In verse 1 Jesus began by addressing all the disciples, and in verse 6 he replied to Thomas’ question. Now he resumes his address to the disciples, and Good News Translation marks this fact by the words he said to them (Anchor “If you men…”), thus removing the ambiguity of the word “you,” which in English may be either singular or plural.

Now that you have known me, … you will know my Father also follows the reading chosen by the UBS Committee, which takes the words of Jesus as a promise. However, if one follows the alternative reading of the UBS Greek text, the following translation results: “If you really knew me, you would also know my Father.” In this case the text reads as Jesus’ reproach of the disciples because they have not really come to know him. The UBS Committee believes that the alternative reading developed either because scribes recalled Jesus’ reproach against the unbelieving Jews of 8.19 or because Philip’s question and Jesus’ answer (verses 8-9) intimated that the disciples knew neither Jesus nor the Father. The second half of the verse could also be taken to support the reading of the UBS Greek text, but it seems doubtful that a positive statement regarding the disciples’ faith would have been changed by a scribe to a negative statement; on the contrary, pious scribes generally had a tendency to change texts in the other direction. The UBS text choice here is rated by the Committee as “C,” indicating considerable doubt.

Now that you have known me may be rendered best in some languages as a reason followed by a result, for example, “He said to them, ‘Since you have known me, you will know my Father also.’ ” In this type of context, it is important to select a term for know which will be more meaningful than merely “get acquainted with.” In some languages the most appropriate would be “since you have come to know who I really am, you will therefore know who my Father really is.”

From now on refers not to the moment when Jesus is speaking but to the hour of his passion (see 13.31 and 16.5).

For thoughts similar to those expressed in this verse, see 12.44-45. It is a recurrent theme of the Fourth Gospel that whoever knows Jesus knows the Father, and whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father.

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 .