If you obey my teaching (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “if you obey my word”) is literally “If you remain in my word.” New American Bible translates “If you live according to my teaching,” while New English Bible is rather high level, “If you dwell within the revelation I have brought.” Jerusalem Bible is also difficult, “If you make my word your home.” Phillips translates “If you are faithful to what I have said.” It is also possible to render this expression “If you do what I have told you” or “If you continue to practice what I have taught you.”

Evidently Jerusalem Bible and New English Bible attempt to retain the figure of “remaining in,” but in this context “to remain in” is equivalent to “to obey” or “to be faithful to.” Chapter 15 contains several similar expressions and 5.38 says literally “you do not have his word remaining in you.” Whether John speaks of the word remaining in the believer or the believer remaining in the word, the meaning is essentially the same.

In this context my disciples must be understood in terms of the larger group of Jesus’ followers, and one may render here “my followers” or “my adherents.”

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 .