Yohanes 1:14

1:14 Now ¹  the Word became flesh ²  and took up residence ³  among us. We ⁴  saw his glory – the glory of the one and only, ⁵  full of grace and truth, who came from the Father.

Yohanes 1:18

1:18 No one has ever seen God. The only one, ⁶  himself God, who is in closest fellowship with ⁷  the Father, has made God ⁸  known. ⁹ 

Yohanes 2:16

2:16 To those who sold the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make ¹⁰  my Father’s house a marketplace!” ¹¹ 

Yohanes 3:35

3:35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. ¹² 

Yohanes 4:21

4:21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, ¹³  a time ¹⁴  is coming when you will worship ¹⁵  the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

Yohanes 4:23

4:23 But a time ¹⁶  is coming – and now is here ¹⁷  – when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks ¹⁸  such people to be ¹⁹  his worshipers. ²⁰ 

Yohanes 5:17-23

5:17 So he ²¹  told ²²  them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” ²³  5:18 For this reason the Jewish leaders ²⁴  were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God.

5:19 So Jesus answered them, ²⁵  “I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁶  the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, ²⁷  but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father ²⁸  does, the Son does likewise. ²⁹  5:20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does, and will show him greater deeds than these, so that you will be amazed. 5:21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, ³⁰  so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. ³¹  5:22 Furthermore, the Father does not judge ³²  anyone, but has assigned ³³  all judgment to the Son, 5:23 so that all people ³⁴  will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Yohanes 5:26

5:26 For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself,

Yohanes 5:36-37

5:36 “But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds ³⁵  that the Father has assigned me to complete – the deeds ³⁶  I am now doing – testify about me that the Father has sent me. 5:37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You people ³⁷  have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time, ³⁸ 

Yohanes 5:43

5:43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept ³⁹  me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept ⁴⁰  him.

Yohanes 5:45

5:45 “Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father. The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. ⁴¹ 

Yohanes 6:27

6:27 Do not work for the food that disappears, ⁴²  but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food ⁴³  which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.” ⁴⁴ 

Yohanes 6:32

6:32 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the solemn truth, ⁴⁵  it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but my Father is giving you the true bread from heaven.

Yohanes 6:37

6:37 Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never send away. ⁴⁶ 

Yohanes 6:44-46

6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, ⁴⁷  and I will raise him up at the last day. 6:45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ ⁴⁸  Everyone who hears and learns from the Father ⁴⁹  comes to me. 6:46 (Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God – he ⁵⁰  has seen the Father.) ⁵¹ 

Yohanes 6:57

6:57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who consumes ⁵²  me will live because of me.

Yohanes 8:16

8:16 But if I judge, my evaluation is accurate, ⁵³  because I am not alone when I judge, ⁵⁴  but I and the Father who sent me do so together. ⁵⁵ 

Yohanes 8:19

8:19 Then they began asking ⁵⁶  him, “Who is your father?” Jesus answered, “You do not know either me or my Father. If you knew me you would know my Father too.” ⁵⁷ 

Yohanes 8:27-28

8:27 (They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.) ⁵⁸ 

8:28 Then Jesus said, ⁵⁹  “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, ⁶⁰  and I do nothing on my own initiative, ⁶¹  but I speak just what the Father taught me. ⁶² 

Yohanes 8:38

8:38 I am telling you the things I have seen while with the ⁶³  Father; ⁶⁴  as for you, ⁶⁵  practice the things you have heard from the ⁶⁶  Father!”

Yohanes 8:42

8:42 Jesus replied, ⁶⁷  “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come from God and am now here. ⁶⁸  I ⁶⁹  have not come on my own initiative, ⁷⁰  but he ⁷¹  sent me.

Yohanes 8:49

8:49 Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon, ⁷²  but I honor my Father – and yet ⁷³  you dishonor me.

Yohanes 8:54

8:54 Jesus replied, ⁷⁴  “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless. ⁷⁵  The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people ⁷⁶  say, ‘He is our God.’

Yohanes 10:15

10:15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life ⁷⁷  for ⁷⁸  the sheep.

