Here is a real Israelite (Anchor “Here is a genuine Israelite”; New American Bible “This man is a true Israelite”) is literally “Here is truly an Israelite,” but it is possible to take the adverb “truly” in this type of sentence structure as the equivalent of an adjective. Some commentators understand “truly” to have here the force of “one worthy to have the name of Israel” (Jerusalem Bible “There is an Israelite who deserves the name”; New English Bible “Here is an Israelite worthy of the name”). Israelite occurs only here in the Gospel of John, and it is obviously has a positive connotation, whereas the expression “the Jews” in its many occurrences throughout the Gospel is generally derogatory in connotation.

There is nothing false in him (so also New English Bible) appears in Revised Standard Version as “in whom is no guile” (Moffatt “There is no guile in him”). Perhaps a reference is intended to the deceitfulness of Jacob, who was later called “Israel.” This possibility is strengthened by the observation that verse 51 quotes Genesis 28.12, though the word may have the more generic meaning of “sin” or “impurity,” as some commentators suggest. On the other hand, it may be that this statement is simply an amplification of the meaning of the preceding statement, Here is a real Israelite.

It is not easy to translate literally there is nothing false in him. It would imply that falsehood could in a sense lie within a person, or that something not genuine could be inside one. A more appropriate equivalent in some languages is “this man would never lie” or “this man would never deceive anyone.” In some other languages a positive expression is much more appropriate, for example, “he is a person who really tells the truth sincerely.”

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 .