Translation commentary on John 18:31

In Greek the pronoun you is emphatic, and so Good News Translation translates You yourselves (note Moffatt and Jerusalem Bible “Take him yourselves”).

The Greek expression “the Jews” is rendered they since they were mentioned only three verses earlier as the Jewish authorities in Good News Translation.

Try him according to your own law may be rendered “judge him according to your own laws” or “judge what should be done to him using your own laws to decide.”

In Matthew and Mark no clear indication is given why the Jews brought Jesus to Pilate, instead of putting him to death themselves for blasphemy, a religious crime which carried the death penalty. John tells us they brought Jesus to Pilate because they themselves did not have the authority to put a person to death. There is much controversy among biblical scholars as to whether the Jews at that time did in fact have the authority to inflict the death penalty, even on religious charges. But, even if the Roman government had given the Jews this authority, each case probably required the approval of the Roman government. The overall evidence suggests probably the Roman authorities guarded rather closely the matter of capital punishment, since the Jews might otherwise have put to death persons favorable to the Roman government.

The passive expression we are not allowed must be changed into an active form in some languages. An equivalent might be “The Roman government will not allow us,” but it is also possible to make this statement more specific by identifying Pilate as a representative of the Roman power, for example, “You Romans will not allow us” or “You Romans will not say to us, ‘You can put someone to death’ ” or “… You can try someone and put him to death.”

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 18:31

18:31a

You take Him and judge Him by your own law: The high priest and the council members did not tell Pilate that Jesus had disobeyed a Roman law. Pilate was only responsible for punishing those who disobeyed Roman law. If Jesus disobeyed a Jewish law, the high priest was the one who would punish him. So Pilate wants the Jews to take Jesus.

You take Him: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as You take Him indicates that Pilate wanted the Jewish authorities to take responsibility for Jesus. He wanted them to lead Jesus away as their prisoner. The Greek text emphasizes You. Here is a way to translate that emphasis:

Then you yourselves take him and try him according to your own law. (Good News Translation)

In some languages it may be necessary to say where Pilate wanted them to take Jesus. For example:

take him away (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Take/Lead him ⌊to your court/judge⌋

judge Him by your own law: Pilate said that the Jews should put Jesus on trial and punish him according to (based on) their own law. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

try him by your own law (Revised English Bible)
-or-
pass judgment on him according to your own law (NET Bible)
-or-
judge what should be done to him using your own laws to decide (TH)

your own law: This phrase refers to the laws of the Jews. Religious offenses could be judged by Jewish law. That law was based on the books of Moses, the first five books of the Old Testament. Because the law contained many laws, it may be natural to use a plural noun. For example:

your laws (Contemporary English Version)

Pilate told them: In the Greek there is a conjunction that is often translated as “so” or “therefore.” It shows that Pilate said this because of the Jewish leaders’ reply. The Berean Standard Bible and many other translations leave this implied. Translate this conjunction in whatever way is most natural in your language. For example:

So Pilate said to them (New American Standard Bible)
-or-

Then Pilate told them

18:31b

We are not permitted to execute anyone: The Jewish authorities were not permitted to punish anyone by killing them. The Roman government did not allow them to give the death penalty.

We are not permitted: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as We are not permitted is more literally “it is not permitted/lawful for us.” Roman law did not allow the Jews to execute (punish with death) anyone, at least without receiving special permission. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

We cannot legally put anyone to death (NET Bible)
-or-
But we are not allowed to put anyone to death (New Century Version)
-or-
Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-

⌊Rome⌋ does not allow us to punish anyone with death

We: This pronoun is exclusive here and refers to the Jews, but not to Pilate. Pilate was a Roman, not a Jew.

to execute anyone: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to execute means “to kill” but refers to the government right to kill criminals. For example:

to punish a person with death

the Jews replied: The Jewish authorities who had brought Jesus to Pilate now answered him. The Greek more literally says “the Jews said to him.” Refer to Pilate and Jesus’ accusers in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

The Jewish leaders replied (NET Bible)
-or-
The Jews said to him (English Standard Version)
-or-
The Jews answered him (God’s Word)

General Comment on 18:31b

In some languages it may be natural to make it explicit that the speakers were Jewish in what they said. Then they would say, “We Jews.” It may then be natural to leave it implicit in the quote introducer. For example:

⌊Jesus’ accusers/opponents⌋ said, “We (excl.) ⌊Jews⌋ are not permitted to execute anyone.”

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