I am the one who will accuse you to my Father may be rendered “I will go to my Father and accuse you” or “I will accuse you in the presence of my Father” or “I will speak to my Father and accuse you.” In some languages accuse is rendered simply “say that you have done wrong.”

Moses … is the very one who will accuse you is actually in the present tense in Greek (Revised Standard Version “it is Moses who accuses you”; Moffatt “Moses is your accuser”). However, the present tense may be used in this verse with a future significance, pointing to the day of final judgment, since the preceding verb I am the one who will accuse you is in the future tense. In fact, in the present context it seems the most probable meaning.

The verb have put your hope is in the perfect tense in Greek, suggesting a hope which has a long, continuing history.

Moses, in whom you have put your hope may require some expansion to make clear the manner in which Moses may be the object of hope. One may, for example, say “Moses, who you hoped would help you” or “Moses, who you expected would be on your side” or “… favor you.” The term hope is semantically complex, normally involving three closely related components of meaning: (1) anticipation of, (2) something good, and (3) a period of more or less patient waiting. It is not always possible to introduce all these components, but in rendering hope “expect help from,” one represents at least two of them.

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 .