Out of their graves is implicit in the Greek text, but it is made explicit in Good News Translation on the basis of the phrase “in their graves” in verse 28. If of their graves is likely to be understood restrictively, that is, as implying that only the dead who are in graves will come out, then it may be necessary to omit the phrase and to translate “the dead will come forth” or “the dead will come from where they are.”
Will rise and live is literally “to the resurrection of life” (Revised Standard Version). Good News Translation transforms the nouns “resurrection” and “life” into verbs, since they denote events rather than objects. At the same time it clarifies the meaning of the phrase “of life.” Several other translations use essentially the same technique (for example, Jerusalem Bible and Phillips “will rise again to life”). The last phrase in this verse (literally “to the resurrection of judgment”) is translated basically in the same way: will rise and be condemned. It is evident that the judgment referred to is a condemnatory judgment, and so Good News Translation renders the noun “condemnation” as be condemned. New American Bible translates this phrase “shall rise to be damned,” while Jerusalem Bible has “to condemnation.” New English Bible is quite expressive, “will rise to hear their doom.”
Most translations take the noun “resurrection” in an active sense (“will rise”), but Moffatt takes it with a passive meaning, “to be raised.” According to Jewish and Christian teaching, it is God who raises the dead, and so the passive voice may come closer to the meaning of this passage.
In many languages the verb “to rise” or “to be raised” cannot be used with the meaning of “coming back to life” or “to live again.” One may sometimes speak of “leaving death” or “throwing away death,” but more commonly it is necessary to use such an expression as “coming back to life” or “living again.” The second clause of verse 29 may be translated simply “those who have done good will live again,” for in this context will rise and live carry similar meanings. However, the final clause of verse 29 may be rendered “those who have done evil will come back to life and will be condemned.”
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 .