The different Greek words (agapaō and phileō) that are used in the conversation between Jesus and Peter and that are typically all translated “love” in English are differentiated in some translations.
- The English translation by Blackwelder (1980) differentiate with love and have affection, Cassirer (1989) with love and hold dear, Pakaluk (2021) has cherish and love, and Ruden (2021) has love and close friend
- A number of German translations (Luther 2017, Neue Genfer Übersetzung 2011, Menge 2010, BasisBibel 2021) use lieben (for agapaō) vs. lieb haben for phileō (“love” vs. “be very fond of”); the translation by Fridolin Stier (1989) has “love” and “be a friend”
- Likewise, the French Bible Segond 21 (publ. 2007) uses aimer vs. avoir l’amour with a similar difference than the former German translations
- The Burmese Myanmar Standard Bible (2017) has hkyit (ချစ်) vs. hkyithkain (ချစ်ခင်), also “love” vs. “love / be fond of.”
- Kayaw makes a distinction as well (source: Anonymous)
See also Translation commentary on John 21:15.
The Greek in John 7:38 that is typically translated in English as “out of heart (or: “innermost”) shall flow rivers of living water” is translated by the English translations by Ruden (2021) and Pakaluk (2021) as “from his belly rivers of flowing water are going to run” (Ruden) and “rivers of flowing water will flow out from his belly” (Pakaluk).
Ruden explains her choice (p. 285): “The wordplay and symbolism involve the running or ‘living’ water of baptism, and possibly also the fluid that runs (here, literally) ‘from his abdominal cavity’ from the spear puncture at the crucifixion (John 19:34). There are several Hebrew Bible passages echoed here.”
Pakaluk says (p. 96): “It seems that John understands this language to be foreshadowing the pouring out of water, along with blood, from the lanced side of Christ on the cross, which John highlights (19:34) and which is understood in the tradition to represent the birth of the Church. It is indeed the language of birth.”
The Greek in John 17:17 that is typically translated in English as “your word is truth” is translated by the English translation by and Pakaluk (2021) as “The Word, your Word is truth.
Pakaluk explains (p. 230): “The Greek is stronger than ‘your word is truth’; it conveys the emphasis represented here. We capitalize ‘Word’ because we take this to be the logos, as at the beginning of John’s Gospel. As Augustine remarks, ‘The Father then sanctified them in the truth, i.e. in His Word the Only-Begotten, them, i.e. the heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.”
See also Word / Logos.
The Greek in John 1:16 that is translated as “grace upon grace” or similar in English is translated in Huichol as “He treats us with graciousness, and keeps increasing it.” (Source: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
The English translation by Pakaluk (2021) has one gift in place of another (complete Verse: “Because we have all received of his fullness, and one gift in place of another.”) Compare Ruden (2021): “Out of what fills him to the full, we have all been given a share, joyful favor in exchange for joyful favor” and the German translation by Berger / Nord: “Because that was the only way — no matter before or after him — that we could draw from what was given to him in fullness, grace and yet more grace.”
See also grace.
The Greek in John 6:60 that is translated as “difficult teaching” or “hard saying” or alike in English is translated as “speaking that which is unclean” in Aguaruna, “words that hurt” in Umiray Dumaget Agta, “difficult words” in Yatzachi Zapotec, or “perplexing talk” in Alekano. (Source: John Beekman in Notes on Translation 12, November 1964, p. 1ff.)
The English translation by Pakaluk (2021) has offensive language. He4 explains (p. 78f.): Sometimes translated as ‘This is a hard saying,’ but the word rendered ‘hard’ means dry, tough, and rough — thus, by implication, repulsive — and it is not any ‘saying’ that repels them, but the teaching itself.”
