The verb begged translates a verb tense in Greek which seems to focus attention on the action in progress and so may be rendered “kept begging.” Goodspeed‘s “they asked him” is certainly too weak.

As some commentators point out, there are theological overtones in the words rendered to stay and stayed (see especially John’s use of the verb in 14.10 and 15.4). It is almost impossible to bring out this kind of overtone in translation, and such matters should be left to the teaching ministry of the church.

Jesus is not explicitly rendered in the Greek text, which has the pronoun “he.”

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 .