YHN 9:3 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. ἀπεκρίθη
2. apokrinō
3. answered
4. answered
5. 6110
6. VIAP3··S
7. answered
8. answered
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70866
1. Ὁ
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. ¬The
8. ¬The
9. S
10. -
11. 70867
1. Ἰησοῦς
2. iēsous
3. Yaʸsous
4. -
5. 24240
6. N····NMS
7. Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa)
8. Jesus
9. UN
10. Person=Jesus; Y33; F70913; F70920; F70923; F70929; F70931; F70943
11. 70868
1. Οὔτε
2. oute
3. Neither
4. -
5. 37770
6. C·······
7. neither
8. neither
9. D
10. Y33
11. 70869
1. οὗτος
2. houtos
3. this man
4. man
5. 37780
6. R····NMS
7. this ‹man›
8. this ‹man›
9. -
10. Y33; R70841
11. 70870
1. ἥμαρτεν
2. hamartaō
3. sinned
4. sinned
5. 2640
6. VIAA3··S
7. sinned
8. sinned
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70871
1. οὔτε
2. oute
3. nor
4. -
5. 37770
6. C·······
7. nor
8. nor
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70872
1. οἱ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70873
1. γονεῖς
2. goneus
3. parents
4. parents
5. 11180
6. N····NMP
7. parents
8. parents
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70874
1. αὐτοῦ
2. autos
3. of him
4. his
5. 8460
6. R···3GMS
7. ˱of˲ him
8. ˱of˲ him
9. -
10. Y33; R70841
11. 70875
1. ἀλλʼ
2. alla
3. But
4. -
5. 2350
6. C·······
7. But
8. but
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70876
1. ἵνα
2. hina
3. in order that
4. -
5. 24430
6. C·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70877
1. φανερωθῇ
2. faneroō
3. may be revealed
4. -
5. 53190
6. VSAP3··S
7. ˓may_be˒ revealed
8. ˓may_be˒ revealed
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70878
1. τά
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NNP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70879
1. ἔργα
2. ergon
3. works
4. -
5. 20410
6. N····NNP
7. works
8. works
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70880
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70881
1. Θεοῦ
2. theos
3. of god
4. God
5. 23160
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ god
8. ˱of˲ God
9. GN
10. Y33; Person=God
11. 70882
1. ἐν
2. en
3. in
4. -
5. 17220
6. P·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70883
1. αὐτῷ
2. autos
3. him
4. -
5. 8460
6. R···3DMS
7. him
8. him
9. -
10. Y33; R70841
11. 70884

9:3 Traditionally, most translations have placed a comma here (which is also a good possibility—remember that the original Greek manuscripts contain no punctuation), but this interpretation is equally valid and perhaps gives a more acceptable interpretation.

9:3 We just want to alert our readers here that we have divided the Greek sentences here in a way that’s different from the long-standing tradition. (The Greek originals have no punctuation, so either way is valid.)

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 9:1–12: Jesus healed a man who was blind since his birth

This section tells how Jesus healed a man who had been blind all his life. His disciples asked Jesus who had sinned to make him blind, but Jesus said that he was blind to reveal God’s works. People disagreed about whether this man who could see was the same one who was blind.

Here are other possible section headings:

Jesus cured a man who had always been blind

Jesus caused a blind man to begin to see

A man who had never seen anything began to see

Paragraph 9:1–5

Jesus and his followers saw a man who had been blind since he was born. Jesus’ followers thought this must have happened because of someone’s sin. So they asked Jesus whose sin had caused this man’s blindness. But Jesus said that no one had sinned to cause his blindness. Rather, he was born blind so that God’s power would be revealed.

9:3a

Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,

Jesus said “It is not this man’s sin nor his parents’ sin that caused his blindness.
Jesus replied, “This blindness was not caused by sin, either his own or his parents’.

Neither this man nor his parents sinned: This clause indicates that neither the man’s sin nor his parents’ sin caused him to be born blind. Translate this in a way that provides a natural answer to the question in 9:2a–b. This clause does not mean that the man and his parents had never sinned. It just means that their sin was not the cause of the man’s blindness. To avoid people wrongly understanding this clause, it may be necessary to say:

It was not the sin of this man or his parents that caused him to be blind

His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents’ sins. (GNT)

No one’s sin caused his blindness!

9:3b

but this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him.

Rather, he was born blind so that the work of God might be shown/displayed in his life.
No, he has been blind from birth so that others can/will see God’s power at work in healing him.

but: The Greek text connects the clauses in 9:3b to the previous clause with a word that the BSB translates literally as but. This word connects a negative statement (9:3a) to a positive statement (9:3b). This kind of sentence emphasizes the positive statement. Languages have different ways to indicate this type of emphasis. Here are some ways to show the emphasis:

Use the conjunction but like the BSB. For example:
Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him. (NET)
Use a conjunction other than but. This is a common way in English to show this type of emphasis. For example:
Neither this man’s sin nor his parents’ sin caused his blindness, rather/instead he was born blind so that God’s works might be shown in him.
Do not use a conjunction as in the NRSV. Here is another example:
His blindness has nothing to do with his sins or his parents’ sins. He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him. (GNT)
Change the order of the clauses. For example:
Neither! He was born blind so that God’s works may be revealed in him, not because he or his parents sinned.

