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Wednesday, October 30th, 2024
the Week of Proper 25 / Ordinary 30
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

John 9:4

As long as it is day, we must do what the one who sent me wants me to do. When night comes, no one can work.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blindness;   Death;   Diligence;   Jesus Continued;   Night;   Obedience;   Sabbath;   Siloam;   Zeal, Religious;   Thompson Chain Reference - Activity;   Christ's;   Death;   Divine;   Duty;   Earnestness-Indifference;   Fervour;   God's;   Imperative Call;   Life-Death;   Light, Spiritual;   Light-Darkness;   Man;   Messenger, Divine;   Opportunity;   Pressure of Duty;   Readiness;   Seizing Opportunities;   Task, Christ's;   Wonderful;   Works;   Zeal;   The Topic Concordance - Jesus Christ;   Light;   Sending and Those Sent;   Will of God;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Death, Natural;   Miracles of Christ, the;   Night;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Siloam;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Day;   Jesus christ;   John, gospel of;   Work;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Day;   Miracle;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Holy Ghost;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Covenant;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Creation;   Ecclesiastes, the Book of;   Night;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Blindness;   Jesus Christ;   John, the Gospel of;   Sign;   Works;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Death;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Activity;   Authority of Christ;   Beggar;   Cures;   Day;   Energy;   Error;   Hour;   Light;   Man (2);   Necessity;   Night (2);   Occupation (2);   Poet;   Power;   Providence;   Reality;   Repose;   Sabbath ;   Sight;   Simple, Simplicity ;   Son of God;   Walk (2);   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Night;   Works;   36 Ought Must;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Silence;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Sabbath;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Day;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Night;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Day;   Night;   Time;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 26;  

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
While it is daytime, we must continue doing the work of the one who sent me. The night is coming, and no one can work at night.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
I must worke the workes of him that sent me whyll it is daye. The nyght cometh when no man can worke.
Hebrew Names Version
I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.
International Standard Version
IWe">[fn] must work the works of the one who sent meus">[fn] while it is day. Night is coming, when no one can work.John 4:34; 11:9; 12:35; 17:4;">[xr]
New American Standard Bible
"We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
New Century Version
While it is daytime, we must continue doing the work of the One who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
Update Bible Version
We must work the works of him that sent me while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work.
Webster's Bible Translation
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
We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
World English Bible
I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day; the night is coming, when no man can work.
Weymouth's New Testament
We must do the works of Him who sent me while there is daylight. Night is coming on, when no one can work.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
It bihoueth me to worche the werkis of hym that sente me, as longe as the dai is; the nyyt schal come, whanne no man may worche.
English Revised Version
We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Berean Standard Bible
While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
Amplified Bible
"We must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.
American Standard Version
We must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Bible in Basic English
While it is day we have to do the works of him who sent me: the night comes when no work may be done.
Complete Jewish Bible
As long as it is day, we must keep doing the work of the One who sent me; the night is coming, when no one can work.
Darby Translation
I must work the works of him that has sent me while it is day. [The] night is coming, when no one can work.
Etheridge Translation
Me it behoveth to do the works of Him who sent me, while it is to-day: the night cometh when man cannot work.
Murdock Translation
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day; the night cometh, in which no one can work.
King James Version (1611)
I must worke the workes of him that sent me, while it is day: the night commeth when no man can worke.
New Living Translation
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.
New Life Bible
We must keep on doing the work of Him Who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no man can work.
New Revised Standard
We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.
Geneva Bible (1587)
I must worke the workes of him that sent me, while it is day: the night commeth when no man can worke.
George Lamsa Translation
I must do the works of him who sent me, while it is day; the night comes when no man can work.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
We must needs be working the works of him that sent me, while it is, day: There cometh a night, when, no one, can work.
Douay-Rheims Bible
I must work the works of him that sent me, whilst it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Revised Standard Version
We must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day; night comes, when no one can work.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
I must worke the workes of him that sent me, whyle it is daye. The nyght commeth when no man can worke.
Good News Translation
As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me; night is coming when no one can work.
Christian Standard Bible®
We
King James Version
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
Lexham English Bible
It is necessary for us to do the deeds of the one who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work!
Literal Translation
It behooves Me to work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night comes when no one is able to work.
Young's Literal Translation
it behoveth me to be working the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night doth come, when no one is able to work: --
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
I must worke the workes of him that hath sent me, whyle it is daye. The night commeth, whan no man can worke.
Mace New Testament (1729)
I must perform the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night is coming, when no man can work.
New English Translation
We must perform the deeds of the one who sent me as long as it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work.
New King James Version
I [fn] must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
Simplified Cowboy Version
While the sun is shining, the Son will be out shinin': ropin', gatherin', doctorin', and brandin'. It's what my Daddy sent me to do. But it'll be dark soon, and no one will be able to work.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.
Legacy Standard Bible
We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.

