SIL Translator’s Notes on John 13:33

13:33a

Little children: This phrase expresses Jesus’ love and concern for his disciples. In some languages a literal translation may indicate that Jesus was talking to children. It may be necessary to avoid this by using a different form of address. For example:

You my dear disciples (Western Bukidnon Manobo)
-or-
You whom I love dearly

I am with you only a little while longer: Jesus was referring to his death the next day and his ascension into heaven in less than two months. In some languages it may be natural to use future tense. For example:

I will be with you only a little longer (New International Version)

13:33b

You will look for Me: This clause indicates that the disciples would want to have Jesus with them after he went to heaven. But he will not be on earth with them anymore.

13:33c

and: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and here introduces something that contrasts with the expected result of the disciples’ looking for Jesus. It may therefore be natural to make the contrast more explicit. For example:

but (Good News Translation)

as I said to the Jews: Jesus reminded his listeners of what he said to the Jewish leaders in 8:21d. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

what I told the Jews (New Century Version)
-or-
the things/words I said/spoke to the Jewish leaders

the Jews: This phrase refers to same Jewish group as the same phrase in 8:22. There it seems to refer to the Pharisees, Jewish religious leaders. Use the same phrase that you used in 8:22. For example:

the Jewish leaders (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the Jewish authorities (Good News Translation)

so now I say to you: This clause refers to what Jesus would say next. Jesus would say the same thing to the disciples that he earlier said to the Jewish leaders. For example:

now I tell you the same (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I am now repeating to you

Jesus had not yet said this, so it may be natural to use a future tense verb. For example:

I will tell you the same thing
-or-
I will repeat to you

General Comment on 13:33c

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of the clauses in 13:33c. For example:

I tell you now what I told the Jewish authorities (Good News Translation)

13:33d

Where I am going, you cannot come: 13:33d is a direct quotation of Jesus’ own words in 8:21d. Because of that, Berean Standard Bible uses quotation marks to indicate that Jesus was quoting himself. In some languages it may be natural to not use quotation marks. For example:

And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
what I told the leaders of the Jews that you will not be able-to-go where I am going (Kankanaey Back Translation)

The Greek text emphasizes the pronouns I and you to contrast the two. Jesus will die and go to heaven, but the disciples will not be able to do the same, at least not yet.

Where I am going: This clause refers to Jesus dying and going to heaven.

you cannot come: The disciples could not die and go to heaven yet. Later they will be able to follow Jesus where he goes (see 13:36). This is different from the Jews in 8:21, who would die in their sins.

In some languages it may be natural to use a verb meaning “go” rather than come in this context. For example:

You cannot go (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 13:33d

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of the clauses in 13:33d. For example:

You cannot go where I am going. (Good News Translation)

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