Translation commentary on John 18:15

The identity of another disciple is disputed. Some have identified him with the other disciple (20.3), whom others further identify with the disciple whom Jesus loved (13.23). However, there is no firm basis for this identification, and it should not be used in translation. Some languages have two distinct terms for disciple, one of which is used in speaking of the twelve and another which designates a larger group of followers. Because another disciple is not identified as a member of the twelve, some translators prefer to use the second of these terms. However, only someone who had been present with Jesus in the garden would be likely to have followed him to the High Priest’s house after his arrest.

The Greek word gnōstos, rendered well known (Phillips “known personally to”; Moffatt, Goodspeed “an acquaintance of”; New English Bible “who was acquainted with”; Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible “who was known to”), is used in the Septuagint (note Psa 55.13, for example) to mean a “close friend.” If this disciple was a “close friend” of the High Priest, it is hard to identify him with the disciple whom Jesus loved (13.23; see the comment in the previous paragraph).

The Greek word aulē, rendered courtyard of the … house, also appears in the Synoptic accounts of Peter’s denial. There the word is used of the place where Peter was warming himself by the fire (Mark 14.54; Luke 22.55), which suggests a large enclosed space open to the sky. In John’s account, however, aulē occurs only in verse 15. The fact that the other disciple was admitted to aulē because he was well known to the High Priest and that Peter was admitted only after the other disciple … spoke to the girl at the gate (verse 16) suggests that John may understand aulē to mean a building rather than an open courtyard, which would not normally be so restricted. This explains the translation “palace” in Jerusalem Bible, Luther, and the note of New American Bible. However, most translations agree with the rendering of Good News Translation.

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 18:15

Section 18:15–18

Peter denied Jesus

This section reports that Peter secretly followed Jesus to the home of the high priest. There he denied that he was a disciple of Jesus.

Here are other possible section headings:

Peter denied being Jesus’ disciple
-or-
Peter denied knowing Jesus the first time
-or-
Peter said that he was not a follower of Jesus

Paragraph 18:15–17

Peter denied that he was one of Jesus’ disciples.

18:15a

Now: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now introduces background information about Simon Peter. It is not a time word. Introduce this new person in a way that is natural in your language.

Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus: Two of Jesus’ disciples followed the crowd that had arrested Jesus. One of them was Simon Peter. See how you spelled his name in 18:10.

another disciple: The author did not state who this other disciple was. He was probably one of the 12, but we do not know which one. Some scholars think that it was John himself, but this is not indicated. You should not supply a name for this man, but only indicate that he was one of Jesus’ disciples.

disciple: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as disciple refers to a “learner” who is in a special relationship with a teacher. Here the word refers specifically to followers of Jesus. See how you translated this word in 18:1.

18:15b

Since that disciple was known to the high priest: This clause begins to explain how Peter and the “other disciple” could follow Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest’s home. The high priest knew the second disciple, and probably the person guarding the gate in the wall knew him too.

Since: This word here introduces the reason why the other disciple was allowed into the courtyard. It means “because.” Here are other ways to translate this word:

Because (New International Version)
-or-
That other disciple was well known to the High Priest, so (Good News Translation)

that disciple was known to the high priest: The high priest and the second disciple knew one another personally. Perhaps they were not friends but could have just been acquainted with each other, knowing each other, but not well. They may have known each other in the way a wealthy man knows a salesperson. One ancient manuscript suggests that this disciple used to sell fish to the high priest’s household.

The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was known is a passive verb. Here are some ways to translate this verb:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

That other disciple was acquainted with the high priest (New Living Translation (2004))

• Use an active verb. For example:

The high priest knew that other disciple.

• Use a noun. For example:

That disciple was a friend of the high priest

that disciple: This phrase refers to the second unidentified disciple mentioned in 18:15a. Refer back to him in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

this disciple (New International Version)

the high priest: This phrase here probably refers to Annas. Even though the high priest Caiaphas was mentioned last (18:13) this part of the story happened at Annas’ house. This phrase refers to the leader of the priests. He was the most important (therefore high) priest. He was the president of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. See how you translated high priest in 18:13. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

the leader priest (Yakan Back Translation)
-or-
the highest priest (Kankanaey Back Translation)

18:15c

he also went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest: The high priest had a courtyard around his house and a wall around the courtyard. This wall had a gate. A servant, the gatekeeper, stood at the gate to allow some people to enter and to keep the others out. This servant let this disciple follow Jesus into the courtyard because the high priest (and apparently this servant) knew him.

he also went with Jesus: This unidentified disciple received permission to go with Jesus through the gate into the high priest’s courtyard. It was because the high priest knew him that he received this permission. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:

he ⌊was allowed⌋ to go/enter with Jesus
-or-
he ⌊was able⌋ to follow Jesus

into the courtyard of the high priest: In Jesus’ day the houses of wealthy people were surrounded by a wall. The area inside the wall but outside the house was called the courtyard. (Everything inside the wall could be called a “compound.”) The phrase the courtyard of the high priest refers to the area around the high priest’s house that was inside the wall. The phrase the high priest here continues to refer to Annas. However, it is likely that Annas shared his compound and courtyard with his son-in-law Caiaphas. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

into his compound/courtyard
-or-
into the open space around the house (Karikari Back translation)

General Comment on 18:15a–b

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 18:15a–b. You could say that the guard at the gate allowed the disciple to enter the courtyard before saying why. For example:

That disciple ⌊was allowed⌋ to go with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, because the high priest knew him.

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