A strong term such as “argument” (New English Bible, Moffatt “dispute”; New American Bible “controversy”) should be chosen to describe what happened between John’s disciples and this man; “discussion” (Goodspeed, Jerusalem Bible) or “question” (Phillips) is too weak.

For a Jew some manuscripts read plural, “Jews,” as Good News Translation footnote indicates. Both readings are supported by strong ancient manuscript evidence, by the singular is the more difficult reading. Since John regularly uses the plural and since the singular causes a problem in the present context, it is easy to see why a scribe would change from the singular to the plural, but not the other way around. For this reason, most modern translators consider “a Jew” to be the original reading.

About the matter of ritual washing is literally “concerning purification.” Although commentators are divided in their opinions as to the precise reference involved, it seems best to take this expression as referring to the matter of Jewish purification in general (it is used in this sense in 2.6), rather than as reflecting a controversy about the relative value of the baptisms performed by Jesus and John the Baptist. Good News Translation takes it as a reference to Jewish purification in general, and at the same time makes clear to its readers that a kind of ritual washing is meant.

In some instances ritual washing may be translated as “religious washing” or “the kind of washing one does in his religion” or “… because of his religion.” However, this phrase may also be expanded in some languages as “washing to make one religiously pure” or “washing to eliminate taboo.” However, it is possible to avoid specific reference to “washing” by saying “how one becomes clean from taboo” or “how one removes taboo.” Note, however, that in these instances “taboo” must be understood in terms of “negative taboo” that is, defilement from contact with unclean objects or events. In some instances, one may actually translate “how one may remove uncleanness.” However, this expression is likely to be understood only in the sense of “washing away dirt.”

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 .