The bridegroom’s friend is the nearest equivalent to the “best man” (New American Bible) of our day. This expression is not a technical term in Greek, but represents the “shoshben” of Jewish life. The “shoshben” was the groom’s closest friend and he took care of arranging the particulars of the wedding. In the context the primary focus is on John the Baptist, rather than on the bridegroom in the parable-like saying.

The bridegroom is the one to whom the bride belongs may be inverted (“the bride belongs to the bridegroom”). This clause may then form a contrast to the following clause, and one may translate “but the bridegroom’s friend stands by and listens, and he is glad….”

The exact picture portrayed by the words stands by and listens is not known. It is possible that the best man is standing guard at the bride’s house, waiting for the groom’s procession to arrive. On the other hand, it is possible that this expression describes the experience of the best man after the bride has been brought to the groom’s home. That is, he is happy to hear the bride and groom speaking joyfully with each other. In any case, the translator must be careful not to suggest any deed of impropriety on the part of bridegroom’s friend when translating stands by and listens.

Is glad when he hears the bridegroom’s voice translates a Semitism, “with joy he rejoices because of the voice of the bridegroom.” This sentence may be rendered “He is happy when he hears what the bridegroom says” or “… hears the bridegroom speak.”

This is how my own happiness is made complete is literally “This, therefore, my happiness has been made full.” Most modern English translations render “full” by complete. Elsewhere in the Gospel this same verb is used to describe happiness (15.11; 16.24; 17.13). This is how refers back to the previous statement, not to the following one. In some languages it is impossible to speak about “happiness made complete.” One can, however, say “Because of this I am extremely happy” or “… completely happy” or “Because of this there is nothing lacking in my happiness.”

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 .