Both the Jews and the Romans divided the period from sunrise to sunset into twelve hours. Jesus’ question naturally expects the answer “Yes.” In a few languages there are still no terms for “hours.” However, one can always speak of “twelve divisions of the day” or “twelve parts of the day.”

In broad daylight is literally “in the day,” an expression intended to contrast the light of day with the darkness of night. Phillips and New English Bible have “daylight”; Jerusalem Bible has “daytime.” The closest equivalent in some languages is “while the sun is shining” or “while the sun is bright.”

For he sees the light of this world is a fairly literal translation of the Greek. Jerusalem Bible translates “because he has the light of this world to see by,” and New American Bible “because he sees the world bathed in light.” The meaning is obvious. This clause merely takes up the previous clause and explains it. The light of this world is clearly a reference to the sun, but almost as clearly John intends his readers to see in this statement a description of Jesus (8.12; 9.5). Therefore it would be wrong to translate “because he sees the sun.” It is better to use such a phrase as “the one who gives light to this world,” so that the implied allusion to Jesus himself may be seen.

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 .