I have shown your glory, (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) is rendered “I glorified you” by most translators; Goodspeed and New American Bible make a different emphasis (Goodspeed “I have done honor to you”; and New American Bible “I have given you glory”). Once more the choice is between the meaning “give glory to” and “reveal the glory of.” In the light of the whole context of this prayer (note especially verse 6 I have made you known), the meaning “to reveal the glory of” is more appropriate.

The second clause, I have finished the work you gave me to do, is more closely tied to the first clause, I showed your glory on earth, than may be indicated in Good News Translation. These are not two separate actions. Rather the second clause indicates the means by which God’s glory was revealed, that is, “by finishing the work you gave me to do.” Note New English Bible “I have glorified thee on earth by completing the work which thou gavest me to do” and New American Bible “I have given you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “I have made known your glory on earth; for I have accomplished the task which you gave me.”

The verbs have shown and have finished are in the aorist tense in Greek, and so point to Jesus’ work as already accomplished. The use of the aorist may reflect either Jesus’ own certainty that his end was at hand or the temporal perspective of the Gospel writer.

Certain complications are involved in translating I have finished the work you gave me to do. Work might conceivably refer only to physical activity, and in some languages one cannot speak of “giving work.” Therefore one may need to restructure the second part of verse 4 to read “I finished doing what you told me to do.”

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 .