12:36a

While you have the Light: This clause continues the metaphor or illustration. In this metaphor Jesus compares himself to Light that is present, shining, for a little while longer. The way that Jesus is similar to Light is that both show people the truth about things. Jesus shows people the truth about who God is. In some languages a literal translation of this picture may be difficult to understand. As in 12:35a, it may be natural to change the metaphor to a simile and make it explicit that Jesus spoke about himself. For example:

While you have ⌊me⌋ who is like a light
-or-
While you have ⌊me⌋ with you as your light

you: The word you is plural and refers in general to the people there.

believe in the Light: This clause continues the metaphor of Jesus as light. In some languages it may again be natural to indicate that this was a reference to Jesus. Or if you did that in the previous clause, you may refer back to that clause. For example:

believe in me, your ⌊true⌋ light
-or-
believe in ⌊me⌋ for I am like a light for you
-or-
believe in that light

This clause includes the idea of believing the facts about who Jesus was and what he did. But it also includes the idea of trusting Jesus instead of trusting oneself or someone else. Both ideas are very closely related. If someone believes the facts about Jesus, it should result in trusting him. See how you translated similar phrases (without the metaphor) in 1:12b, 2:11c, and 3:16b. Here are other ways to translate this idea:

Have faith in the light (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
you should trust in the light (Yakan Back Translation)

General Comment on 12:36a

In many languages it may be natural to reorder these clauses. For example:

Believe in the light, then, while you have it (Good News Translation)
-or-
Put your trust in the light while there is still time (New Living Translation (2004))

12:36b

so that: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that introduces the result of believing in the light. Those who believe in the light become children of light.

you may become sons of light: The word you is plural. It refers to the people listening to Jesus, and to anyone who might hear about Jesus and believe. Jesus was saying that those who trusted in him would become like him, his children.

sons of light: The Berean Standard Bible translates the Greek phrase literally as sons of light. The Jewish idiom “sons of (something)” refers to people who are described by that quality. So sons of light are people who live in the light of Jesus and belong to him. Their character is like that of the light. They have God’s character in them, and they love what he loves and hate what he hates. See how the same phrase is used in Luke 16:8, Ephesians 5:8, and 1 Thessalonians 5:5.

In some languages a literal translation of this idiom may be difficult to understand. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

you will be like sons/children of the light

• Change the metaphor to simile and make explicit the way that they are similar. For example:

you will become ⌊like the light⌋ , like sons of light

• Indicate something of the meaning of the figure of speech. For example:

so that you will become people ⌊whose lives are like that of⌋ the light
-or-
you will become ⌊God’s⌋ children, children of the ⌊true⌋ light

General Comment on 12:35–36b

The phrase “the Light” does not refer to the sun. It refers to Jesus, the way to truly know God. If your readers might think of the light of the sun, moon, and stars, you should make the meaning clear. It may be possible to imply this by indicating that Jesus is the “true” or “real” light. For example:

The ⌊true/real⌋ light will be with you just a little longer. Walk in ⌊this⌋ light while you can….

Section 12:36c–43

The Unbelief of the People

This paragraph discusses the unbelief (lack of belief or faith) of many of those who heard Jesus and saw his miracles. Many of them rejected him, as the Hebrew Scriptures prophesied. Others did believe but remained silent, afraid that they themselves would be rejected.

Here are some other possible titles for this section:

The Jews still did not believe
-or-
Many Jews refused to have faith in Jesus

Paragraph 12:36c–41

12:36c

After Jesus had spoken these things: This clause indicates that the next event happened immediately or soon after Jesus finished talking about the light. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

After saying these things (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
After these words (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Having said this (New Jerusalem Bible)

He went away and was hidden from them: The phrase He went away indicates that Jesus left the people he had been talking to. The phrase went away means “left.” He went to a place that they did not know about so that they could not find him. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

he went off and hid himself from them (Good News Translation)
-or-
Jesus went away from them into hiding. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Jesus left them and was hidden from their sight. (New Jerusalem Bible)

was hidden from them: There are two ways to interpret the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hidden here:

(1) It means “hid himself.” For example:

Jesus left and hid himself from them. (New International Version)

(New International Version, English Standard Version, Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, King James Version, NET Bible Bible, New Century Version)

(2) It means was hidden. It is implied that God the Father was the one who hid Jesus. For example:

Jesus left them and was hidden from their sight. (New Jerusalem Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and most English translations.

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