Since in many languages a cause or reason must precede a result, it may be necessary to invert the clauses in verse 16, for example, “Because Jesus had healed the man on a Sabbath, the Jewish authorities began to persecute him.”

Began to persecute is literally “were persecuting,” but several commentators and translators take this verb as Good News Translation does, that is, with the focus on the initiation of the action.

In various languages there are several ways to express the idea of persecute, for example, “made it hard for him” or “caused him harm” or “caused him to suffer.” Sometimes a general expression may suggest various forms of persecution, for example, “took action against him” or “declared him their enemy.”

He had done this healing is literally “he was doing these things.” Several translations take it in the sense of “did such things” (Phillips; so also New English Bible, New American Bible, Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible). That is, this action is taken as an illustration of the things that Jesus was in the habit of doing on the Sabbath day, and so it stirred up the Jewish authorities against him.

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 .