You should translate this emphasis in the way that is most natural in your language.

this happened so that the works of God would be displayed in him: The Greek text does not include the clause this happened, although it is implied by the context. The BSB has supplied it to make the meaning clear. Supply an expression that is natural in this context. For example:

This man was born blind so that God’s power could be shown in him. (NCV)

He is blind so that God’s power might be seen at work in him. (GNT)

so that the works of God would be displayed in him: The Greek word that is translated so that introduces either the purpose or the result of the man being blind. The purpose or result was to show God’s works, that is, God’s deeds or acts, and therefore God’s power. Here are other ways to show this connection:

because of his blindness, you will see God work a miracle for him (CEV)

to show the power of God at work in him (JBP)

the works of God: This phrase here refers to something God does that shows his power. In the Greek it is plural, but in some languages it may be natural to use the singular. For example:

the work of God

God’s power (GNT)

would be displayed: This verb phrase is passive. It means that people will be able to see God, or God’s power, at work. There are at least two ways to translate this verb phrase:

Use a passive verb. For example:
could be shown (NCV)
could be seen (NLT)
Use an active verb. For example:
so that others would see God’s power at work
to display/show the power of God at work

Use the verb form that is natural in your language in this context.

in him: The pronoun him refers to the blind man. God did a miracle in him by healing his eyes. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this phrase in one of these ways:

through him

in his life (NIV)

through what happens to him (NET)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ

in_order_that ˓may_be˒_revealed (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς Οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ ἀλλʼ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τά ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ)

John records Jesus leaving out some information that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the previous verse. Alternate translation: [he was born blind so that the works of God might be revealed in him]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς Οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ ἀλλʼ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τά ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ)

Jesus is using of to describe works that are performed by God. If this is not clear in your language, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: [the works done by God]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ

˓may_be˒_revealed (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς Οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτεν οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ ἀλλʼ ἵνα φανερωθῇ τά ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ)

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [I might reveal the works of God]

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

ἐν αὐτῷ

in him

Here, him could refer to: (1) the man’s body, especially his blind eyes. Alternate translation: [in his body] (2) the man’s body and spirit. Alternate translation: [in his body and spirit]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Yaʸsous
2. -
3. 24240
4. UN
5. iēsous
6. N-····NMS
7. Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa)
8. Jesus
9. UN
10. Person=Jesus; Y33; F70913; F70920; F70923; F70929; F70931; F70943
11. 70868
1. answered
2. answered
3. 6110
5. apokrinō
6. V-IAP3··S
7. answered
8. answered
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70866
1. Neither
2. -
3. 37770
4. D
5. oute
6. C-·······
7. neither
8. neither
9. D
10. Y33
11. 70869
1. this man
2. man
3. 37780
5. houtos
6. R-····NMS
7. this ‹man›
8. this ‹man›
9. -
10. Y33; R70841
11. 70870
1. sinned
2. sinned
3. 2640
5. hamartaō
6. V-IAA3··S
7. sinned
8. sinned
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70871
1. nor
2. -
3. 37770
5. oute
6. C-·······
7. nor
8. nor
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70872
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····NMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70873
1. parents
2. parents
3. 11180
5. goneus
6. N-····NMP
7. parents
8. parents
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70874
1. of him
2. his
3. 8460
5. autos
6. R-···3GMS
7. ˱of˲ him
8. ˱of˲ him
9. -
10. Y33; R70841
11. 70875
1. But
2. -
3. 2350
5. alla
6. C-·······
7. But
8. but
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70876
1. in order that
2. -
3. 24430
5. hina
6. C-·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70877
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····NNP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70879
1. works
2. -
3. 20410
5. ergon
6. N-····NNP
7. works
8. works
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70880
1. of
2. God
3. 23160
4. GN
5. theos
6. N-····GMS
7. ˱of˲ god
8. ˱of˲ God
9. GN
10. Y33; Person=God
11. 70882
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70881
1. god
2. God
3. 23160
4. GN
5. theos
6. N-····GMS
7. ˱of˲ god
8. ˱of˲ God
9. GN
10. Y33; Person=God
11. 70882
1. may be revealed
2. -
3. 53190
5. faneroō
6. V-SAP3··S
7. ˓may_be˒ revealed
8. ˓may_be˒ revealed
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70878
1. in
2. -
3. 17220
5. en
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y33
11. 70883
1. him
2. -
3. 8460
5. autos
6. R-···3DMS
7. him
8. him
9. -
10. Y33; R70841
11. 70884

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 9:3

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 9:1–12: Jesus healed a man who was blind since his birth

Paragraph 9:1–5

9:3a

9:3b

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)