Yohanes 10:17-18

10:17 This is why the Father loves me ⁷⁹  – because I lay down my life, ⁸⁰  so that I may take it back again. 10:18 No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down ⁸¹  of my own free will. ⁸²  I have the authority ⁸³  to lay it down, and I have the authority ⁸⁴  to take it back again. This commandment ⁸⁵  I received from my Father.”

Yohanes 10:25

10:25 Jesus replied, ⁸⁶  “I told you and you do not believe. The deeds ⁸⁷  I do in my Father’s name testify about me.

Yohanes 10:29-30

10:29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, ⁸⁸  and no one can snatch ⁸⁹  them from my Father’s hand. 10:30 The Father and I ⁹⁰  are one.” ⁹¹ 

Yohanes 10:32

10:32 Jesus said to them, ⁹²  “I have shown you many good deeds ⁹³  from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?”

Yohanes 10:36-38

10:36 do you say about the one whom the Father set apart ⁹⁴  and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 10:37 If I do not perform ⁹⁵  the deeds ⁹⁶  of my Father, do not believe me. 10:38 But if I do them, even if you do not believe me, believe the deeds, ⁹⁷  so that you may come to know ⁹⁸  and understand that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.”

Yohanes 11:41

11:41 So they took away ⁹⁹  the stone. Jesus looked upward ¹⁰⁰  and said, “Father, I thank you that you have listened to me. ¹⁰¹ 

Yohanes 12:26-28

12:26 If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow ¹⁰²  me, and where I am, my servant will be too. ¹⁰³  If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

12:27 “Now my soul is greatly distressed. And what should I say? ‘Father, deliver me ¹⁰⁴  from this hour’? ¹⁰⁵  No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. ¹⁰⁶  12:28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, ¹⁰⁷  “I have glorified it, ¹⁰⁸  and I will glorify it ¹⁰⁹  again.”

Yohanes 12:49--13:1

12:49 For I have not spoken from my own authority, ¹¹⁰  but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me ¹¹¹  what I should say and what I should speak. 12:50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. ¹¹²  Thus the things I say, I say just as the Father has told me.” ¹¹³ 

Washing the Disciples’ Feet

13:1 Just before the Passover feast, Jesus knew that his time ¹¹⁴  had come to depart ¹¹⁵  from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end. ¹¹⁶ 

Yohanes 14:2

14:2 There are many dwelling places ¹¹⁷  in my Father’s house. ¹¹⁸  Otherwise, I would have told you, because ¹¹⁹  I am going away to make ready ¹²⁰  a place for you. ¹²¹ 

Yohanes 14:6-13

14:6 Jesus replied, ¹²²  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. ¹²³  No one comes to the Father except through me. 14:7 If you have known me, you will know my Father too. ¹²⁴  And from now on you do know him and have seen him.”

14:8 Philip said, ¹²⁵  “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be content.” ¹²⁶  14:9 Jesus replied, ¹²⁷  “Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known ¹²⁸  me, Philip? The person who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 14:10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? ¹²⁹  The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own initiative, ¹³⁰  but the Father residing in me performs ¹³¹  his miraculous deeds. ¹³²  14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me, but if you do not believe me, ¹³³  believe because of the miraculous deeds ¹³⁴  themselves. 14:12 I tell you the solemn truth, ¹³⁵  the person who believes in me will perform ¹³⁶  the miraculous deeds ¹³⁷  that I am doing, ¹³⁸  and will perform ¹³⁹  greater deeds ¹⁴⁰  than these, because I am going to the Father. 14:13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, ¹⁴¹  so that the Father may be glorified ¹⁴²  in the Son.

Yohanes 14:16

14:16 Then ¹⁴³  I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate ¹⁴⁴  to be with you forever –

Yohanes 14:20-21

14:20 You will know at that time ¹⁴⁵  that I am in my Father and you are in me and I am in you. 14:21 The person who has my commandments and obeys ¹⁴⁶  them is the one who loves me. ¹⁴⁷  The one ¹⁴⁸  who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal ¹⁴⁹  myself to him.”

Yohanes 14:23-24

14:23 Jesus replied, ¹⁵⁰  “If anyone loves me, he will obey ¹⁵¹  my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and take up residence with him. ¹⁵²  14:24 The person who does not love me does not obey ¹⁵³  my words. And the word ¹⁵⁴  you hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.

