There is a textual problem in this verse, resulting in at least three choices: (1) The Good News Translation rendering at once (New English Bible “the first thing he did”) translates the Greek prōton, and is preferred by most translators because of its early and diverse manuscript support. (2) An alternate possibility is that the text should read prōtos, and so be rendered “Andrew was the first to find and tell.” Although this reading has the support of some Greek manuscripts, it is not accepted by any modern translators. (3) Jerusalem Bible reads “early next morning” (Moffatt “in the morning”; see New English Bible note “some witnesses read ‘in the morning he found’ ”). This reading assumes that the Greek text should read prōi, but this reading is not found in any Greek manuscripts and is supported by only two or three Latin manuscripts. Apparently it was introduced to avoid the ambiguities of the two other readings and to make the narrative read smoothly form verse 39. The reading in Good News Translation is to be preferred, on the basis of both the external manuscript evidence and the fact that it is the most difficult reading.
In some languages a clear distinction is made between two different meanings of “find.” One implies that the individual or thing involved is lost; the other means that one goes and locates a person or thing. Obviously the second meaning is involved in this context.
On Messiah see comments at 1.20.
Since the term Messiah is here identified as meaning Christ, it is important to retain the borrowed form. The explanation may be given in some languages that “this word has the same meaning as Christ.” In reality, both “Messiah” and “Christ” are borrowed terms: one from Hebrew, the other from Greek. The meaning of “Messiah” may be given as “the Chosen One” or “the Anointed One.” In order to retain the borrowed terms and, at the same time to give a clear meaning in the context, one might translate, “We have found the Promised Savior, the one we call ‘the Messiah.’ (In Greek ‘Messiah’ is ‘Christ’).”
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 .