Good News Translation uses the generic expression in its place to avoid the more difficult technical terms “scabbard” (Jerusalem Bible) or “sheath” (New American Bible). “Sheathe your sword” (Moffatt and New English Bible) is rather high level. One may simply say “Put your sword back where it was.”

Do you think that I will not drink the cup of suffering which my Father has given me? is literally “The cup which the Father has given me, will I not drink it?” In Greek this is a rhetorical question that expects an affirmative answer. Most commentators point out that the cup refers to Jesus’ cup of suffering, and so Good News Translation makes this information explicit. “The Father” of the Greek text has the force of my Father in the present context.

In some languages it is almost impossible to preserve the metaphor of the cup, for “drinking” and “suffering” cannot be spoken of in the same context, nor can one “drink the cup.” One can only drink the contents of a cup, and to speak of “drinking suffering” would be meaningless. Hence, the metaphor must be dropped, and such an expression may be used as “Do you think that I am not willing to suffer in the way in which my Father has ordained that I should suffer?” or “… that my Father has arranged that I should suffer?”

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 .