Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Pharisees' question, "Are we also blind?" reveals their deep-seated pride; they assume blindness is for others, not for them, the supposed spiritual elite. They entirely miss Jesus' point that true "seeing" means recognizing spiritual need, while "seeing" (as they believed they did) could actually be a blinding self-assurance.
Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just declared that His coming into the world is for judgment, to give sight to the spiritually blind and to make those who think they see actually blind. Some Pharisees present heard this and, thinking they were wise and discerning, took offense and asked Jesus if He considered them blind too.
Jesus declares He came for judgment: to give sight to the blind and make the seeing blind. This sounds contradictory, but it's a profound spiritual reality. How could someone who thinks they see actually be blind?
In John 9, Jesus distinguishes between two kinds of 'blindness.'
Physical Blindness
For most of the chapter, Jesus is dealing with literal, physical blindness. He heals the man born blind, a clear demonstration of God's power.
Spiritual Blindness
But in verse 39, Jesus shifts the focus. "For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." Here, 'seeing' and 'not seeing' refer to spiritual perception.
The Pharisees' indignant question, "Are we blind?" reveals a deep-seated pride. What is it about their self-perception that made them unable to recognize spiritual truth?
Ask a follow-up
The Pharisees' immediate reaction shows they completely missed Jesus' point. They were offended by the idea of being grouped with the truly blind. Here's why:
Reliance on Self
The 'Also' in Their Question
The word 'also' (or 'we' in some translations) in "Are we also blind?" is key. It suggests indignation and a sense of superiority. They weren't just asking if they were blind; they were asserting, "Surely we, of all people, cannot be blind!" This self-assurance is precisely the barrier Jesus identified.
Jesus' response to the Pharisees in John 9:41 is stark: "If you were blind, you would not have sin; but now you say 'We see,' so your sin remains." What does this mean for us today?
Jesus' dialogue with the Pharisees highlights a critical truth about sin and spiritual perception:
Ignorance vs. Willful Rejection
Remaining Sin
When people reject God's light while believing they are already enlightened, their sin isn't just a mistake; it becomes a settled state. They stand condemned not because they are blind, but because they refuse to admit their blindness and therefore reject the only One who can give them true sight.
Understand the original words
Pharisaios · Greek Proper Noun
A Jewish religious and political party in the first century known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses and their opposition to Jesus’s ministry.
typhlos · Greek Adjective
In a spiritual sense, this refers to a lack of perception or understanding regarding divine truth. It is often used to describe those who are unable to recognize Jesus as the Messiah or the light of the world.
hamartia · Greek Noun
Legal or moral accountability for wrongdoing. It signifies being held responsible for a transgression against God's law or a failure to believe in the truth revealed by Him.
menō · Greek Verb
The state of persisting or continuing in a condition. In this context, it emphasizes the permanence of the Pharisees' spiritual state due to their self-righteous rejection of the truth.
This exchange happens during a period of intense scrutiny of Jesus by the religious establishment. The Pharisees' question reveals their spiritual pride and inability to recognize Jesus' divine authority, even when confronted with undeniable miracles.
c. AD 25-30
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus moves throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples. His ministry draws crowds and attracts the attention of religious leaders.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
Jesus performs a miraculous healing on a man born blind, an event that deeply divides public opinion and directly leads to the confrontation in John 9.
c. AD 28
Man Born Blind is Excommunicated
The healed man, after testifying to Jesus' power, is cast out (excommunicated) by the Pharisees for defending Jesus and his healing.
c. AD 28
Pharisees Question Jesus
Pharisees, still seeking to discredit Jesus, confront him following the healing miracle and the excommunication of the man. They question Jesus' authority and understanding of spiritual sight.
This passage parallels Jesus' mission to bring spiritual sight to some and blindness to others. Just as Isaiah was sent to make hearts hard and deaf, Jesus' message reveals spiritual truth to some while blinding those who reject it.
Matthew 15:14This verse directly echoes the sentiment of spiritual blindness among the Pharisees. Jesus calls them 'blind guides,' highlighting their inability to understand spiritual truths despite their religious position, a theme directly relevant to the Pharisees' question in John 9:40.
Romans 11:7-8Paul discusses how Israel, seeking righteousness by law, failed to obtain it, while a remnant was saved by grace. This mirrors Jesus' point: those who think they see (the self-righteous Pharisees) are made blind, while the truly blind (like the man born blind) can receive sight.
1 Corinthians 1:18This verse speaks of the 'message of the cross' being foolishness to those perishing but the power of God to believers. It highlights the divisive nature of Christ's message, making the wise of the world seem blind when confronted with God's truth.
2 Corinthians 4:4Here, Paul refers to the 'god of this age' blinding the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel. This speaks to the spiritual blindness that Jesus addresses, a blindness the Pharisees in John 9:40 exhibit by their arrogant question.
meyerJohn 9:40: "And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?"
John 9:40 . Pharisees were no doubt in His company, whose object was to mark all the more carefully His further behaviour after the performance of the miracle, not apostate disciples of Jesus (Chrysostom, Euth. Zigabenus), or adherents of a Pharisaic spirit (Lange). See John 10:6 ; John 10:21 . They imagine that, in conformity with the opinion which Jesus entertains regarding them…
ellicottJohn 9:40: "And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?"
(40) And some of the Pharisees which were with him. —The words in the preceding verse are not addressed specially to any one. The Pharisees would be still watching our Lord, and some had probably followed the beggar, expecting that our Lord would seek him, and hoping that the interview might furnish some ground for a fresh charge against one or both of them. It is the presence of…
The Pharisees' question, "Are we also blind?" reveals their deep-seated pride; they assume blindness is for others, not for them, the supposed spiritual elite. They entirely miss Jesus' point that true "seeing" means recognizing spiritual need, while "seeing" (as they believed they did) could actually be a blinding self-assurance.
Jesus has just declared that His coming into the world is for judgment, to give sight to the spiritually blind and to make those who think they see actually blind. Some Pharisees present heard this and, thinking they were wise and discerning, took offense and asked Jesus if He considered them blind too.
Jesus has just declared that His coming into the world is for judgment, to give sight to the spiritually blind and to make those who think they see actually blind. Some Pharisees present heard this and, thinking they were wise and discerning, took offense and asked Jesus if He considered them blind too.
"Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains." — The Pharisees' question, "Are we also blind?" reveals their deep-seated pride; they assume blindness is for others, not for them, the supposed spiritual elite. They entirely miss Jesus' point that…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026