Paragraph 9:32–34

Verse 9:31b is a summary about the deeds of the two men during the days or weeks after they were healed. This paragraph resumes the story from 9:31a after the men had just left Jesus. Some languages may have a special way to indicate that 9:32a resumes the story from 9:31a.

9:32a

As they were leaving: There are two ways to interpret the pronoun they:

(1) It refers to the two blind men. For example:

When the two men were leaving (New Century Version)

(Good News Translation, New Century Version)

(2) It refers to Jesus and his disciples. For example:

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The Berean Standard Bible and most English versions have they, so it is not possible to tell which interpretation they follow. However, most commentaries follow interpretation (1).

Also, the nearest referent for the pronoun they is the two men whom Jesus healed of blindness. The disciples are completely unimportant to this story. They are not mentioned at all between 9:20–36.

were leaving: The form of the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as were leaving indicates that these two men were in the process of going out. This could mean that, as the two men were leaving the house, they passed the other group on their way into the house.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

As the men were leaving (Good News Translation)
-or-
When the two men were leaving (New Century Version)

9:32b

The Greek of 9:32b begins with a word that is often translated as “behold” (English Standard Version). It indicates that something extraordinary will happen. Here, what is unexpected is that some men brought a demon-possessed man to Jesus.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

suddenly (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
unexpectedly

a demon-possessed man who was mute: The term demon-possessed man refers to a man who was controlled by a demon. A demon controlled his thoughts and actions. This term also occurs in 8:16a. The word mute means “not able to talk.”

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk (New International Version)
-or-
a man who could not talk because a demon was in him (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
a mute man. The reason he was mute was because a demon had entered him.

was brought: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was brought is an active verb. It can be translated as “they brought.” The word “they” refers to people other than the two men of 9:31, but no words describe exactly who “they” were.

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

some people brought

-or-

they arrived/came with

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