Translation commentary on John 11:15

Good News Translation and most other modern translations restructure this verse radically. It reads literally “and I am glad because of you, in order that you might believe, because I was not there. But let us go to him.” In its restructuring, New American Bible is close to Good News Translation, but it retains the adverb “there,” which Good News Translation renders with him.

So that you will believe is translated “that you may learn to believe” by Goodspeed and Phillips, and “that you may come to believe” by New American Bible. These renderings represent an attempt to carry through the force of the aorist subjunctive, which in the present context may have the meaning of “begin to believe.” That is, this verse is written as if 2.11 had not been included in the Gospel. Evidently, John is not so much concerned to show the development of the disciples’ faith as to indicate that this miracle was a means of initiating faith in their lives. For this reason the rendering of New English Bible, “it will be for your good and for the good of your faith,” appears not to carry through the force of the Greek aorist subjunctive.

In Greek there is no expressed object of the verb will believe, though it is obvious that Jesus is the intended object. Goodspeed renders this verb “believe in me,” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch is similar: “in this way you will learn to trust me.”

In some languages serious problems are involved in the first sentence of this verse. For your sake cannot be syntactically combined immediately with I am glad, but it is meaningfully associated with the entire expression which follows. Similarly the purpose, so you will believe, is not dependent solely on I was not with him. The belief of the disciples is dependent upon an implied miracle which is going to happen because of the fact that Jesus was not with Lazarus. In some languages the most appropriate way to combine these various concepts is to translate “but I am glad that I was not with him. Because of this you will learn to trust me. All this is for your benefit.”

Let us go to him may be rendered in some languages “We must now go to him.”

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 11:15

11:15a

and for your sake: This phrase means “for your benefit” or “for your good.” Jesus knew that he would best help his disciples to believe by raising Lazarus from the dead when he did.

I am glad: These words refer to Jesus being happy or content that he was not with Lazarus during his illness. He implied that if he had been there, he would have healed Lazarus because of sympathy. But now he had another chance to show the disciples his power.

I was not there: Jesus was glad that he was not at Lazarus’ home earlier. It may be natural to make it clear that Jesus was referring to being with Lazarus. For example:

I am glad that I was not with him (Good News Translation)

11:15b

so that: This phrase introduces a purpose. It is the purpose of either Lazarus’ death or Jesus’ not being in Bethany when Lazarus was sick. The two alternatives are related because Lazarus would not have died if Jesus were there. And there is a step that is implied, but not mentioned. Lazarus did not really die so that the disciples would believe, but Jesus raised him so that they would believe. Lazarus died (so that Jesus could raise him) so that the disciples would believe.

you may believe: The word you is plural and refers to the disciples. Jesus would increase their faith through Lazarus’ death and Jesus’ raising him to life. The disciples already believed in Jesus, so the idea here is that they believed more. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

you can grow in faith (God’s Word)
-or-
you will really believe (New Living Translation (2004))

11:15c

But: The word But in Greek indicates a contrast. The contrast is between Jesus not being with Lazarus earlier and going now to him.

let us go to him: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as let us go expresses a first-person plural command. See also 11:7. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

we (incl.) should/must go
-or-
come (plur.) with me

us: The pronoun us refers to Jesus and the disciples. It is inclusive.

to him: The word him refers to Lazarus. Consider how it is natural to refer to going to where a dead person is lying. However, Jesus talks about him as though he were still alive (or would be alive again soon). In some languages it may be natural to make the name explicit. For example:

to Lazarus (God’s Word)

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