Jesus says 'I must work,' but some ancient texts and Jesus' own example suggest a 'we.' What does this shift mean for our involvement?
In John 9:4, Jesus states, "I must work the works of him who sent me." However, some of the earliest and most reliable manuscripts suggest the reading should be "We must work the works of him who sent me." This small change is profound.
Shared Responsibility
When Jesus includes the disciples (and by extension, us) in this imperative, He's not just assigning tasks. He's inviting us into the very mission He was sent on by the Father. The Father sent the Son, and now the Son sends His disciples, entrusting them with His work. This isn't a solo mission for Jesus; it's a divinely orchestrated partnership.
The Father's Commission
While Jesus uses "me" when speaking of being sent by the Father, the work itself is something He desires to share. He is the primary agent, commissioned directly by God, but He understands His mission as extending through those He calls. This transforms our view of ministry from a burden we have to carry to a privilege we get to share.
Why use the stark imagery of day and night? Jesus is painting a picture of urgent opportunity and inevitable finality.
Jesus uses the powerful metaphor of day and night to convey a critical message about timing and action.
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The Day of Opportunity
The "day" represents the present time, the period of opportunity given to Jesus, and by extension, to His followers. It's the time when light is present, making work possible and visible. For Jesus, this "day" was His earthly ministry, the specific window He had to accomplish His Father's will. For us, our "day" is our lifetime, the period God has granted us to live and serve.
The Night of Inaction
"Night is coming, when no one can work." This "night" symbolizes death and the end of our earthly opportunity. It's a time when all activity, all striving, all ministry ceases. Jesus emphasizes that this "night" is not just a possibility but a certainty. It will come for everyone, and when it does, the chance to work for God's kingdom is over. This isn't meant to instill fear, but a healthy urgency to seize the present moment for eternal purposes.
Understand the original words
nyx · Greek Noun
A common biblical metaphor for spiritual ignorance, judgment, sin, or the absence of God's presence and truth. It represents the time of opposition to God or the inability to perceive spiritual reality.
Jesus' declaration to 'work the works of Him who sent me, while it is day' underscores the pressing urgency of His mission, knowing His earthly ministry was drawing to a close and a period of opposition and impending death was imminent.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and performing miracles, including this healing of the man born blind.
c. AD 30
Increasing Conflict with Jewish Leaders
Jesus' growing popularity and controversial actions, such as healing on the Sabbath, lead to increased opposition from the religious authorities.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Imminent Death Foretold
Jesus anticipates his approaching suffering, death, and resurrection, emphasizing the urgency of his mission.
c. AD 30
The Feast of Tabernacles
This event is believed by some scholars to have occurred during the Feast of Tabernacles, a time of intense religious and political activity in Jerusalem.
This passage echoes Jesus' urgency by stating that the dead 'know nothing, and they have no reward,' emphasizing the limited time we have to act for God while alive.
Philippians 2:12-13It connects to Jesus' 'must work' by calling believers to 'work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,' highlighting the personal responsibility and divine enablement in fulfilling God's purpose.
Galatians 6:9-10This passage directly parallels the theme of working while it is 'day' by urging believers not to 'become weary in doing good,' as there is a harvest to reap, underscoring the importance of persistent, timely action in service.
John 3:19-21This passage speaks to the 'day' and 'night' metaphor, showing that people prefer darkness to light if their deeds are evil, contrasting with those who 'do what is true' and come to the light, mirroring Jesus' mission to bring God's works into the light before the opportunity passes.
vincentJohn 9:4: "I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."
I must work (ἐμὲ δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι)The best texts read ἡμᾶς, us, instead of ἐμὲ, me. Literally, it is necessary for us to work. The disciples are thus associated by Jesus with Himself. Compare John 3:11.Sent me, not usThe Son sends the disciples, as the Father sends the Son.
calvinJohn 9:1-5: "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth."
- And Jesus, passing by, saw a man blind from his birth. 2. And his disciples asked him, saying, Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3. Jesus answered, Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but that the works of God may be displayed in him. 4. I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; the night cometh, when no man can work. 5. While I am in the world, I…
Jesus emphasizes that "we" (not just "I") must work, showing he includes his disciples in God's mission, and that this work is urgent because life's opportunities are fleeting like daylight before nightfall. The "night" here specifically symbolizes death, the absolute end of our chance to act for God, not just a temporary pause.
As Jesus and his disciples pass by, they encounter a man blind from birth, prompting the disciples to question the cause of his condition, whether due to his sin or his parents'. Jesus redirects their focus, stating the man's condition is an opportunity for God's works to be revealed, then declares his urgent mission to perform the works of God while he has the time, likening his earthly ministry to a day that is quickly fading into the night of death.
As Jesus and his disciples pass by, they encounter a man blind from birth, prompting the disciples to question the cause of his condition, whether due to his sin or his parents'. Jesus redirects their focus, stating the man's condition is an opportunity for God's works to be revealed, then declares his urgent mission to perform the works of God while he has the time, likening his earthly ministry to a day that is quickly fading into the night of death.
"We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work." — Jesus emphasizes that "we" (not just "I") must work, showing he includes his disciples in God's mission, and that this work is urgent because life's opportunities are fleeting like daylight before ni…
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Last reviewed October 2026