For a formal translation of this verse, see Revised Standard Version.

The fact that this section begins with “and” indicates that we have here a form of Semitic Greek. In the Old Testament the “and” was a natural way of connecting one section with another. Good News Translation indicates this transition by beginning a new paragraph and including a section heading.

The clause “this is the testimony of John” is shifted in Good News Translation to verse 20 (saying), where it serves to introduce John’s words. But it is also preserved in the section heading of Good News Translation: “John the Baptist’s Message.”

The Jewish authorities translates “the Jews,” the phrase regularly used by John to refer to the official leaders of Judaism who opposed Jesus and his disciples. Here, of course, they stand in opposition to John the Baptist. See Appendix I, “the Jews in the Gospel of John,” by Robert G Bratcher, which discusses each occurrence of the word in the Gospel.

In many languages authorities are spoken of as “leaders” or “chiefs,” in others they may be simply “important men,” while in certain instances the closest equivalent may be “government officials.” Despite the fact that in New Testament times ultimate authority rested with the Romans, the Jewish authorities did have certain administrative functions and therefore can be regarded as “officials.”

The Levites were a lesser grade of priests whose primary function was to help in the temple services, especially as musicians. According to rabbinical sources, they sometimes served as temple police. In the New Testament Levites are mentioned elsewhere only in Luke 10.32 and Acts 4.36. In some languages one may speak of Levites as “helper priests” or even “second grade priests,” provided that “second grade” does not carry a wrong connotation of inferiority.

The Good News Translation rendering to John is supplied translationally, not on the basis of manuscript evidence. However, some manuscripts do have “to him” (that is, to John).

The question Who are you? must be understood in terms of the following verses. This same question is directed to Jesus in 8.25. In each instance the force of the question is to ask John or Jesus Who are you? in the light of the Jewish eschatological expectation. In translating this question, it is important to avoid the impression that the Jewish authorities had no information about John the Baptist’s name. What they were interested in was his role or ministry. In many languages the closest equivalent is “What sort of a person are you?”

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 .