SIL Translator’s Notes on John 2020 – Page 4

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 11:7

11:7

and: This word introduces what Jesus said next. In some languages it may be natural to leave this word implied.

then: This word here means after the two days just mentioned, when Jesus stayed where he was. For example:

after the two days (God’s Word)

He said to the disciples: The word He refers to Jesus. In some languages it is more natural to include his name here. For example:

Jesus said to his disciples (God’s Word)

disciples: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disciples refers to a follower or learner who is in a special relationship with a teacher. The learner commits himself to his teacher to learn from him and live by following his teaching and example. See how you translated this word in 6:3 and 9:2a.

Let us go: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Let us go is a first-person plural command. Jesus was indicating that he was going and saying that the disciples should go with him. Translate this command in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

We should go
-or-
Come (plur.) with me

us: The word us is inclusive here and refers to Jesus and the disciples.

back: This word here indicates that Jesus wanted to return to the place where they went previously. For example:

We should return

to Judea: The word Judea is the name of the province or area where Jerusalem and Bethany were. Lazarus and his sisters lived in Judea, and the religious leaders opposed to Jesus held the most power there. It was therefore the province where Jesus was in the most danger.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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SIL Translator’s Notes on John 11:39

11:39a

Take away the stone: This is a command. Jesus commanded some of the men to remove the stone from the entrance to the cave. Here are other ways to translate this command:

Move the stone away (New Century Version)
-or-
Then he told the people to roll the stone away. (Contemporary English Version)

11:39b

Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord means “master.” It was a word used to address someone with respect. See how you translated this in 11:3b and 11:21.

by now he stinks: This clause refers to the fact that by this time the body had a bad smell. This implies that it was not a good idea to roll away the stone. Translate this in a way that would be natural under these circumstances. For example:

by now he will smell (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
There will be a bad smell. (New Century Version)
-or-
The smell will be terrible. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
His ⌊body⌋ will already have a bad smell.

he stinks: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as he stinks means “he has a bad smell.” The words he stinks sound both funny and not polite in English. It is important to express this in a way that is both natural and polite, suitable for reading aloud in church.

said Martha, the sister of the dead man: Martha spoke up and protested against Jesus’ command. The text does not say, but it appears from her behavior that Martha was older than Lazarus and Mary. If you need to say whether she was older or younger than Lazarus, you can say that she was older.

11:39c

It has already been four days: This clause begins with a Greek conjunction that is often translated as “for” or “because.” This conjunction introduces the reason that there was a bad smell. A body starts to decompose (rot or decay) before the fourth day, especially in hot weather. The Berean Standard Bible omits this conjunction because the connection is clear in English without it. Consider how you might introduce this clause naturally in your language.

General Comment on 11:39b–c

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of the clauses in 11:39b–c. For example:

There will be a bad smell, Lord. He has been buried four days! (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 12:14

12:14

Finding a young donkey, Jesus: This clause here indicates that Jesus found a young donkey that he could ride. The verb Finding does not indicate here that the donkey was lost. Jesus’ followers brought it to him as he had told them (see Matthew 21:2–3, 6–7). This probably happened earlier, before the people went out to welcome him. So it may be natural to say:

Jesus had found a young donkey

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

Jesus obtained/got a young donkey
-or-
Someone brought a young donkey to Jesus

a young donkey: A donkey is a domestic animal that is like a small horse, but with longer ears. Riding on a donkey, rather than a horse, was associated with humility and peace in Jesus’ time. See also Genesis 49:9–11. If a ruler rode on a donkey it showed that he came in peace. You may want to write a footnote that explains what the donkey indicates. For example:

The Jews of Jesus’ time associated a donkey with peace and with humility. The horse was different because it was associated with war.

sat on it: This phrase means that Jesus rode the donkey. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

got up on it
-or-
rode on it (Contemporary English Version)

as it is written: This phrase introduces a quotation from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament. See how you translated this phrase in 8:17 and Mark 1:2. Here the quotation that follows is taken partly from Zephaniah 3:16 and partly from Zechariah 9:9. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

fulfilling the prophecy that said (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
just as the scripture says (Good News Translation)
-or-
This happened just like ⌊what God prophesied⌋ in the scriptures

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 12:46

12:46a

I have come into the world as a light: In this clause, Jesus clearly compared himself to light, as he did in 8:12b, 9:5b, and 12:35a,b. He came into the world to be its light. The Greek text emphasizes the word I.

