The right time for me (so also Jerusalem Bible, New English Bible, Phillips, New American Bible) is more literally “my time.” The word translated right time by many (Greek kairos) refers to a particular moment or period in time, not to time as a chronological sequence. In John’s Gospel it occurs only here and in verse 8. It is used synonymously with the word translated time in 2.4 (Greek hora, literally “hour”). In many languages The right time is literally “the appropriate time” or, expressed in verbal form, “the time when I should go.”

Has not yet come may be expressed as “the day is not here yet” or “this is not yet the day.”

Any time is right for you is literally “your time is always ready.” Time is the same word translated right time in the first part of this verse; New American Bible renders this part of the verse “the time is always right for you”; New English Bible “any time is right for you.” The impact of this verse is to indicate that Jesus’ mission is determined by divine decree, but that his brothers can go to Jerusalem at any time, since it makes no difference when they go or do not go.

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 .