John 11:9

New Century Version

Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the daylight, he will not stumble, because he can see by this world's light.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Aren’t there twelve hours in a day?”

King James Version (1611)
Iesus answered, Are there not twelue houres in the day? If any man walke in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

King James Version
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

English Standard Version
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

New American Standard Bible
Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

Amplified Bible
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours [of light] in the day? Anyone who walks in the daytime does not stumble, because he sees [by] the light of this world.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

Berean Standard Bible
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? If anyone walks in the daytime, he will not stumble, because he sees by the light of this world.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus answered, "Aren't there twelve hours in each day? If you walk during the day, you will have light from the sun, and you won't stumble.

Complete Jewish Bible
Yeshua answered, "Aren't there twelve hours of daylight? If a person walks during daylight, he doesn't stumble; because he sees the light of this world.

Darby Translation
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walk in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world;

Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus answered, "There are twelve hours of light in the day. Whoever walks in the day will not stumble and fall because they can see with the light from the sun.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Iesus answered, Are there not twelue houres in the day? If a man walke in the day, hee stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

George Lamsa Translation
Jesus said to them, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks by day time, he will not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

Good News Translation
Jesus said, "A day has twelve hours, doesn't it? So those who walk in broad daylight do not stumble, for they see the light of this world.

Lexham English Bible
Jesus replied, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks around in the daylight, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

Literal Translation
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble because he sees the light of the world.

American Standard Version
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

Bible in Basic English
Then Jesus said in answer, Are there not twelve hours in the day? A man may go about in the day without falling, because he sees the light of this world.

Hebrew Names Version
Yeshua answered, "Aren't there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn't stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

International Standard Version
Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours in the day, aren't there? If anyone walks during the day he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.John 9:4;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Jeshu saith to them, Are there not twelve hours in the day ? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world;

Murdock Translation
Jesus said to them: Are there not twelve hours in the day? And if a man walk in the daytime, he stumbleth not; because he seeth the light of the world.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Iesus aunswered: Are there not twelue houres of the day? If any man walke in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the lyght of this worlde.

English Revised Version
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

World English Bible
Jesus answered, "Aren't there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn't stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

Weymouth's New Testament
"Are there not twelve hours in the day?" replied Jesus. "If any one walks in the daytime, he does not stumble--because he sees the light of this world.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Jhesus answerde, Whether ther ben not twelue ouris of the dai? If ony man wandre in the dai, he hirtith not, for he seeth the liyt of this world.

Update Bible Version
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

Webster's Bible Translation
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walketh in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

New English Translation
Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks around in the daytime, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

New King James Version
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

New Living Translation
Jesus replied, "There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world.

New Life Bible
Jesus said, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walks during the day, he will not fall. He sees the light of this world.

New Revised Standard
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Jesus answered - Are there not, twelve hours, in the day? If one walk in the day, he doth no stumble, because, the light of this world, he seeth;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus answered: Are there not twelve hours of the day? If a man walk in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world:

Revised Standard Version
Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Iesus answered: are ther not twelve houres in ye daye? Yf a man walke in ye daye he stombleth not because he seith the lyght of this worlde.

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus answered, `Are there not twelve hours in the day? if any one may walk in the day, he doth not stumble, because the light of this world he doth see;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Iesus answered: Are there not twolue houres in ye daye? He yt walketh in the daye, stombleth not, for he seyeth ye light of this worlde.

Mace New Testament (1729)
Jesus answered, are there not twelve hours in the day? he that travels by day does not stumble, because he has the light of this world to see by.

THE MESSAGE
Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in daylight doesn't stumble because there's plenty of light from the sun. Walking at night, he might very well stumble because he can't see where he's going."

Simplified Cowboy Version
Jesus looked over his shoulder as he rode off, "We're burning daylight. No one stumbles while the sun is out,

Contextual Overview

¹ A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in the town of Bethany, where Mary and her sister Martha lived. ² Mary was the woman who later put perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. Mary's brother was Lazarus, the man who was now sick. ³ So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." ⁴ When Jesus heard this, he said, "This sickness will not end in death. It is for the glory of God, to bring glory to the Son of God." ⁵ Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ But when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was for two more days. ⁷ Then Jesus said to his followers, "Let's go back to Judea." ⁸ The followers said, "But Teacher, some people there tried to stone you to death only a short time ago. Now you want to go back there?" ⁹ Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the daylight, he will not stumble, because he can see by this world's light. ¹⁰ But if anyone walks at night, he stumbles because there is no light to help him see."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Are: John 9:4, Luke 13:31-33

he stumbleth not: John 12:35, Proverbs 3:23, Jeremiah 31:9

Reciprocal: Job 7:1 - Is there Job 33:28 - see Proverbs 4:12 - thou shalt Isaiah 59:10 - grope Matthew 20:5 - sixth Luke 11:33 - may see John 4:6 - the sixth John 7:30 - but John 8:20 - and no John 13:1 - knew Acts 27:24 - thou

Cross-References

Genesis 10:5
Those who lived in the lands around the Mediterranean Sea came from these sons of Japheth. All the families grew and became different nations, each nation with its own land and its own language.

Genesis 10:10
At first Nimrod's kingdom covered Babylon, Erech, Akkad, and Calneh in the land of Babylonia.

