In some languages it is not sufficient to say No one. Such an expression must be combined with a verb, for example, “There is no one who condemns me” or “No one remains to condemn me.”

Sir may be taken either as a form of polite address (as in Good News Translation and most other translations) or with the Christian meaning of “Lord” (Revised Standard Version). In the present context the evidence for sir seems conclusive.

Well, then is a transitional device, but the force of this expression is implicit in Jesus’ response to the woman. That is, his words represent a response to the situation in which the accusers of the woman have left.

Go translates a Greek imperative; New English Bible and New American Bible translate “You may go.”

In the Greek text the command do not sin again has some built-in redundancy: “from now on no longer sin.” Most translations, like Good News Translation, combine the force of “from now on” and “no longer.” New English Bible has the same expression as Good News Translation and Jerusalem Bible has “don’t sin any more.” Moffatt maintains the two adverbial expressions, “and never sin again.” Some translators take the command do not sin again as a specific reference to the sin of adultery and so render “avoid this sin” (New American Bible).

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 .