This clause contains a simile. Jesus was like light in that he showed people the truth, especially about God and salvation. In some languages a literal translation of this simile may be difficult to understand. Here are some other ways to translate this simile:

• Make the simile clearer. For example:

I have come into the world to be like a light for you/it.

• Make the point of similarity explicit. For example:

I have come into the world like a light, ⌊to show/reveal God/truth to you⌋

12:46b

so that: This phrase introduces Jesus’ purpose in coming into the world to be its light.

no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness: In some languages it may be natural to use the subject “everyone” and a negative verb. For example:

everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness (New Revised Standard Version)

believes in Me: This phrase includes the idea of believing the facts about who Jesus was and what he did. But it also includes the idea of trusting Jesus instead of trusting oneself or someone else. Both ideas are very closely related. If someone believes the facts about Jesus, it should result in trusting him. See how you translated similar phrases in 1:12b, 3:16b, and 12:44a. Here are other ways to translate this idea:

has faith in me (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
put their trust in me (New Living Translation (2004))

should remain in darkness: The phrase remain in darkness is a figure of speech, a metaphor. The word darkness represents evil. Jesus came so that those who believe in him would no longer continue to live in evil. Those who remain in evil are like those who remain in darkness in the following ways:

(a) They live in fear.

(b) They do not know the truth, how things truly are.

See how you translated the idea of darkness in 8:12c and 12:35d. For example:

in the dark (God’s Word)
-or-
in dark places
-or-
in a dark world

In some languages this figure of speech may be hard to understand. Here are other ways to translate it:

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

they should not remain in what is like darkness
-or-
they should not live as though they were in the dark

• Make the meaning of the metaphor more explicit. For example:

they should not live in ⌊spiritual⌋ darkness
-or-
they need not live in the darkness ⌊of evil⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 1:21

1:21a

Then who are you?: The priests and Levites asked this question to introduce their next question, “Are you Elijah?” John had told them who he was not, but they still needed to learn who he was.

Here is another way to translate this question:

Who are you, then? (Good News Translation)

Then: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then can also be translated as “therefore” or “so.” It is a short way of saying “if that is the situation,” or “if you are not the Christ.”

they inquired: The pronoun they refers to the priests and Levites. In some languages it is more natural to say this explicitly. For example:

These priests and Levites asked

1:21b

Are you Elijah?: The priests and Levites thought that John might be the prophet Elijah, who lived about eight hundred years before. They thought this because there was a prophecy that Elijah would come before the Messiah (see Malachi 4:5–6). Also, John was dressed like Elijah had dressed. You may want to explain this in a footnote.

The men were not asking if John’s name was Elijah. They knew his name was John. They were asking if he was fulfilling the prophecy by doing the work of Elijah.

In some languages it may be good to include the information that Elijah was a prophet from long ago. For example:

And they said, “Are you (sing.) Elijah, ⌊the prophet from long ago⌋ ?”
-or-
And these priests and Levites asked if he were Elijah, ⌊the prophet who was to announce the Messiah⌋ .

1:21c

He said: The pronoun He refers to John the Baptist. In some languages it is more natural to make that explicit. For example:

John answered (Good News Translation)

I am not: John stated that he was not Elijah. In some languages the name Elijah should be included in the answer. For example:

I am not ⌊Elijah⌋ .

1:21d

Are you the Prophet?: This is another question that the men asked John. In some languages it may be natural to introduce it with a phrase such as “They asked”:

Then they asked, “Are you the Prophet?” (God’s Word)
-or-
And when they asked if he were the Prophet…. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
“Are you the Prophet?” they asked. (New Century Version)

the Prophet: The men were referring to a particular prophet, a prophet who was to be in some way “like Moses.” See Key Biblical Terms Prophet 1(c), The prophet. This person was predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15, 18–19. Moses lived over a thousand (1000) years before. However, the Israelites expected someone “like Moses” to return at the time of the Messiah. In some languages, it is more natural to include some of this information, because the first-century audience knew about it. For example:

Again they asked, “Are you (sing.) perhaps the prophet ⌊who is written about in the Law⌋ ?”
-or-
And they said, “Is it possible that you (sing.) are the ⌊special⌋ prophet ⌊whom God will send to us⌋ ?”

