Believe in the light, then, while you have it is inverted from the Greek word order, which reads “while you have the light, believe in the light” (Revised Standard Version). Here Believe is made the equivalent of Continue on your way of verse 35. In both instances the appeal is for the Jews to receive the light.

In certain languages a literal rendering of Believe in the light may be very difficult, since these words may be taken as an exhortation to put one’s trust in the sun or in the sun god. The only satisfactory alternative may be “Believe in the one who causes light,” which can more readily be interpreted as an indirect reference to Jesus. If such a rendering is adopted, it is necessary to modify the second clause while you have it to read “while you have him still with you” or “while he is still with you.”

The people of the light is literally “sons of light” (so most translations). Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “then you will become men who live in the light,” and New English Bible “so that you may become men of light.” In Semitic thought such an expression as “sons of (noun/adjective)” means “people who are characterized by (noun/adjective).” Here, then, “sons of light” are either people who live in the light or people who belong to the light.

Good News Translation, following in the tradition of Goodspeed (see also Phillips and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) begins a new paragraph with verse 36b. After Jesus said this is more literally “These things Jesus said.” The reference is best taken to what Jesus has just said (verses 23-28,30-32,35-36). Goodspeed translates “With these words”; New English Bible “After these words”; Jerusalem Bible “Having said this.”

In Greek, went off is a participle dependent on the main verb hid, but most translations, including Good News Translation, render it as a finite verb. New English Bible “Jesus went away from them into hiding” actually changes the main verb (hid himself) to a noun, while making the participle the main verb. In 8.59, after the Festival of Shelters, it is said that Jesus hid himself and left the Temple. In 12.36b the statement is very appropriate; the light has now disappeared, and there is no chance for the Jews to believe in the light.

In translating hid himself from them, it is important to avoid the impression that Jesus was playing a kind of game of hide and seek. One may, for example, render it “stayed where they could not find him” or “stayed where they did not know where he was.”

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 .