Jesus answered is literally “Jesus answered and said to them,” again representing a Semitic style of introducing direct discourse (see verse 12).

Good News Translation introduces the word No into Jesus’ response to indicate the intended effect of Jesus’ words. That is, his reply must be understood as a denial of the Pharisees’ position as well as an affirmation of his own. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch achieves this effect by beginning Jesus’ reply with “What I say is true.” To make clear the significance of the adversative expression No, it may be necessary to translate “but you are wrong” or “what you say is not so.”

Even though I do testify on my own behalf is translated by Jerusalem Bible “It is true that I am testifying on my own behalf” and by Moffatt “Though I do testify to myself.” The purpose of these renderings is to indicate that the force of the clause is to show that Jesus did in fact testify in behalf of himself. The more literal “if I testify about myself” might wrongly suggest to the English reader that Jesus did not testify in his own behalf.

Jesus’ words even though I do testify on my own behalf, what I say is true are, in form, a contradiction of 5.31: If I testify on my own behalf, what I say is not to be accepted as real proof. However, in each instance Jesus’ argument is directed against the arguments of his opponents at the particular time. Although there is a formal contradiction between these two verses, the real thought is the same: Jesus’ testimony is true and valid because the Father himself verifies it.

In some languages it is difficult to express what is called concession, represented in English by the conjunctions “although” and “even if.” The closest equivalent may be “suppose that I do testify on my own behalf…” or “let us admit that I do testify on my own behalf…” or “I do testify on my own behalf, but nevertheless what I say is true.”

What I say is true are the same words Jesus used in 5.31, except that in the earlier passage they are used with a negative.

I know where I came from and where I am going resumes the theme of Jesus’ origin and destiny, mentioned in the preceding chapter (see 7.27-28). This theme is found again in 9.29.

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 .