Yohanes 14:26

14:26 But the Advocate, ¹⁵⁵  the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you ¹⁵⁶  everything, ¹⁵⁷  and will cause you to remember everything ¹⁵⁸  I said to you.

Yohanes 14:28

14:28 You heard me say to you, ¹⁵⁹  ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad ¹⁶⁰  that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am. ¹⁶¹ 

Yohanes 14:31--15:1

14:31 but I am doing just what the Father commanded me, so that the world may know ¹⁶²  that I love the Father. ¹⁶³  Get up, let us go from here.” ¹⁶⁴ 

The Vine and the Branches

15:1 “I am the true vine ¹⁶⁵  and my Father is the gardener. ¹⁶⁶ 

Yohanes 15:8-10

15:8 My Father is honored ¹⁶⁷  by this, that ¹⁶⁸  you bear ¹⁶⁹  much fruit and show that you are ¹⁷⁰  my disciples.

15:9 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain ¹⁷¹  in my love. 15:10 If you obey ¹⁷²  my commandments, you will remain ¹⁷³  in my love, just as I have obeyed ¹⁷⁴  my Father’s commandments and remain ¹⁷⁵  in his love.

Yohanes 15:15-16

15:15 I no longer call you slaves, ¹⁷⁶  because the slave does not understand ¹⁷⁷  what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything ¹⁷⁸  I heard ¹⁷⁹  from my Father. 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you ¹⁸⁰  and appointed you to go and bear ¹⁸¹  fruit, fruit that remains, ¹⁸²  so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

Yohanes 15:23-24

15:23 The one who hates me hates my Father too. 15:24 If I had not performed ¹⁸³  among them the miraculous deeds ¹⁸⁴  that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. ¹⁸⁵  But now they have seen the deeds ¹⁸⁶  and have hated both me and my Father. ¹⁸⁷ 

Yohanes 15:26

15:26 When the Advocate ¹⁸⁸  comes, whom I will send you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he ¹⁸⁹  will testify about me,

Yohanes 16:3

16:3 They ¹⁹⁰  will do these things because they have not known the Father or me. ¹⁹¹ 

Yohanes 16:10

16:10 concerning righteousness, ¹⁹²  because ¹⁹³  I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer;

Yohanes 16:15

16:15 Everything that the Father has is mine; that is why I said the Spirit ¹⁹⁴  will receive from me what is mine ¹⁹⁵  and will tell it to you. ¹⁹⁶ 

Yohanes 16:17

16:17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What is the meaning of what he is saying, ¹⁹⁷  ‘In a little while you ¹⁹⁸  will not see me; again after a little while, you ¹⁹⁹  will see me,’ and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” ²⁰⁰ 

Yohanes 16:23

16:23 At that time ²⁰¹  you will ask me nothing. I tell you the solemn truth, ²⁰²  whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. ²⁰³ 

Yohanes 16:25-28

16:25 “I have told you these things in obscure figures of speech; ²⁰⁴  a time ²⁰⁵  is coming when I will no longer speak to you in obscure figures, but will tell you ²⁰⁶  plainly ²⁰⁷  about the Father. 16:26 At that time ²⁰⁸  you will ask in my name, and I do not say ²⁰⁹  that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 16:27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. ²¹⁰  16:28 I came from the Father and entered into the world, but in turn, ²¹¹  I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” ²¹² 

Yohanes 16:32

16:32 Look, a time ²¹³  is coming – and has come – when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, ²¹⁴  and I will be left alone. ²¹⁵  Yet ²¹⁶  I am not alone, because my Father ²¹⁷  is with me.

Yohanes 17:1

Jesus Prays for the Father to Glorify Him

17:1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he looked upward ²¹⁸  to heaven ²¹⁹  and said, “Father, the time ²²⁰  has come. Glorify your Son, so that your ²²¹  Son may glorify you –

Yohanes 17:5

17:5 And now, Father, glorify me at your side ²²²  with the glory I had with you before the world was created. ²²³ 

Yohanes 17:11

17:11 I ²²⁴  am no longer in the world, but ²²⁵  they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe ²²⁶  in your name ²²⁷  that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. ²²⁸ 

Yohanes 17:21

17:21 that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray ²²⁹  that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.

