John 9:26
What does John 9:26 mean?
A plain-English look at John 9:26 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 9:26 means
They press again: “What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?” Their persistence seeks to pick apart the account or find grounds to accuse Jesus. The focus remains on method, as if dissecting the process could discredit the result. This reveals a refusal to grapple with the obvious: a man born blind now sees. The authorities hope that repeated questioning will yield inconsistency or fatigue the witness into compliance. The verse shows how unbelief often hides behind endless inquiry, not to learn, but to avoid surrendering to evident truth that challenges one’s control.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000They said therefore unto him, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
KJV
King James Version · 1611Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901They said therefore unto him, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Then they said to him, What did he do to you? how did he give you the use of your eyes?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And they said to him again, `What did he to thee? how did he open thine eyes?'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752They said then to him: What did he to thee? How did he open thy eyes?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And they said to him again, What did he do to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
Context
This question follows the man’s powerful summary. Having failed to win a confession against Jesus, the authorities return to procedural details. The interrogation is becoming circular, which sets the stage for the man’s bold retort in the next verse. His response will expose their unwillingness to hear and will shift the challenge back onto them. The narrative tension intensifies as the healed man grows more confident and the leaders more antagonistic, moving toward a definitive break.
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