Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding Jesus).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.
Here, the crowd (or individuals within the crowd) addresses Jesus with the formal pronoun, expressing respect.
Following are a number of back-translations of John 8:33:
Uma: “They retorted: ‘We(excl.) are the descendants of Abraham! We have never been slaves. Why do you (sing.) say that we (excl.) will be free?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “They answered, they said, ‘Oy, we (excl.) here are descendants of Ibrahim. We (excl.) have not been slaves of anybody. Why do you say that we (excl.) will be free from what enslaves us (excl.)?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And the leaders answered, ‘Our ancestor is Abraham, and we have never been a slave to anyone. Why is it that you say that we will be set free from slavery?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Whereupon they said, ‘We (excl.) are descendants of Abraham. We (excl.) have not been enslaved to even anyone. Why do you (sing.) say that we (excl.) will-be-set-free?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “‘We (excl.) are indeed descendants of Abraham,’ was the answer of those Judio, ‘and we are not aware that we have been enslaved by anyone. So why can you say we will be released?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “The people replied, ‘We are descendants of Abraham. And we never had those who bossed us. How come you say that we should be saved?'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Abraham” in English means “father of a multitude,” “father of mercy,” “father of many nations.” (Source: Cornwall / Smith 1997 )
In the vast majority of sign languages, including American Sign Language it is translated with the sign signifying “hold back arm” (referring to Genesis 22:12).
In Vietnamese (Hanoi) Sign Language it is translated with a sign for that demonstrates his new destiny. Previously, he had been called to wander from his home, and the name “Abram” reflected this movement (see here). The new sign name is in one location and stays there, showing Abraham will be given a land to call his own. At this time, Abraham was in the southern part of Canaan, which is shown on the base arm by the location near the elbow. (Source: The Vietnamese Sign Language translation team, VSLBT)
“Abraham” in Vietnamese Sign Language, source: SooSL
In Tira it is transliterated as Abaram. The choice of this, rather than the widely-known “Ibrahim,” as used in the Tira translation of the Qu’ran, was to offset it against the Muslim transliteration which originates from Arabic. (Source: J.A. Naudé, C.L. Miller Naudé, J.O. Obono in Acta Theologica 43/2, 2023, p. 129ff. )
Click or tap here to see two short video clips about Abraham (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).
Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.
Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.
One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morpheme are (され) is affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, iw-are-ru (言われる) or “say” is used.
In Greek this verse begins with “they answered him” which appears in Good News Translationthey answered. As in verse 19, the restructuring is for the sake of English style.
We are the descendants of Abraham (so most translations) is literally “We are Abraham’s seed.” Anchor Bible translates “descendant from Abraham.” It is true that the Greek word is singular (“seed”), and that in Galatians 3.16 Paul argues on the basis of the singular “seed” that Jesus is the only real descendant of Abraham. However, the singular “seed” is sometimes used collectively in the New Testament (see Rom 9.7; 2 Cor 11.22) with the meaning “descendants.” It seems oversubtle to indicate that John, like Paul in Galatians 3.16, is making a play on the singular “seed” to indicate that Jesus is the only true descendant of Abraham. We are the descendants of Abraham may be rendered “we are Abraham’s children” or “We have come from the lineage of Abraham” or “Abraham was our forefather.” In some languages “ancestor” is expressed as “the one who began our tribe” or “… clan.”
We have never been anybody’s slaves is taken by some commentators to suggest that these Jews are disclaiming that they have ever been in political subjection to any other people. This argument seems ridiculous, since the history of the Jewish nation would have been a flat denial of this affirmation, unless they interpreted political subjection not so much as a matter of their being slaves as of God’s punishing them for their sins. On the other hand, it is possible to understand their affirmation in reference to an assumed inner freedom. That is, though they had been enslaved by other nations at various times in their history, they had never really lost their freedom of soul and of life. Whatever the background of their affirmation, Jesus’ argument in the following verses indicates that the Jews were in fact “spiritual slaves,” since they were in slavery to sin (see verse 34), and once again his hearers miss the point of what he is saying.
