In Greek this verse is one sentence, which Good News Translation divides into two. In English it is more natural to refer to a person by name the first time he is introduced in a narrative, and then to refer to him by pronouns. Good News Translation does so, introducing Mary in the first part of verse 31 and then referring to Mary as her … her … her … she. This practice is not in keeping with the Greek structure, which introduces the noun Mary about midway in the verse. However, in translating one must give attention to the structural requirements of the receptor language.

The same comments can be made of get up and hurry out as were made of got up and hurried out in verse 29. Here, too, it is more natural to put the adverb “quickly” with the verb get up than with the verb “went.”

They thought is actually a participle in Greek (“thinking”) which is dependent upon the main clause in the sentence. The infinitive phrase to weep there translates a clause of purpose in Greek, literally, “in order that she might weep there.”

The grave, to which reference is made in this verse, was actually a cave with a stone placed at the entrance (verse 38). The word “tomb” (so most translations) is slightly archaic, and grave implies to most English readers something other than a cave with a stone rolled in front of the entrance. However, the word grave is a more natural English term, and a description of this grave is given in verse 38.

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 .