Honorary "are" construct denoting God ("say")

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on John 10:7

I am the gate for the sheep is literally “I am the door of the sheep.” By translating the Greek phrase “of the sheep” as for the sheep (so also Phillips), Good News Translation makes explicit the meaning of this genitive expression. Here the expression I am is followed by a noun in the predicate position (see comments at 4.26), and so the structure is similar to I am the bread of life (6.35).

Instead of the reading “door,” one ancient Greek manuscript of the New Testament and one ancient translation read “shepherd.” Among modern translations Moffatt appears to be the only one to accept this alternative reading. The reading “door” was probably changed to “shepherd” by some scribe in an attempt to make the parable appear more self-consistent. It seems difficult to think of Jesus as both door (verse 7) and shepherd (verses 11,14) in the same parable, and so the scribe may have deleted the reference to door from this verse.

In the statement I am the gate for the sheep it may be necessary to change the metaphor to a simile in some languages to make clear the intention of this passage, for example, “I am just like a gate for the sheep.” However, as noted in the discussion of the differences between “door” and gate, it may be necessary to continue the use of such a term as gate. Otherwise there may be disruption and confusion in the meaning.

In some languages it may be important to indicate more clearly the relation between the gate and the sheep, for example, “I am like a gate for the sheep to use” or even “… for the sheep to come in and go out of” or “… to pass through.”

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 10:7

Paragraph 10:7–10

The people did not understand what Jesus meant in verses 1–5, so Jesus made his meaning clearer. He compared himself to two things in the illustration. In this paragraph, he said that he was the gate to the sheep pen. In the next paragraphs he said that he was the good shepherd. Also, the sheep represent Jesus’ followers, and thieves represent the religious leaders who rejected Jesus.

10:7a

So He said to them again: Because this is the beginning of a new paragraph, you may want to make explicit whom Jesus spoke to. For example:

Jesus said to the people there

So: The word So here introduces what Jesus said next. The people did not understand him, so he made things clearer. Here is another way to translate this word:

Therefore (New International Version)

He said to them again: The Greek word that Berean Standard Bible translates as again does not always mean “again.” Because Jesus did not repeat what he said before, the word could just mean that Jesus added to what he already said. So you might not want to use the word “again” if it implies that he said the same thing. Here are other ways that you can translate this phrase:

Jesus further said
-or-
he explained (New Living Translation (2004))

Truly, truly, I tell you: This expression introduces something important that Jesus said. Jesus wanted to emphasize the truth and importance of his next words. See how you translated this expression in 10:1a.

10:7b

I am the gate for the sheep: The words I am are emphasized in Greek and refer to Jesus. They indicate that Jesus alone, rather than anybody else, is the gate for the sheep. Consider how it is natural to indicate this emphasis in your language. For example:

It is I who am the gate for the sheep

This is a metaphor. Jesus compared himself to the gate or door of a sheep pen. There are at least two ways that they are similar: (1) they are the only right way to enter somewhere, and (2) the place entered is a good, safe place. In the metaphor, the sheep enter the sheepfold (sheep pen) through the gate. This represents people entering the kingdom of God through Jesus himself.

In some languages a literal translation of this metaphor may be difficult to understand. Here are some other ways to translate it:

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

I am like the gate to the sheep pen.

• Change the metaphor to a simile and make the point of comparison explicit. For example:

I am ⌊the way to God⌋ just as the gate ⌊is the way⌋ for the sheep ⌊into the sheep pen⌋ .

• Translate in a way that implies Jesus was speaking of spiritual reality. For example:

I am the ⌊real/true⌋ gate for the sheep
-or-
I am the ⌊spiritual⌋ door for the sheep

In some cultures they do not have gates to sheepfolds. It may be natural to say, for example:

I am the door for the sheep (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
I am the entrance to the sheep pen

the gate for the sheep: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the gate for the sheep is more literally “the door of the sheep.” The door led to a pen or courtyard where the sheep slept at night. For example:

the door of the sheepfold (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the gate that the sheep enter through

See how you translated the word gate in 10:1b, 10:2, and 10:3a.

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