complete verse (John 10:42)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 10:42:

  • Uma: “That is why many people there believed in Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “And many people there believed in Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Many people went over there to him because they were thinking, ‘Even if there were no miracles which did long ago, everything he said about Jesus was very true,’ and many people believed in Jesus there.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And many believed in him there.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Many were the people there who believed-in/obeyed Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Thus many believed in Jesus there that he truly is the Christ.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 10:42

It is not known who the many people are, since we are told nothing further about these believers. However, in 2.23 and 8.30 we are also told that many people believed in Jesus. It is interesting to note that the public ministry of Jesus is brought to a close at the Jordan River, the same geographical point where it began. No longer will the revelation of Jesus’ power to give life be confined to the use of symbols, such as bread, water, and light. In the scene to follow he will actually raise Lazarus from death and thereby affirm both in word and deed that he is the resurrection and the life (11.25). The remainder of the Gospel will show how the reality of this life is made available to his followers.

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 10:42

10:42

And: The conjunction And here introduces a concluding statement.

many in that place believed in Jesus: These people trusted Jesus as the chosen Savior, the Messiah. They believed that he was who he said he was, and who John the Baptist had said he was. Here is another way to translate this clause:

in that place many believed in Jesus (New International Version)

in that place: This word refers to the area at the Jordan River where John the Baptist first began his ministry.

believed in Jesus: 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, 7:31a, and 7:38a. Here are other ways to translate this idea:

put their faith in Jesus (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
became believers

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