respectful form of "give" (kudasaru)

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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 to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, kudasaru (下さる), a respectful form of kureru (くれる) or “give” is used.

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

See also respectful form of “give” (tamawaru) and give (Japanese honorifics).

Translation commentary on John 17:12

As indicated in the footnote of Good News Translation, this verse presents the same textual problem as verse 11.

Except for the change of the imperative (keep them safe) to the indicative (I kept them safe), the first sentence of this verse repeats the thoughts of verse 11. I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me may be rendered “I kept them safe by your power, the power you gave me.”

The verb protected is the same one rendered keep in 12.25 and obey in 12.47, the only other two occurrences of the verb in John’s Gospel. Ordinarily protected would be considered a stronger term than keep … safe, but in the present context the two verbs are used synonymously, one reinforcing the other. The use of synonyms is characteristic of the Johannine style.

Was lost is the same verb rendered die in 3.16 and 10.28; in 12.25 it is used with the same meaning it has here. Because of the continuing relationship of Judas Iscariot to the developments described in Chapter 18, it may be necessary in some languages to use the perfect tense here, for example, “not one of them has been lost.”

The man who was bound to be lost (New American Bible “him who was destined to be lost”; New English Bible “the man who must be lost”; Jerusalem Bible “the one who chose to be lost”; Goodspeed “the one who was destined to be lost”) has been traditionally rendered “the son of perdition.” The word rendered “perdition” in many translations is a noun made from the same stem as the verb translated was lost in Good News Translation and most other translations. This word is frequently used in the New Testament of the final fate of those who are without God (see Matt 7.13; Acts 8.20; Rom 9.22; Phil 1.28; 3.19; 1 Tim 6.9; Heb 10.39; 2 Peter 2.1; 3.7; Rev 17.8,11). The phrase “son of (literally “man of”) perdition” means “one who is going to be lost (eternally).” The same expression appears in Thessalonians 2.3 and is rendered the … One … who is destined to hell in Good News Translation.

In English the form lost fits very well into this type of context, but in other languages a literal rendering may be misleading, since it might suggest that in some way or other Jesus had lost sight of Judas. A more appropriate equivalent in some languages is “has gone astray” or “has suffered ruin.” Accordingly, the phrase the man who was bound to be lost may be rendered “the man who would certainly go astray” or “the man for whom there was nothing else but to suffer ruin.”

That the scripture might come true is best taken as a reference to Psalm 41.10, referred to in 13.18. To show the relation of the clause that the scripture might come true to what has preceded, it may be necessary to add such a phrase as “all this had to happen so that the scripture might come true” or “… so that what is written in the scripture would prove to be true” or “… would tell it as it really turned out to be.”

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 17:12

17:12a

While I was with them: This clause refers to Jesus’ ministry on earth among his disciples. For example:

As long as I was with them (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
During my time here (New Living Translation (2004))

17:12b

I protected…them: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as protected is the same as in 17:11d. This clause says that Jesus had kept his disciples safe. See the note there and translate this word as you did there to show the connection. For example:

I kept them safe (Good News Translation)
-or-
I kept them in your name (English Standard Version)

preserved them: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as preserved in this context means the same as “protected” in 17:12b: “kept safe.” Repeating the idea emphasizes it. The same Greek word is also used in 12:25, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “keep.”

by Your name, the name You gave Me: The textual issue that was in 17:11e is also an issue here. Follow the same option here as you did there and translate this clause in the same or a similar way. For example:

in your name, the name you gave me
-or-
in the name that you gave me
-or-
in your name, ⌊the truth of who you are,⌋ that you have given me

17:12c

Not one of them has been lost: This clause indicates that Jesus kept all his disciples’ spiritual lives safe. None of them left or abandoned Christ, none of them stopped believing in God or in Christ. See 6:39 and the notes there. In some languages it may be natural to translate this clause as a positive statement. For example:

and only one of them, the one worthy of destruction, was lost (New Century Version)

has been lost: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has been lost refers to suffering eternal, spiritual death. Spiritual death is when a person is separated from God forever and punished (often translated “perish” in 3:16). See how you translated this verb in 3:16, 10:28, and especially 12:25.

This Greek verb is more literally “perished.” Here are other ways to translate this verb:

perished (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
died eternally

except the son of destruction: This clause gives an exception to the previous clause. One of the disciples was lost, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus to his enemies.

the son of destruction: This expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as the son of destruction is a figure of speech indicating that Judas had the character of one deserving destruction. Eternal destruction was suitable for his character and behavior and was its certain result. See 2 Thessalonians 2:3, which uses the same phrase. In your translation it is good to indicate that this man deserved the destruction/ruin that he would suffer. For example:

the one who had to be lost (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the one who deserves destruction
-or-
the one who would certainly be lost/destroyed

17:12d

so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: This clause means “so it would happen just as the Old Testament prophecies said.” The reference here may be to Psalm 41:9, as in John 13:18. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

and this was to fulfil the scriptures (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
for scripture has to be fulfilled (Revised English Bible)
-or-
So Scripture came true. (God’s Word)

so that: The connector that the Berean Standard Bible has translated as so that here could introduce a purpose, but probably introduces a result. It is probably the result of Judas being lost (rather than the result of Jesus guarding his disciples).

Scripture: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Scripture means “what is written” and refers to the Old Testament as a whole. See how you translated this word in 7:38, 42.

would be fulfilled: This phrase means “would happen.” What the Old Testament foretold (predicted) really happened. In this context the word would does not imply any doubt that it would happen. For example:

would come true (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
came true (God’s Word)
-or-
as the Scriptures foretold (New Living Translation (2004))

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