Translation commentary on John 18:5

Jesus of Nazareth is the rendering of most translations, though some have “Jesus the Nazarene” (Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible). New American Bible has “Jesus the Nazorean,” with a note indicating that this is the form used in Matthew, in distinction from the form “Nazarene” in Mark. The Greek form used here is unusual, but according to Matthew 2.23, it was interpreted as meaning “from Nazareth.” In any case, to translate as “Nazorean” produces a zero term. It is best to go along with most translators and render of Nazareth. However, in order to designate a town from which a person comes, some languages use a descriptive phrase, “Jesus whose hometown is Nazareth” or “Jesus who comes from Nazareth” or “Jesus known as from Nazareth.” In other languages the name of the hometown is made a type of adjectival attributive, for example, “the Nazareth Jesus.”

In the Greek text they answered and he said come before the words they introduce. For stylistic reasons Good News Translation reverses this arrangement. He said is literally “he said to them.”

I am he (so most translations) appears as “I am Jesus” in one important Greek manuscript. Though it is possible that “Jesus” was omitted accidentally by some ancient scribe, the weight of textual evidence is strongly in support of the reading I am he, and it is followed by nearly all modern translations. However, it may be necessary to translate “I am Jesus” in some languages.

John states simply that Judas, the traitor, was standing there with them, without indicating that Judas identified Jesus by a kiss (contrast Mark 14.44-45). In John’s Gospel Jesus identifies himself and takes the initiative in giving himself up. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate clearly the reference of the pronoun them; for example, one may say “was standing there with the soldiers and guards.”

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 18:5

18:5a

Jesus of Nazareth: The guards indicated that they were looking for a man named Jesus who was from the village called Nazareth. Jesus was a common name among Jews of those days. The phrase of Nazareth indicates which Jesus they wanted—the Jesus who had grown up in the village called Nazareth. Here are other ways to translate their reply:

⌊We
(excl.) want⌋ ⌊to arrest⌋ Jesus ⌊who comes from the village⌋ of Nazareth.
-or-
Jesus who is from ⌊the village called⌋ Nazareth ⌊is the man we (excl.) are looking for.⌋

Nazareth: Nazareth was a small town in the province of Galilee. See how you referred to it in 1:45.

they answered: The pronoun they again refers to the group of soldiers and guards who came to arrest Jesus. Refer to them in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

The men replied

18:5b

I am He: Jesus indicated that he was the man whom the soldiers were looking for. Some also think that Jesus implied that he was God because God called himself “I am” in Exodus 3:14. (The word He here is only implied in the Greek.) The Greek text emphasizes the word I. Translate this clause in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

I am Jesus. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I am the man. (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

18:5c

And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them: This clause gives additional information about the scene in the garden at that time. Translate this clause in a way that is natural for supplying additional information about a situation. Some translations have placed it in parentheses. For example:

(Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.) (NET Bible)

His betrayer: This clause gives additional information about Judas. It identifies Judas as the disciple who helped Jesus’ enemies to capture him. It is the same expression that is used in 18:2. Translate it the same way in both verses. For example:

Judas, the one who turned against Jesus, (New Century Version)
-or-
Judas, who betrayed him, (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
the traitor (Good News Translation)

was standing there with them: This phrase implies that Judas had joined Jesus’ enemies.

them: This pronoun refers to the soldiers and police/guards. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:

was standing there with the soldiers and guards (TH)

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