7:31a

Many in the crowd, however, believed in Him: Many people there in Jerusalem did believe in Jesus. The phrase believed in Him includes the idea of believing the facts about who Jesus was and what he did. But it also includes the idea of trusting Jesus instead of trusting oneself or someone else. Both ideas are very closely related. If someone believes the facts about Jesus, it should result in trusting him. See how you translated similar phrases in 1:12b and 7:5.

Here are other ways to translate this idea:

Many among the crowds at the Temple believed on him (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
A lot of people in the crowd put their faith in him (Contemporary English Version)

however: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as however here introduces a contrast with the people who tried to seize Jesus. A few English translations do not translate this word, but leave it implied. Here are other ways to translate this word that require placing it at the beginning of the verse:

Yet (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
But (New Century Version)

7:31b-c

When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?: This question gives the reason that many people believed that Jesus was the Messiah. He had done so many miracles that he must be the Messiah. But the question talks about Jesus and the Messiah as though they were different people. So if it is translated literally, it can be misunderstood to mean that Jesus was not the Messiah. You may need to make it clear that they believed that Jesus was the Messiah. For example:

and they said, “This man must be the Messiah. Because surely no one can do more amazing things than what he has done.”

7:31b

and said: These people were talking to one another about Jesus. The quotation that follows is an example of the kind of things they said. In some languages it may be natural to translate this phrase in this way:

They said to each other

When the Christ comes: This clause refers to time when the Messiah would come. The people who were speaking believed that Jesus was the Messiah. But they were speaking in a general way.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

When the Christ appears (English Standard Version)
-or-
When ⌊our (incl.)⌋ Chosen/Appointed Savior comes ⌊to us (incl.)⌋

the Christ: Jews used this title to refer to the person whom God appointed and promised to send as king and savior. The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew title “Messiah,” and the two words have the same meaning. See the note on 7:26c, and translate the Christ the same way in both verses.

7:31c

will He perform more signs than this man?: This is a rhetorical question. It implies the answer “no.” The people used it to make a strong statement, an exclamation. They were saying that the Messiah/Christ would certainly not do more signs than Jesus had done. In other words, Jesus’ signs showed that he was the Messiah.

There are two ways to translate this exclamation:

• Use a rhetorical question implying the answer “no.” For example:

would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
he will not do more miracles than this man has done, will he?

• Use a statement. For example:

he will certainly not do more miracles than this man has done!

Translate this rhetorical question in a way that is most natural in your language.

The conjunction than indicates comparison. The people compared the number of signs that Jesus had done with the number that the Messiah might do. They did not think that the Messiah would do more signs, so Jesus must be the Messiah. Translate this comparison in a way that is natural in your language. For example:

will he be superior to this Jesus in doing miracles?
-or-
will he do more miracles than the miracles of this man Jesus?

this man: The Greek pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this man refers to Jesus. In some languages it may be natural to make this explicit. For example:

this man ⌊Jesus⌋

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