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John 9:39
ESV Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”
NIV Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.'
NASB And Jesus said, 'For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.'
CSB Jesus said, "I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind."
NLT Then Jesus told him, 'I entered this world to render judgment — to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.'
KJV And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

What does John 9:39 mean?

Jesus' comment here can be confused with statement such as John 3:17 and John 12:47. In those verses, Jesus states that He did not come to "condemn." Here, Jesus states that He did come for "judgment." The reason for Jesus' earthly ministry was to secure our salvation; this required judgment on and against sin. The result of this ministry, however, is the—eventual—condemnation of those who reject Him.

The reference to those who see versus those who are blind is meant to explain this entire incident with the blind beggar and the religious critics. Those who admit their need, and trust in God, are those who will be granted sight—just as the blind man was given both sight and knowledge by Jesus in response to his sincere faith. Those who are arrogant and presume they already know, will be hardened by the presence of Jesus, instead. Despite their knowledge (John 5:39–40), they'll allow their own prejudice to blind them (2 Corinthians 4:4), making them incapable of understanding what they don't want to understand, anyway (John 7:17).
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