Genesis 10:20
All these people were the sons of Ham, and all these families had their own languages, their own lands, and their own nations.

Genesis 10:25
Eber was the father of two sons—one named Peleg, because the earth was divided during his life, and the other was named Joktan.

Genesis 11:1
At this time the whole world spoke one language, and everyone used the same words.

Genesis 11:14
When Shelah was 30 years old, his son Eber was born.

Genesis 11:31
Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot (Haran's son), and his daughter-in-law Sarai (Abram's wife) and moved out of Ur of Babylonia. They had planned to go to the land of Canaan, but when they reached the city of Haran, they settled there.

Genesis 11:32
Terah lived to be 205 years old, and then he died in Haran.

Acts 17:26
God began by making one person, and from him came all the different people who live everywhere in the world. God decided exactly when and where they must live.

1 Corinthians 14:23
Suppose the whole church meets together and everyone speaks in different languages. If some people come in who do not understand or do not believe, they will say you are crazy.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Jesus answered, are there not twelve hours in the day?.... So the Jews reckoned, and so they commonly say a, שעות הוי היום

שתים עשרה, "twelve hours are a day", or a day consists of twelve hours, which they divided into four parts, each part consisting of three hours this was a matter well known, and Christ puts the question as such, it being what might be easily answered, and at once assented to:

if any man walk in the day: within any of the twelve hours, even in the last of them,

he stumbleth not, at any stone or stumbling block in the way,

because he seeth the light of this world; the sun in the horizon not being as yet set, by the light of which he sees what is before him, and avoids it; :-. So our Lord intimates, that as yet it was day with him, his time of life was not expired; and so, as yet, it was a time of walking and working; nor did he fear any danger he was exposed to, or any snares that were laid for him, since he could not be hurt by any, nor his life taken from him before his time.

a T. Bab Sanhedrin, fol. 88. 2. Avoda Zara, fol. 3. 2. Vid. Philo. de Somniis, p. 1143.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Twelve hours - The Jews divided the day from sunrise to sunset into twelve equal parts. A similar illustration our Saviour uses in John 9:4-5. See the notes at that place.

If any man walk - If any man travels. The illustration here is taken from a traveler. The conversation was respecting a journey into Judea, and our Lord, as was his custom, took the illustration from the case before him.

He stumbleth not - He is able, having light, to make his journey safely. He sees the obstacles or dangers and can avoid them.

The light of this world - The light by which the world is illuminated that is, the light of the sun.

In the night - In darkness he is unable to see danger or obstacles, and to avoid them. His journey is unsafe and perilous, or, in other words, it is not a proper time to travel.

No light in him - He sees no light. It is dark; his eyes admit no light within him to direct his way. This description is figurative, and it is difficult to fix the meaning. Probably the intention was the following:

1. Jesus meant to say that there was an allotted or appointed time for him to live and do his Father’s will, represented here by the 12 hours of the day.
2. Though his life was nearly spent, yet it was not entirely; a remnant of it was left.
3. A traveler journeyed on until night. It was as proper for him to travel the twelfth hour as any other.
4. So it was proper for Jesus to labor until the close. It was the proper time for him to work. The night of death was coming, and no work could then be done.
5. God would defend him in this until the appointed time of his death. He had nothing to fear, therefore, in Judea from the Jews, until it was the will of God that he should die. He was safe in his hand, and he went fearlessly into the midst of his foes, trusting in him. This passage teaches us that we should be diligent to the end of life: fearless of enemies when we know that God requires us to labor, and confidently committing ourselves to Him who is able to shield us, and in whose hand, if we have a conscience void of offence, we are safe.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 11:9. Are there not twelve hours in the day? — The Jews, as well as most other nations, divided the day, from sun-rising to sun-setting, into twelve equal parts; but these parts, or hours, were longer or shorter, according to the different seasons of the year. John 1:39.

Our Lord alludes to the case of a traveller, who has to walk the whole day: the day points out the time of life-the night that of death. He has already used the same mode of speech, John 9:4: I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. Here he refers to what the apostles had just said-The Jews were but just now going to stone thee. Are there not, said he, twelve hours in the day? I have not travelled these twelve hours yet-my last hour is not yet come; and the Jews, with all their malice and hatred, shall not be able to bring it a moment sooner than God has purposed. I am immortal till my work is done; and this, that I am now going to Bethany to perform, is a part of it. When all is completed, then their hour, and that of the power of darkness, shall commence. See Luke 22:53.

If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not — A traveller should use the day to walk in, and not the night. During the day he has the sun, the light of this world: he sees his way, and does not stumble: but, if he walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in it, John 11:10; i.e. there is no sun above the horizon. The words εν αυτω, John 11:10, refer not to the man, but to the world, the sun, its light, not being above the horizon. Life is the time to fulfil the will of God, and to prepare for glory. Jesus is the light of the world; he that walks in his Spirit, and by his direction, cannot stumble - cannot fall into sin, nor be surprised by an unexpected death. But he who walks in the night, in the darkness of his own heart, and according to the maxims of this dark world, he stumbles-falls into sin, and at last falls into hell. Reader! do not dream of walking to heaven in the night of thy death. God has given thee the warning: receive it, and begin to live to him, and for eternity.