In languages in which there is no technical term for “slave,” or in which such a term may be inappropriate, it is possible to say “we have never been completely dominated by anyone” or “no one has ever controlled us completely.” This meaning may even be expressed idiomatically as “we have never completely bowed our hearts to anyone” or “we have not made our hearts the slaves of anyone.”
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 .
We are Abraham’s descendants: The pronoun We is best treated as exclusive here. It is true that the speakers knew that Jesus was a son of Mary, and therefore a descendant of Abraham. However, they were not sure about his father. They spoke about themselves rather than him, as they responded to the “you” in the previous verse. (Jesus did not say, “the truth will make us (incl.) free.”) They said that as children of Israel they did not need to be set free. They believed that they were already spiritually free and that they belonged to God.
they answered: There are two ways to understand whom the pronoun they refers to here:
(1) It refers to Jesus’ opponents that have been the ones who talked to him in all of chapters 7 and 8.
(2) It refers to the Jews who believed in him in verses 30 and 31. That is the most recent plural noun that they could refer to.
Scholars are divided on the issue. Interpretation (2) appears to be a natural way to understand the pronoun. However, it seems more probable that they refers to Jesus’ opponents.
In verse 37, Jesus said that they were trying to kill him and that there was no place in them for his word. That does not sound like he was talking to the believers mentioned in 8:30–31. And in several places in John there are pronouns which refer to people not yet mentioned. Later, in verses 48 and 52, John identifies the ones who have been talking with Jesus. It is the same term that he uses for Jesus’ opponents.
When you translate the pronoun, it is recommended that you use the pronoun they as all English translations do. However, if you must make the pronoun clear, it is recommended that you refer to Jesus’ opponents.
8:33b
We have never been slaves to anyone: The Jewish speakers denied two things: they denied that they were slaves to anyone, and they denied that they had ever been slaves. Translate this as a statement that is emphasized. It is good to suggest a tone of anger. For example:
and have never been anyone’s slaves! (NET Bible Bible)
-or-
and we have never in our lives been any man’s slaves (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
slaves: This word refers to people who were owned by another person. They worked for their owner/master and did not receive wages. They had no rights of their own (or very few rights).
In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, the word for slave may imply different customs than in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, here are some ways to translate this word:
people who belonged to someone else
-or-
owned people
-or-
people who are forced to serve someone
Another way to translate this idea is to use a verb instead of a noun. (Actually, the Greek uses a verb form.) For example:
no one has ever forced us to serve them
8:33c
How can You say we will be set free?: This is a rhetorical question. They used it to criticize or rebuke. The speakers were upset that Jesus wanted to set them free. They considered that they were already spiritually free, that they already followed God in a good way. There are two ways to translate this rebuke:
• Use a rhetorical question. For example:
What do you mean, then, by saying, ‘You will be free’?” (Good News Translation)
-or-
How can you say that we shall be set free? (New International Version)
• Use a statement that criticizes or rebukes Jesus. For example:
It does not make sense to say that we can be set free.
Translate this rebuke in a way that is most natural in your language.
we will be set free: This refers to what Jesus had said in 8:32b, “The truth will make you free.” You should translate the expression as it is here, and not make it agree exactly with what Jesus originally said. The verb set free is passive, and there are at least two ways to translate it:
• Use a passive verb. For example:
you will be made free (New Revised Standard Version)
• Use an active verb. For example:
you will be free (Good News Translation)
General Comment on 8:33c
John 8:33c contains a direct quotation inside another direct quotation. The inner direct quotation is not an exact word-for-word report of what Jesus had said (in 8:32b). In some languages it is more natural to use an indirect quotation. The speakers will therefore refer to themselves as “we (excl.) ” rather than “you.” For example:
So why do you say we will be free? (New Century Version)
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