Father (address for God)

The Greek that is translated with the capitalized “Father” in English when referring to God is translated in Highland Totonac with the regular word for (biological) father to which a suffix is added to indicate respect. The same also is used for “Lord” when referring to Jesus. (Source: Hermann Aschmann in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 171ff. )

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. In the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017, God the Father is addressed with mi-chichi (御父). This form has the “divine” honorific prefix mi– preceding the archaic honorific form chichi for “father.”

If, however, Jesus addresses his Father, he is using chichi-o (父を) which is also highly respectful but does not have the “divine” honorific. (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also Lord and my / our Father.

Translation commentary on John 16:27

The Father loves the disciples. Therefore Jesus will not have to petition him in their behalf. The Greek verb used here for love is phileō. In 14.21,23 the verb is agapaō, but the two verbs are used synonymously (see comments at 3.35)

He loves you because is literally “because.” Since Good News Translation breaks the sentence here, it reintroduces the verb loves, with the Father as the subject. In 14.21,23 the disciples are required to love Jesus and to obey his commands if they are to be loved by the Father. Here they are to love Jesus and to believe in him if they are to experience the Father’s love. These statements indicate that for John the concepts of love, obedience, and faith are simply different ways of expressing one’s relation to the Son. The verbs you love and have believed are in the perfect tense in Greek, indicating a continuous attitude of life. In the clause because you love me and have believed that I came from God, the pronouns you, me, and I are emphatic.

In place of the reading from God, there is strong textual support for the reading “from the Father,” but Goodspeed is apparently the only modern translation which follows this reading. The UBS Committee on the Greek text assumes that the phrase “from the Father” was brought into this verse on the basis of its presence in the following verse.

Since the Father has already been identified in the first part of verse 27 and is referred to by the definite pronoun He in the second clause, some confusion may arise from translating literally have believed that I came from God. This translation might give the impression that there is some distinction between the Father and God. In fact, in some languages it is obligatory to translate “and have believed that I came from him.” As elsewhere, it may be necessary to change the Father to “my Father.” Similarly, one may wish to change the Father in verse 28 to “my Father.”

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 16:27

16:27a

For the Father Himself loves you: This clause gives the reason that Christ would not need to ask God for the disciples. God loved them and so they could speak directly to him. The Greek text emphasizes the words the Father Himself, emphasizing that God the Father personally loves the disciples. Emphasize these words in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

for the Father loves you himself (Revised English Bible)
-or-
because the Father, ⌊yes, God the Father,⌋ loves you ⌊dearly⌋

the Father Himself: In some languages it is more natural to tell whose Father Jesus referred to. For example:

my Father himself

loves: This verb here refers to committing oneself to someone else’s welfare. God has chosen to always act to benefit and bless his people. He will answer their prayers.

16:27b

because you have loved Me: This clause gives the reason that God loved Jesus’ disciples: they loved Jesus. The Greek text emphasizes the pronouns you and Me. Because this is a long sentence, you may want to start a new sentence here. For example:

for the Father himself loves you. He loves you because you love me…. (Good News Translation)

you have loved Me: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as loved is the same as in 16:27a. The disciples had committed themselves to following and serving Jesus. They were loyal to him. There are some differences in the way that God loves his people and his people love Jesus. However, it is important to use the same or a similar/related expression so that your readers can see the connection.

you: This pronoun is plural and refers to the disciples.

have loved: The form of this verb in Greek indicates that the disciples continued to love Jesus. They did not just love him in the past. Use a verb tense that can refer to an action that began in the past and continues in the present.

16:27c

and have believed that I came from God: This expression gives the second reason God loved Jesus’ disciples. God loved them because they believed that Jesus was sent by God into the world.

have believed: The form of this Greek verb again refers to action that began in the past and continues in the present.

I came from God: This clause implies that God sent Jesus to earth as his representative. The Greek text emphasizes the word I. There is a textual issue here:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts have from God. For example:

I came from God (Good News Translation)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, English Standard Version, King James Version, New Revised Standard Version, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) Some Greek manuscripts have “from the Father.” For example:

I came from the Father (Revised Standard Version)

(New American Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), along with most English translations and the UBS Handbook Greek New Testament. However, there is much doubt about the original text, and God and “the Father” are both ways to refer to God. So you may want to follow a major-language translation here.

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