Section 8:12–20
Jesus is the light of the world
In this section Jesus returned to teaching in the temple during the festival of Booths. He declared that he was the light of the world. The Pharisees said that what Jesus said was not valid because he testified about himself. Jesus said that his testimony was valid because he knew where he came from and where he was going. And he said that his Father testified about him too, but they did not know either him or his Father.
Here are some other examples of headings for this section:
Jesus said that he was light for the world
-or-
Jesus’ testimony that he was the light of the world was valid
Paragraph 8:12
Jesus said he was the light of the world. He declared that those who follow him will always live in the light.
8:12a
Once again, Jesus spoke to the people: This passage probably originally followed 7:52. See the note on Section 7:53–8:11. In chapter 7, Jesus taught in the temple during the festival of Booths. Now he again addressed the people gathered there in the temple.
Here is another way to translate this clause:
When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said (New Jerusalem Bible)
to the people: This phrase probably refers to the people who had gathered for the festival. Some think that Jesus spoke to the Pharisees here because they respond in the next verse (see Good News Translation). However, Jesus spoke to the people in chapter 7, not just the Pharisees. So the phrase “Once again” suggests that he again spoke to the people. If possible, use a pronoun because it is not clear who he spoke to here. However, in some languages it may be necessary to make it more explicit. For example:
to the people (New International Version)
8:12b
I am the light of the world: The phrase light of the world means that the light is for the benefit of the world. This phrase is a metaphor. Jesus compared himself to light. Just as light makes it possible to see physical objects, so Jesus makes it possible to see or understand God and spiritual things.
If the meaning of this metaphor is not clear in your language, here are other ways to translate this metaphor:
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
I am like the light which shines for the world
• Use a metaphor or simile and make clear how Jesus was like the light of the world. For example:
I am the light which gives light ⌊to the minds of people⌋ in the world
-or-
I am like a light ⌊which shines in the minds of people, and gives them understanding⌋
Refer to your translation of light in 1:4–5, 7–9. For the Old Testament background of this metaphor, see Psalms 27:1, 36:9, 119:105.
the light: When Jesus said that he was the light for the whole world, he meant that he was unique. Jesus said that he was the light, not just a light, not one among many lights. He was the only true source of the knowledge of God. In your translation, try to maintain this emphasis.
the world: The phrase the world refers to the people in the world. Jesus is the light for all people all over the world. In some languages it is more natural to make this more explicit. For example:
to people in the whole world
-or-
for all people everywhere
8:12c
Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness: The pronoun Whoever refers to anyone and everyone who trusts and obeys Jesus. It is possible to use a singular or plural form. For example:
The one who follows me (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
All/Those who follow me
follows Me: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as follows means “to go with someone, to go along behind them.” Figuratively it began to mean “to go with someone as their disciple, which means one learns from him and obeys him.” See John 1:43.
will never walk in the darkness: The verb phrase walk in the darkness is a metaphor that means to live in sin and not know God. People who follow Jesus will always have God in their lives, so they will never walk in darkness. For example:
will never live in darkness (New Century Version)
-or-
will never live in the dark (God’s Word)
in the darkness: Here, darkness is a metaphor which means “evil” or “the absence of God and all that is good.” See the note on this word at 1:5a. In some languages a literal translation of this metaphor may be difficult to understand. However, it is important to use the idea of darkness because it is an important idea in the Bible.
Here are some other ways to translate this metaphor:
• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
they will never live like people who are in the dark
• Change the metaphor to a simile and make the meaning explicit. For example:
will never be like those who are in darkness ⌊who do not know God⌋
8:12d
but will have the light of life: The Greek conjunction that Berean Standard Bible translates as but here connects a negative statement (8:12c) to a positive statement (8:12d). This kind of sentence emphasizes the positive statement. Here it emphasizes that Jesus’ followers will have the light that leads to true life, eternal life. Languages have different ways to indicate this type of emphasis.
Here are some ways to indicate the emphasis:
• Use the conjunction but as in the Berean Standard Bible.
• Use a conjunction other than but. This is a common way in English to show this type of emphasis. For example:
The one who follows me, he does not walk in darkness. Rather/Instead he has in him the light which gives life.
• Do not use a conjunction. For example:
Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life. (Contemporary English Version)
• Change the order of the clauses. For example:
Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness. (Good News Translation)
You should translate this emphasis in the way that is most natural in your language.
the light of life: This phrase is a metaphor that refers to the light that produces true life. This light was Jesus himself. Jesus makes it possible for people to know God and so to have true life, eternal life. It is important to use the idea of light because it is an important idea in the Bible.
Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
the light that leads to life (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the light that gives life (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
my light which shows them how to have eternal life (Translation for Translators)
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