Translation commentary on John 10:18

In Greek my life is literally a pronoun “it,” which Good News Translation makes explicit by translating as a noun.

In place of the present tense, takes … away, some ancient Greek manuscripts have the past tense “took away” (New English Bible “No one has robbed me of it”). The past tense is obviously the more difficult reading. It is best taken, not as a reference to past attempts on Jesus’ life, but rather to the crucifixion viewed from the time the Gospel was written, rather than from the time Jesus was speaking. The UBS Committee prefers the present tense, because the manuscript evidence supporting the past tense is too limited in its range and represents only the Egyptian family of manuscripts. Evidently most translators prefer the present tense, but modern commentators tend to consider the past tense as the original reading.

The present tense in No one takes my life away from me is entirely acceptable in English, since it refers to a process reported as already begun or contemplated. However, in some languages the present tense would not be acceptable, since it would imply that Jesus was at that very time in process of dying. Therefore it may be necessary to say “No one will take my life away from me.” A literal translation of “take my life away from me” may be misleading or even impossible. One may translate “kill,” but it is not the meaning of this passage to say “no one will kill me.” The meaning must be expressed in some languages as “No one will kill me unless I let him do so” or “… unless I permit him to kill me.”

Of my own free will (so also New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible) is the meaning most translations give to Jesus’ words. The same expression is used in 5.30 (Good News Translation on my own authority). I give it up of my own free will may be rendered in some languages “I am the one who allows myself to be killed” or “I am the one who permits my life to cease.”

The noun translated right (so also New English Bible) is rendered “power” in most translations. The same word is used in 1.12, and its primary meaning is right or “authority,” though some commentators believe that in this context it is equivalent to “power.” Here the meaning right seems more in keeping with the context, since it is something the Father has commanded Jesus to do. That is, the meaning right or “authority” is more in keeping with the idea of a command than is the meaning “power.” In some languages the closest equivalent to right is “ability,” for example, “I am able to give up my life and I am able to take it back again” or “I am able to permit myself to be killed, and I am able to come back to life.”

My Father has commanded me to do translates substitute passive construction in Greek (literally “this command I received from my Father”). Good News Translation makes it into an active construction. It may be necessary to restructure the final sentence of verse 18 as direct discourse, for example, “My Father has commanded me, ‘This is what you shall do.’ ”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on John 10:18

10:18a

No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord: Jesus declared that he would die voluntarily (willingly). The Jewish and Roman authorities did not really control him. No one could kill him (take his life from him) without his permission.

No one takes it from Me: This clause indicates that no one was going to take Jesus’ life from him (kill him) without his permission. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

No one can take my life from me. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
No one can end my life
-or-
No one can decide to kill me

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but here connects a negative statement to a positive statement. The negative statement is “No one takes it from me” and the positive statement is “I lay it down of my own accord.” This kind of sentence emphasizes the positive statement. Languages have different ways to indicate this type of emphasis. Here are some ways to show the emphasis:

• Use the conjunction but as in the Berean Standard Bible.

• Use a conjunction other than but. This is a common way in English to show this type of emphasis. For example:

No one can just decide to take my life, rather/instead I give it to him.

• Do not use a conjunction. For example:

No one takes my life away from me. I give it up of my own free will. (Good News Translation)
-or-
No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. (New Living Translation (2004))

• Change the order of the clauses. For example:

I willingly give my life and no one can take it from me.

You should translate this emphasis in the way that is most natural in your language.

I lay it down of My own accord: Jesus died willingly (of his own accord). Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I am laying it down of my own free will. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
I give it up willingly! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I die willingly.
-or-
No one will kill me unless I allow them to kill me.

General Comment on 10:18a

The Greek text and the Berean Standard Bible use the present tense to refer to an event that was future when Jesus spoke. In some languages it may not be possible or natural to use the present tense here. It may be necessary to use future tense. For example:

No one can make the decision to end my life. I will lay it down of my own will.

10:18b

I have authority to lay it down: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as authority refers to the right or authority to do something. Jesus had the authority, meaning the right, to lay down his life (willingly die). Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I have power to lay it down (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
I have the right to give it up (Good News Translation)
-or-
I have the right to allow others to kill me

and authority to take it up again: Jesus also had the right to choose to live again, that is, to rise from the dead. For example:

and I have power to take it up again (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
and I have the right to take it back (Good News Translation)
-or-
and I also have the right to rise to life again

General Comment on 10:18b

In some languages it may be natural to make the second clause longer by repeating the words “I have.” For example:

I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.

10:18c

This charge I have received from My Father: Jesus indicated that he was obeying God his Father. It was his Father’s will that he die and rise again. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

This command I received from my Father. (New International Version)
-or-
This is what my Father has commanded me to do. (Good News Translation)
-or-
This is an order that I have received from my Father. (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

This charge: This phrase refers to God’s command that Jesus give up his life and receive it again.

from My Father: This phrase indicates that the command came from God, who is Jesus’ Father. In many languages, a capital letter in Father makes that clear. Or you may need to make this explicit in another way. For example:

My Father ⌊God⌋ told/commanded me to do this.

General Comment on 10:18c

In some languages it may be natural to translate God’s command to Jesus as a direct quotation. For example:

My Father told/commanded me, “This is what I want you to do.”

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