7:26a
Yet here He is, speaking publicly: This clause emphasizes the fact that Jesus was teaching publicly (in public).
Here are other ways to translate this clause:
Look! He is talking in public (Good News Translation)
-or-
But he is teaching where everyone can see and hear him (New Century Version)
Yet here He is: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Yet here He is directs attention to Jesus and what the speakers say about him. See the note on “See” at 5:14b and the notes on 3:26d, where there is a similar expression (just without the “and”).
Here is another way to translate this expression:
But look at this! (God’s Word)
speaking publicly: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as speaking publicly refers to public speech, speech that can be heard by anyone. Jesus was not trying to avoid the authorities hearing him by teaching his disciples in secret.
Here is another way to translate this phrase:
speaking for everyone to hear (Contemporary English Version)
7:26b
and they are not saying anything to Him: The pronoun they refers to the Jewish authorities. They were not trying to stop Jesus from preaching, so it appeared that they allowed it.
Here are other ways to translate this clause:
and they say nothing against him (Good News Translation)
-or-
and no one has said a word to him
7:26c
Have the rulers truly recognized that this is the Christ?: This is a rhetorical question. The people used it to express that they were uncertain. They were confused. Their leaders said that they did not believe that Jesus was the Christ, yet they did not stop him from preaching. The people wondered if they had changed their minds about Jesus.
There are two ways to translate this question:
• Use a rhetorical question. For example:
Do you suppose the authorities know that he is the Messiah? (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ? (New International Version)
• Use a statement. For example:
Maybe the leaders have decided he really is the Christ. (New Century Version)
-or-
Surely our leaders haven’t decided that this really is the Christ! (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
Translate this rhetorical question in a way that is natural in your language for expressing that someone is uncertain.
the Christ: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as the Christ means “anointed one.” Many English versions translate the phrase as “the Messiah” based on the Hebrew word. Jews used this title to refer to the person whom God appointed and promised to send as king and savior.
Here are some ways to translate Christ or Messiah:
• Translate the meaning. For example:
appointed one
-or-
Chosen Savior
• Transliterate it. For example:
Messia
-or-
Kristos
• Transliterate Christ or Messiah and include a phrase that explains the meaning. For example:
Messia, the appointed one
-or-
Cristo, the savior God promised
-or-
the Christ who comes from God
If you do not indicate the meaning of Christ in the text, you may want to explain it in a footnote. Or you may want to explain the meaning in a glossary. For example:
The word/title “Christ” refers to the king and savior whom God had promised to send.
See how you translated the Christ in 1:20 and 4:29b. See also Christ, Messiah in Key Biblical Terms.
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