Prophet: A Prophet was a man who spoke as a representative of God. He told people what God revealed to him. God gave some prophets power to do miracles. These miracles helped people realize that God sent the prophet.

Here are some ways to translate Prophet :

a messenger/representative for God
-or-
a man who speaks God’s words
-or-
God’s message-speaker

It is good to use a general term that does not only refer to predicting the future. Although prophets did predict the future, they also gave people other messages from God. They especially told them to stop sinning and to obey God.

When choosing a term for Prophet, consider how you will distinguish it from other words that are similar in meaning, such as “angel,” “apostle,” and “preacher.”

1:21e

He answered, “No.”: The pronoun He refers to John the Baptist. In some languages it is natural to include both John’s name and what he was denying. For example:

John answered, “No, ⌊I am not the prophet⌋ .”

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 2:2

2:2

Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding: This clause introduces the other important people in this story. Jesus and his disciples had received invitations to the wedding. It is implied that they accepted the invitation and went to the wedding. Like Mary, they were present at the celebration. This is a passive clause. There are at least two ways to translate it:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

Jesus was also invited to the wedding with his disciples. (English Standard Version)

• Use an active verb. For example:

⌊The bridegroom’s family⌋ had also invited Jesus and his disciples to the wedding.
-or-
Jesus and his disciples had also received invitations.
-or-
Jesus and his disciples were also among the guests. (Revised English Bible)

disciples: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disciples refers to “learners” in a learner-teacher relationship. The learner follows his teacher in order to learn from him and follow his teaching and example.

For information on how to translate the term “disciple” see 1:35 in the Notes. Also see disciple in Key Biblical Terms.

Paragraph 2:3–5

Jesus’ mother noticed that the wine was gone and tried to convince Jesus to do something. He indicated that it was not the right time for him to act. However, Jesus’ mother told those around to obey him.

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 3:9

Paragraph 3:9–15

In this paragraph, in verse 10, Jesus began to talk about his authority. He claimed that he had the right to teach about God because he had come from God. In ancient Greek, quotation marks were not used, so it is not always easy to tell where a quotation ends. Different translations end Jesus’ speech at different points. Here are the possibilities:

(1) Jesus’ own words end at the end of 3:21.

(New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, New International Version (1984), Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version)

(2) Jesus’ own words end at the end of 3:15.

(Revised Standard Version, NET Bible, God’s Word, New International Version (2011))

(3) Jesus’ own words end at the end of 3:13.

(Good News Translation)

It is not clear where the King James Version and Contemporary English Version end the quotation. It is recommended that you follow most English translations and end Jesus’ speech at the end of verse 21.

3:9

How can this be?: Nicodemus was confused. He did not understand Jesus’ statement about being born of the Spirit. He used his question as a request. Nicodemus wanted Jesus to explain what he had said: How can someone be born again, born of the Spirit? Here are other ways to translate this question:

How can this happen? (New Century Version)
-or-
How are these things possible? (New Living Translation (2004))

Nicodemus asked: Because this verse begins a new paragraph, it may be helpful to say explicitly that it was Jesus that Nicodemus was talking to. For example:

Nicodemus said to Jesus

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 4:5

4:5a

So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar: Jesus was traveling with his disciples. If a literal translation indicates that he was alone, you may need to explicitly include the disciples. For example:

In Samaria Jesus ⌊with his disciples⌋ came to the town called Sychar.
-or-
So they arrived at a town in Samaria called Sychar.

So: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So means “therefore.” In some languages it may be natural to leave this word implied. For example:

and on his way came to a Samaritan town called Sychar (Revised English Bible)

a town of Samaria called Sychar: The town of Sychar in Samaria is mentioned only here, so it was probably not large. It may have been only a village or small town. For example:

In Samaria he came to a town named Sychar. (Good News Translation)

4:5b

near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph: Jacob was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham. He was the ancestor of both the Jews and the Samaritans. For more information on this plot of ground, or “field,” see Genesis 33:19 and Joshua 24:32.

Jacob and Joseph lived in the distant past, almost two thousand years before the events in this chapter. In some languages it is more natural to indicate this is some way. For example:

It was near the field that Jacob had long ago given to his son Joseph. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
It was near the field that ⌊our (excl.) ancestor⌋ Jacob ⌊once⌋ gave to his son Joseph.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on John 2020