Translation commentary on John 4:46

The clause where he had turned the water into wine may cause difficulty in some languages because it reflects an activity prior to the time of the verb in the main clause. Since this clause is primarily explanatory or identificational, it may be translated as a parenthetical statement in some languages, for example, “(That is where Jesus earlier turned the water into wine)” or “(… caused the water to become wine).”

The word Good News Translation here translates government official is rendered in other translations in various ways. Revised Standard Version and Phillips render “an official”; Moffatt and New American Bible “a royal official”; Jerusalem Bible “a court official”; New English Bible “an officer in the royal service.” The word itself may denote either a person of royal blood or one in the service of a king. Most translations take it in the latter sense, which appears to be the meaning intended here. The man may have been a Gentile, and possibly a soldier, though doubtless there were many kinds of administrative officials in Capernaum. However, what is important for John is the fact that he is from Galilee, as opposed to Judea (or Jerusalem), the center of hostility against Jesus. Since Good News Translation identifies this person as a government official in the present verse, when the word is used again in verse 49, it is simply translated as the official.

In this account John uses three different Greek words to describe the son, and Good News Translation attempts to maintain the distinction between them in translation: son (huios, verses 46,47,50), child (paidion, verse 49), and boy (pais, verse 51). In other contexts the last word (pais) may mean “servant,” but here the meaning of boy is evidently intended.

Some receptor languages may present problems because of the locations in verses 46 and 47. The spatial adverb there can be misleading, since it may suggest that the government official was already in Cana. However, the demonstrative there should refer to Galilee. As indicated clearly in 47, the official went to Cana, presumably from Capernaum.

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 4:46

4:46a

So: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So indicates that the author is returning to the story. It means “therefore,” but you should use a word or phrase that indicates a return to the story. Or leave it untranslated if that is natural in your language. For example:

While Jesus was in Galilee, he returned to the village of Cana (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Jesus went again to visit Cana in Galilee where he had changed the water into wine. (New Century Version)
-or-
Now he came again to Cana in Galilee where he had made the water wine. (NET Bible)

He: The pronoun He refers to Jesus.

came to Cana in Galilee: Cana is a town in the area of Galilee. In some languages it is more natural to make this explicit. For example:

Jesus returned to ⌊the village of⌋ Cana in Galilee

where He had turned the water into wine: This refers back to the miracle that is described in 2:1–10. Refer back to this miracle in a way that is natural in your language.

turned…into: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as turned…into means to transform something or change something so that it becomes something else. Jesus took water and it became wine.

In some languages it is more natural to say this phrase a different way. For example:

where he had made the water wine (NET Bible)
-or-
caused the water to become wine

wine: The word wine refers to an alcoholic drink. It was the common drink during meals among the Jews of Jesus’ day. It is made from the juice of a fruit called grapes. When grape juice ferments, it becomes wine. Use the same term for wine both here and in 2:3a.

4:46b

And: This word just shows transition from Jesus coming into Cana to introducing a new person in the story. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally here as And is translated that way in several translations (King James Version, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version). Others (NET Bible, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, Revised English Bible) leave this word untranslated. Translate this transition in a way that is natural in your language.

there was a royal official: There are two ways to understand the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as there was :

(1) The Greek word means “there existed.” Therefore, it introduces a new person into the story. For example:

And there was a certain royal official (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible,New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) The Greek word means that the royal official was at a particular place. In that sense, it could be translated “was there.” For example:

An officer in the royal service was there (Revised English Bible)

(Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The author does introduce a new person here, so it is better to understand the word in that way. Introduce this new person in a way that is natural in your language.

royal official: This phrase probably refers to someone who served Herod Antipas, possibly a military officer. Herod was the tetrarch (ruler) of Galilee at that time, and was often called “the king.” He governed under the Roman emperor. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

One of the king’s important officers (New Century Version)
-or-
A man working for the Roman ruler

whose son lay sick: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translated as lay sick means to be sick or unwell. In some languages it is more natural not to mention that he was lying down. For example

his son was sick (New Century Version)
-or-
And there was a court official whose son was ill in Capernaum. (New Jerusalem Bible)

at Capernaum: This was a town near Cana in Galilee. In some languages it may be good to say explicitly:

in the town of Capernaum

General Comment on 4:46b

It is clear in the Greek text that the royal official’s son was in Capernaum. However, different English translations say different things about where the official was when Jesus arrived in Cana. There are three ways that translations talk about where the official was:

(1) The translation does not specify where the official was. For example:

And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. (New International Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, New International Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, TLV)

(2) The translation says that the royal official was in Capernaum. For example:

And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. (English Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)

(3) The translation says that the royal official was in Cana. For example:

Then Jesus went back to Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. A government official was there whose son was sick in Capernaum. (Good News Translation)

(Revised English Bible, Good News Translation, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and not specify where the official was. The Greek text does not clearly specify where the official was. If you must specify where the official was, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (2). Most translations that specify where he was follow that interpretation.

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