John 9:4

John 9:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
• New International Version (NIV)As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
• English Standard Version (ESV)We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

Context of John 9:4

2Jesus' disciples asked him, ‘Teacher, why was this man blind when he was born? Was it because he himself did something wrong? Or was it because his parents did something wrong?’ 3Jesus answered, ‘It was not because either this man or his parents did something wrong. It happened so that God could show his great work in this man. While it is still day, we must continue to work. God has sent me and we must do his work. We must work now because it will be night soon. Then nobody can work. 5While I am still here in the world, I am the world's light.’ 6When Jesus had finished speaking, he spat on the ground. He mixed it with dirt on the ground so that he made mud. Then he put some of the mud on the eyes of the blind man.

John 9:4 word by word

ἡμᾶς δεῖ ἐργάζεσθαι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ πέμψαντός με ἕως ἡμέρα ἐστίν· ἔρχεται νύξ, ὅτε οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐργάζεσθαι.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
• workἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
• the worksὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• of him that sentπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
• whileἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• it isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• the nightνύξnux · nightG3571
• comethἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• no manοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762
• canδύναμαιdunamai · be ableG1410

Cross-references for John 9:4

• John 4:34Jesus said to them, ‘My Father has sent me. I must do the things he wants me to do. I must finish the work that he has given to me to do. That is my food.
• John 5:19Jesus answered them, ‘I tell you this: The Son can do nothing by himself. He sees what the Father does, and he can do only those same things. What the Father does, the Son also does.
• John 10:32Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good things. The Father sent me to do them, and I have shown them to you. Which of those good things make you want to kill me with stones?’
• John 17:4I have shown people here on the earth how great you are. In that way, I have finished the work that you gave to me to do.
• Luke 13:32‘Herod is a bad man,’ Jesus replied. ‘Tell him this: “I am still causing bad spirits to come out of people. I am still making sick people well again. I will continue to do all these things for some more days. On the third day I will have finished my work.”
• Acts 4:20We know what is right. We must continue to speak about these things. We must tell people about the things that we have seen and heard.’
• John 11:9Jesus answered, ‘You know that there are 12 hours in the day. Anyone who walks during the day will not fall down. He will not fall down because he sees this world's light.
• John 12:35Jesus answered, ‘The light will be with you for only a short time longer. So continue to walk while you still have the light. Do that, so that the dark will not come over you. Anyone who walks in the dark does not know where they are going.
• Ecclesiastes 9:10Use all your strength to do the work that you are doing. One day you will die and you will go into your grave. Then you will not have any work, or ideas, or knowledge or wisdom. So do your work well while you are alive.
• Isaiah 38:18Dead people in their graves cannot praise you. They cannot sing to thank you. People who go down into the deep hole of death cannot trust you to help them.
• Ephesians 5:16Many bad things are happening in these days. So, whenever you have a chance to do something good, do as much as you can.
• Colossians 4:5When you are with people who do not believe in Christ, be careful how you live. Use every chance to do good things.

Commentaries on John 9:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4While it is day - Though I plainly perceive that the cure of this man will draw down upon me the malice of the Jewish rulers, yet I must accomplish the work for which I came into the world whole it is day - while the term of this life of mine shall last. It was about six months after this that our Lord was crucified. It is very likely that the day was now declining, and night coming on; and he took occasion from this circumstance to introduce the elegant…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4The works of him … - The works of beneficence and mercy which God has commissioned me to do, and which are expressive of his goodness and power. This was on the Sabbath day John 9:14; and though Jesus had endangered his life (Ecclesiastes 9:10; “there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave.” From this we may learn: 1.that it is our duty to employ all our time in doing the will of God. 2.that we should seek for opportunities of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-41At the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus claimed to be the light of the world (chapters 7–8; see 8:12). Now John tells about Jesus giving light, both physically and spiritually, to a blind man who lived in darkness (see 9:5). The story ends with a surprising reversal (a complete change) of roles: The man who had been blind was assumed to live in spiritual darkness. Yet he came to see and accept God’s light. The Pharisees could see with their physical eyes…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-411-5. as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from birth--and who "sat begging" (Joh 9:8).Read the comment

Topics related to John 9:4

• Blindness
• Death
• Diligence
• Jesus Continued
• Night
• Obedience
• Sabbath
• Siloam
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Agree
• Anoint
• Ask
• Covenant
• Beg; Beggar; Begging
• Day
• Eschatology of the New Testament
• Jesus Christ
• John, Gospel of
• Night

Commentaries on John 9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings