complete verse (John 7:53)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:53:

  • Uma: “[[After that, they went home, each going to his house.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then each one of them went home.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then each one of them went home,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Then they all went-home.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those people who had gathered all went home then.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Then each person went to his home.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 7:53

In the Greek text 7.53 and 8.1 form a single sentence; Good News Translation omits the verse number 53 and places both verses together under 8.1.

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 7:53

Section 7:53–8:11

Jesus protected a woman who committed adultery

The earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient documents do not contain this section, John 7:53–8:11. Some English translations, including the Good News Translation, put it in brackets or parentheses. Others, including the New International Version, put it in the text. However, they also say that it is almost certainly not part of the original text of John. Yet the passage is very old and may well contain a real narrative of an event in Jesus’ life.

All English translations include it in some way. So you should also include this section so that readers can learn it and refer to it. In addition to the above ways to include it, you can also put it in a footnote.

In this passage, some scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus who had been caught committing adultery. They said that the law commanded them to stone an adulterer to death and asked Jesus about it. Jesus said that the person who had no sin should throw the first stone. They all left except the woman, and Jesus told her that he did not condemn her and to not sin again.

Here are other possible section titles:

Jesus saved/defended a sinful woman
-or-
Jesus refused to condemn a sinful woman
-or-
A woman adulterer received forgiveness

Paragraph 7:53–8:2

This paragraph explains the setting of what happened next and introduces the next event in the story. It tells what Jesus did when his opponents tried to cause trouble for him.

7:53

Then each went to his own home: This clause concludes the narrative of what happened when Jewish authorities got together. They finished talking and everyone left.

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then introduces something that happened after the previous conversation. Some English translations translate it as “And” while others leave it implicit. Translate this conjunction in a way that is natural in your language.

each: This phrase means “all those present,” that is, all the chief priests, Pharisees, and temple police.

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