complete verse (John 11:53)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 11:53:

  • Uma: “Beginning that day, the Yahudi rulers were of one intention to kill Yesus.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then from that day on, they planned that they would kill Isa.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And beginning with that day, the leaders were looking for a way so that they might kill Jesus.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And starting-from that day, the leaders of the Jews were searching for how they could have-Jesus -killed.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “From that day, they were then searching for how they could get Jesus killed.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “After this word, the Jewish leaders plotted to kill Jesus.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 11:53

From that day on refers to the time that Caiaphas spoke to the Jewish Council (verses 49-50). In order to make this fact explicit, it may be necessary, as in New American Bible, to indicate that verses 51-52 are a parenthetical statement by the author of the Gospel. Or one may introduce verse 53 by translating “So from the day that Caiaphas spoke to the Jewish Council, they made plans to kill Jesus.”

In Greek the Jewish authorities is literally “they,” while Jesus is literally “him.” Again Good News Translation makes pronominal references explicit.

Made plans to kill Jesus may be translated “were planning to kill Jesus” or “were planning how they could kill Jesus.”

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 11:53

Paragraph 11:53–54

This paragraph tells the Jewish leaders’ response to what Caiaphas said, and Jesus’ response to them.

11:53

So: The word So introduces the result of the council meeting. It also indicates a return to the main story. Some English translations, including Good News Translation and New Jerusalem Bible, do not translate this word. Indicate a result and a return to the main story in a way that is natural in your language.

from that day on: This phrase refers to the time that followed. In this context it means “after Caiaphas made that prophecy.” Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

from that time on (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
That day they started… (New Century Version)

they plotted to kill Him: This clause indicates that the Jewish authorities made plans to persuade the government to kill Jesus. They did not plan to kill Jesus themselves. They wanted the Roman authorities to punish Jesus with death. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

they plotted his death (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the Jewish leaders began to plot his Jesus’ death (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
they started planning to ⌊persuade the Romans to⌋ punish Jesus with death

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