Then they brought him before a council of the Pharisees. Again the man was asked how he had received his sight. "He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because He keepeth not the Sabbath day." The Pharisees hoped to make Jesus out to be a sinner, and therefore not the Messiah. They knew not that it was He who had made the Sabbath and knew all its obligation, who had healed the blind man. They appeared wonderfully zealous for the observance of the Sabbath, yet were planning murder on that very day. But many were greatly moved at hearing of this miracle, and were convicted that He who had opened the eyes of the blind was more than a common man. In answer to the charge that Jesus was a sinner because He kept not the Sabbath day, they said, "How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?"

Så førte de ham for et råd af farisæere. Atter blev manden spurgt om, hvordan han havde fået sit syn. Han svarede dem: Han kom dynd på mine øjne, og jeg tvættede mig, og nu kan jeg se. Nogle af farisæerne sagde så: Dette menneske er ikke fra Gud, for han holder ikke sabbatten. Farisæerne håbede at bevise, at Jesus var en synder og derfor ikke kunne være Messias. De vidste ikke, at han, som havde indstiftet sabbatten og kendte alle dens forpligtelser, havde helbredt den blinde. De viste sig forunderligt nidkære for overholdelsen af sabbatten, skønt de planlagde et mord på den selv samme dag. Men mange blev dybt bevægede ved at høre om dette under og var overbeviste om, at han, som havde åbnet den blindes øjne, var mere end et almindeligt menneske. Som svar på beskyldningen, at Jesus var en synder, fordi han ikke overholdt sabbatten, sagde de: Hvordan kan et syndigt menneske gøre den slags tegn?