John 9:4

4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

John 9:4 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
English Standard Version (ESV)
4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
New Living Translation (NLT)
4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.
The Message Bible (MSG)
4 We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over.
American Standard Version (ASV)
4 We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
4 We must do what the one who sent me wants us to do while it is day. The night when no one can do anything is coming.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
4 We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
4 While it is still day, we must do the work of the One who sent me. Night is coming. Then no one can work.

John 9:4 Meaning and Commentary

John 9:4

I must work the works of him that sent me
This shows, that the works of God, that were to be manifest, were to be done by Christ: many were the works which the Father gave him to do, and which he undertook to perform; and therefore there was a necessity of doing them, as principally the work of redemption, by fulfilling the law, and satisfying justice: and besides this, there were the preaching of the Gospel, and doing of miracles, and among these was this of giving sight to the blind, see ( Isaiah 35:5 ) , both in a natural and spiritual sense: and with a view to this he speaks of the works he mast do,

while it is day;
while the day of life lasts, for in the grave there is no work nor device:

the night cometh when no man can work;
meaning the night of death, and of the grave, and suggesting his own death hereby, that he had but a little time to be in this world, and therefore would make the best use of it, to do the will and work of his Father that sent him; and which should be a pattern to us. This life is but short, it is but as the length of a day; a great deal of business is to be done; and death is hastening on, which will put a period to all working.

John 9:4 In-Context

2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes.

Cross References 1

  • 1. John 11:9; John 12:35
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