In Greek this verse begins with “after this” (see the discussion at 2.12). Both the Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch omit the phrase in translation.

In Greek Jesus knew is the same participial construction used in 13.1. There John affirmed Jesus’ knowledge of what was about to happen to him. Now he affirms Jesus’ awareness of a prophecy which was to be fulfilled.

In some languages by now must be rendered “by that time” or “by then” or “at that time,” since the reference is to past, not present, time.

Had been completed is also the translation of Jerusalem Bible (Phillips “was now completed”; New English Bible “had … come to its appointed end”). In the context the meaning is that Jesus had completed everything that God had sent him into the world to do. The translator must be sure that his rendering carries this positive force and does not suggest that the “end” of Jesus’ work in death was a failure. Had been completed is from the verb teleō; make … come true is from the related verb teleioō. This second verb is also used in 17.4 (I have finished the work you gave me to do). This is not the verb John normally uses of the fulfillment of scripture (pleroō), and its use in 19.28 after teleō may be significant: it is through Jesus’ completion (teleō) of the work God gave him to do that the scripture is fulfilled (teleioō).

In some languages the passive expression Everything had been completed must be changed to an active form, for example, “Jesus had done everything that he should have done” or “everything had happened that should have happened.”

It is possible to take the clause in order to make the scripture come true as depending either on what precedes (“everything had been completed in order to make the scripture come true”) or on what follows (in order to make the scripture come true, he said). Most translations agree with Good News Translation in seeing Jesus’ words (I am thirsty) as the fulfillment of scripture. If John is thinking of a specific Old Testament text, the most likely reference is to Psalm 69,22: when I was thirsty, they offered me vinegar. Therefore Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch translates “in order to make the prophecy in the Psalms come true.” To make clear that the purpose clause depends on he said, it may be necessary to change the order in the second part of the verse: “Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ He said this in order to make the scripture come true.”

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 .