Verses 17 and 18 are transitional. They serve as the climax to the story of healing the man on the Sabbath and as a transition to the discussion of the authority of the Son and of his relationship to the Father.

In a number of manuscripts Jesus is simply “he.” However, whether one translates Jesus or “he” is also a matter of style. As far as the textual problem is concerned, it could be that Jesus was omitted from some manuscripts for stylistic reasons; on the other hand, it is just as possible that Jesus was added in some manuscripts to make explicit the subject of the verb answered.

Since Jesus is not responding here to specific denunciations by the Jewish authorities stated in direct discourse in the biblical text, it may be necessary to use some other expression than “answered,” for example, “defended himself by saying.” If persecute in the previous verse is translated “accuse,” the beginning of verse 17 may read “Jesus answered their accusations by saying.”

Always is literally “until now.” The meaning is clearly as Good News Translation gives it. The first part of this statement of Jesus is rendered by New English Bible “My Father has never yet ceased his work”; Goodspeed and Phillips read “My Father has always been at work.” There is, however, a serious difficulty in the choice of word for work. The meaning is obviously not physical labor. In some languages one may translate “My Father has always been doing such things.” In others it may be necessary to be more specific, for example, “My Father has always been helping people” or “… doing things to help people.” The statement made by Jesus concerning his own activities should then be parallel, for example, “and I also must do this” or “and I must also help people.” The avoidance of the specific term work (“work” in the sense of “labor” was specifically forbidden on the Sabbath) does involve certain liabilities. However, it is even more misleading to use a term for “work” which suggests merely “manual labor.”

Although must (in I too must work) is not an explicit part of the Greek text, it is implicit in Jesus’ reply, and Good News Translation accordingly makes this information clear. That is, since the Father always works, it is obligatory for the Son also to work.

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 .