This verse initiates a series of dialogues concerning the healing, which continue through verse 34.

Who had seen him begging before this refers to habitual action, as indicated by New American Bible (“who had been accustomed to see him begging”) and Moffatt (“to whom he had been a familiar sight as a beggar”). From Jerusalem Bible (“who earlier had seen him begging”) one could gain the impression that they had seen him begging only once, immediately before the healing.

The question Isn’t this the man…? expects the answer “Yes.” Who used to sit and beg (so many translations) expresses accurately the force of the Greek particles (“the one sitting and begging”).

There is no indication to whom the question in verse 8 is posed; however, one may say “asked one another.” Since the question does expect a positive answer and to this extent is an exclamation, it may be appropriate in some languages to introduce it by a type of exclamatory statement, for example, “exclaimed to one another” or “asked with wonder.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .