John Chapter 9 verse 21 Holy Bible
but how he now seeth, we know not; or who opened his eyes, we know not: ask him; he is of age; he shall speak for himself.
read chapter 9 in ASV
But how it is he is now able to see, or who made his eyes open, we are not able to say: put the question to him; he is old enough to give an answer for himself.
read chapter 9 in BBE
but how he now sees we do not know, or who has opened his eyes we do not know. *He* is of age: ask *him*; *he* will speak concerning himself.
read chapter 9 in DARBY
But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
read chapter 9 in KJV
read chapter 9 in WBT
but how he now sees, we don't know; or who opened his eyes, we don't know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself."
read chapter 9 in WEB
and how he now seeth, we have not known; or who opened his eyes, we have not known; himself is of age, ask him; he himself shall speak concerning himself.'
read chapter 9 in YLT
Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 21. - The third question is prudently remitted back to the consciousness and testimony of the man himself. The parents had some justification for their cowardice. They had no information beyond that which their son had given them. He had stumbled forth as usual on the morning of that sabbath, and bad returned home in transports of joy. Their son had doubtless told them the story (the use of οἴδαμεν instead of γινώσκομεν is significant). They knew by incontestable intuitive knowledge the personality and lifelong affliction of their son; but, say they, We do not know (absolutely) how he now sees; or who opened his eyes, we know not. Ask him (if you want to know); he is of full age, and therefore his testimony is valid in your court. He will speak (concerning) for himself. "We can only come to know from his testimony what he tells us, and he can himself speak for himself, and tell you all he has told us."
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) But by what means he now seeth.--Better, but how he now seeth. The answer is in the exact words of the question, which is not seen in our version. They will not pass beyond the plain matters of fact of which they were certain.Or who hath opened his eyes.--They pass here to a fourth question, which was not asked, but which they see to be the real point which the Pharisees are aiming at, and in which they have determined not to be entangled.He is of age, ask him.--The better reading here is probably that which places "ask him" first; ask him, he is of age. The Received text has been influenced by John 9:23. The Greek expresses with the fullest emphasis, which it is not easy to preserve in English, that they intend to have nothing to do with this third question, but to leave it to their son to answer. Literally, it is, Ask him; he is of full age; he himself will speak concerning himself.
