3:21a
But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But here introduces the opposite situation to that of 3:19–20. It tells of those who love the light.
whoever practices the truth: The phrase the truth here refers to a good or moral way of life. A person who practices the truth is one who lives in a way that is faithful to God. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
those who follow the true way (New Century Version)
-or-
those who do what is right (New Living Translation (2004))
3:21b
comes into the Light: Again Light is a metaphor for Jesus, the Son of God, who shows us who God is. As in 3:20b, to comes into the Light is to come to Jesus and listen with faith to his words. Translate it here as you did in 3:20b.
3:21c
so that it may be seen clearly: The verb phrase it may be seen is in the passive. It means “people/others may see it.” Faithful people are not afraid that others will see their lives and actions. There are at least two ways to translate this expression:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
so that it may be seen plainly (New International Version)
• Use an active verb. For example:
because they want others to know that (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
so others can see that (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
so that it may be clearly apparent
Translate this clause using the verb form that is most natural in your language.
3:21d
what he has done has been accomplished in God: This clause indicates that these faithful people have acted in union with God or associated with him. In Greek the words done and accomplished come from the same root. In some languages repeating things like that may not be natural. It may be better to say:
it was all done in/through God
-or-
the power/strength of God was the source of what they did
The verb has been accomplished is passive. Here are ways to translate this verb:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
his works have been done through God
• Use an active verb. For example:
God is in all they do. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
God is really the one doing what they do (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
they did all they did in union with God
-or-
God has helped them to act in this good/true way
in God: There are at least three different interpretations about what this phrase means:
(1) It means that these things were done in God’s strength. For example:
God is really the one doing what they do (Contemporary English Version)
(Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, Revised English Bible, New International Version (1984))
(2) It means that these things were done in order to obey God. For example:
what they did was in obedience to God (Good News Translation)
(Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word)
(3) It means that these things were done in God’s presence. For example:
what they have done has been done in the sight of God (New International Version)
(New International Version (2011))
Many English translations, like Berean Standard Bible, just say that these deeds have been done in God. That phrase is ambiguous and can be understood in any of the above ways. In some languages it may be possible to use an expression like that. If that is true in your language, it is good to use that term. If you must choose one of the interpretations, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This agrees with John’s thought in 15:5, for example. And many commentaries support this interpretation.
© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.