Contextual Overview

1 As Jesus walked along, he saw a man who had been blind since birth. 2 Jesus' disciples asked, "Teacher, why was this man born blind? Was it because he or his parents sinned?" 3 "No, it wasn't!" Jesus answered. "But because of his blindness, you will see God work a miracle for him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do what the one who sent me wants me to do. When night comes, no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light for the world." 6 After Jesus said this, he spit on the ground. He made some mud and smeared it on the man's eyes. 7 Then he said, "Go and wash off the mud in Siloam Pool." The man went and washed in Siloam, which means "One Who Is Sent." When he had washed off the mud, he could see.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

must: John 4:34, John 5:19, John 5:36, John 10:32, John 10:37, John 17:4, Luke 13:32-34, Acts 4:20

while: John 11:9, John 11:10, John 12:35, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Isaiah 38:18, Isaiah 38:19, Ephesians 5:16, Colossians 4:5

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 22:5 - David prepared 2 Chronicles 14:7 - while the land Nehemiah 6:3 - I am doing Psalms 6:5 - in the Psalms 90:12 - So Malachi 4:2 - the Sun Matthew 12:15 - great Matthew 20:6 - the eleventh Matthew 20:7 - Go Mark 1:38 - for Mark 3:3 - he saith Luke 2:49 - my Luke 4:43 - I must Luke 6:8 - Rise Luke 12:49 - and Luke 13:33 - I must John 5:17 - My John 7:30 - but Galatians 6:10 - opportunity

Cross-References

Genesis 9:10
This includes the birds and the animals that came out of the boat.
Genesis 9:14
When I send clouds over the earth, and a rainbow appears in the sky,
Leviticus 3:17
So you and your descendants must never eat any fat or any blood, not even in the privacy of your own homes. This law will never change.
Leviticus 7:26
And no matter where you live, you must not eat the blood of any bird or animal,
Leviticus 19:26
Don't eat the blood of any animal. Don't practice any kind of witchcraft.
Deuteronomy 12:23
But don't eat the blood. It is the life of the animal, so let it drain out on the ground before you eat the meat.
Deuteronomy 14:21
You belong to the Lord your God, so if you happen to find a dead animal, don't eat its meat. You may give it to foreigners who live in your town or sell it to foreigners who are visiting your town. Don't boil a young goat in its mother's milk.
Deuteronomy 15:23
But you must never eat the blood of an animal—let it drain out on the ground.
Acts 15:20
We should simply write and tell them not to eat anything that has been offered to idols. They should be told not to eat the meat of any animal that has been strangled or that still has blood in it. They must also not commit any terrible sexual sins.
Acts 15:25
So we met together and decided to choose some men and to send them to you along with our good friends Barnabas and Paul.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The 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 (John 5:1-16 by working a similar miracle on the Sabbath, yet he knew that this was the will of God that he should do good, and that he would take care of his life.

While it is day - The day is the proper time for work - night is not. This is the general, the universal sentiment. While the day lasts it is proper to labor. The term “day” here refers to the life of Jesus, and to the opportunity thus afforded of working miracles. His life was drawing to a close. It was probably but about six months after this when he was put to death. The meaning is, My life is near its close. While it continues I must employ it in doing the works which God has appointed.

The night cometh - Night here represents death. It was drawing near, and he must therefore do what he had to do soon. It is not improbable, also, that this took place near the close of the Sabbath, as the sun was declining, and the shades of evening about to appear. This supposition will give increased beauty to the language which follows.

No man can work - It is literally true that day is the appropriate time for toil, and that the night of death is a time when nothing can be done. 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 doing good, and suffer none to pass without improving it. We go but once through the world, and we cannot return to correct errors, and recall neglected opportunities of doing our duty.

  1. We should be especially diligent in doing our Lord’s work from the fact that the night of death is coming. This applies to the aged, for they must soon die; and to the young, for they may soon be called away from this world to eternity.



Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 9:4. While 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 metaphor immediately following. By this we are taught that no opportunity for doing good should be omitted - DAY representing the opportunity: NIGHT, the loss of that opportunity.


 
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