Jesus’ use of “woman” (Revised Standard Version) in direct address was normal and polite (compare Matt 15.28). It showed neither disrespect nor lack of love, as can be clearly seen by the parallel use in 19.26. Good News Translation has omitted mention of “woman” as a noun of address, because it is not necessary in English and tends to convey the impression that Jesus was disrespectful.

A number of serious problems are involved in translating “woman” literally. In some languages a man would address his own wife this way, and so this rendering cannot be employed here. In other languages, to address one’s mother as “woman” would be insulting; it could even be interpreted to mean that Jesus was denying that Mary was his mother. The closest equivalent in many languages is simply “my mother” or “mother,” but in others an equivalent expression showing proper respect would require the omission of any expression of direct address, as in Good News Translation.

You must not tell me what to do translates a Semitism (literally “what to me and to you?”) It appears in the Septuagint with at least two different meanings. In Judges 11.12, Jephthah’s reply to the Ammonite king is best taken to mean “What is your quarrel with us?” In 2 Samuel 16.10, David’s response to Abishai and Joab may be translated, “This is none of your business.” In the New Testament the same expression is used by demons when confronted by Jesus (Mark 1; 24; 5.7) and is rendered in Good News Translation as “What do you want with us?” In the present passage the force of the expression seems to be to deny the authority of Mary over Jesus in the revelation of his true glory. That is, the time and the manner in which the Son would reveal his glory to the world was determined by God the Father and not by any earthly person, not even Jesus’ mother. This judgement is validated by what Jesus says immediately afterward, “My time has not yet come.” The time (literally “hour”) of Jesus is his death on the cross and his resulting exaltation in glory. In 7.30 and in 8.20, John indicates that Jesus’ opponents were not able to arrest him, because his hour had not yet come. Elsewhere Jesus’ time is spoken of as being imminent (12.27; 13.1; 17.1).

In order to avoid what seems to be Jesus’ rebuke of his mother, a number of translators render this Semitic idiom “Why is this our concern?” but the fact that Jesus speaks of “my hour” suggests that he is denying only his own involvement. Furthermore, this is not the correct meaning of the Semitic idiom. On the other hand, it is not necessary to say “You must not tell me what to do.” Other possibilities are “Why are you bothering me about this?” or “Do not try to direct me.”

My time has not yet come may require some slight modification, since in many languages no abstract term for “time” exists to identify a particular occasion. Rather, the tendency is to use such words as “day” or even “hour.” In some languages such expressions as “The day for me to act has not yet come” or “This is not yet the day for me to do something about it” may be useful.

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 .