Yohanes 17:24-25

17:24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, ²³⁰  so that they can see my glory that you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world ²³¹ . 17:25 Righteous Father, even if the world does not know you, I know you, and these men ²³²  know that you sent me.

Yohanes 18:11

18:11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” ²³³ 

Yohanes 20:17

20:17 Jesus replied, ²³⁴  “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Yohanes 20:21

20:21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.”

[1:14]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic, the incarnation of the Word. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.

[1:14]  ² tn This looks at the Word incarnate in humility and weakness; the word σάρξ (sarx) does not carry overtones of sinfulness here as it frequently does in Pauline usage. See also John 3:6.

[1:14]  ³ tn Grk “and tabernacled.”

[1:14]  sn The Greek word translated took up residence (σκηνόω, skhnow) alludes to the OT tabernacle, where the Shekinah, the visible glory of God’s presence, resided. The author is suggesting that this glory can now be seen in Jesus (note the following verse). The verb used here may imply that the Shekinah glory that once was found in the tabernacle has taken up residence in the person of Jesus. Cf. also John 2:19-21. The Word became flesh. This verse constitutes the most concise statement of the incarnation in the New Testament. John 1:1 makes it clear that the Logos was fully God, but 1:14 makes it clear that he was also fully human. A Docetic interpretation is completely ruled out. Here for the first time the Logos of 1:1 is identified as Jesus of Nazareth – the two are one and the same. Thus this is the last time the word logos is used in the Fourth Gospel to refer to the second person of the Trinity. From here on it is Jesus of Nazareth who is the focus of John’s Gospel.

[1:14]  ⁴ tn Grk “and we saw.”

[1:14]  ⁵ tn Or “of the unique one.” Although this word is often translated “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [Luke 7:12, 9:38] or a daughter [Luke 8:42]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clem. 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac (Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant., 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God, Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John (1:14, 1:18, 3:16, and 3:18).

[1:18]  ⁶ tc The textual problem μονογενὴς θεός (monogenh" qeo", “the only God”) versus ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός (Jo monogenh" Juio", “the only son”) is a notoriously difficult one. Only one letter would have differentiated the readings in the mss, since both words would have been contracted as nomina sacra: thus qMs or uMs. Externally, there are several variants, but they can be grouped essentially by whether they read θεός or υἱός. The majority of mss, especially the later ones (A C³ Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat), read ὁ μονογενὴς υἱός. Ì⁷⁵ א¹ 33 pc have ὁ μονογενὴς θεός, while the anarthrous μονογενὴς θεός is found in Ì⁶⁶ א* B C* L pc. The articular θεός is almost certainly a scribal emendation to the anarthrous θεός, for θεός without the article is a much harder reading. The external evidence thus strongly supports μονογενὴς θεός. Internally, although υἱός fits the immediate context more readily, θεός is much more difficult. As well, θεός also explains the origin of the other reading (υἱός), because it is difficult to see why a scribe who found υἱός in the text he was copying would alter it to θεός. Scribes would naturally change the wording to υἱός however, since μονογενὴς υἱός is a uniquely Johannine christological title (cf. John 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). But θεός as the older and more difficult reading is preferred. As for translation, it makes the most sense to see the word θεός as in apposition to μονογενής, and the participle ὁ ὤν (Jo wn) as in apposition to θεός, giving in effect three descriptions of Jesus rather than only two. (B. D. Ehrman, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, 81, suggests that it is nearly impossible and completely unattested in the NT for an adjective followed immediately by a noun that agrees in gender, number, and case, to be a substantival adjective: “when is an adjective ever used substantivally when it immediately precedes a noun of the same inflection?” This, however, is an overstatement. First, as Ehrman admits, μονογενής in John 1:14 is substantival. And since it is an established usage for the adjective in this context, one might well expect that the author would continue to use the adjective substantivally four verses later. Indeed, μονογενής is already moving toward a crystallized substantival adjective in the NT [cf. Luke 9:38; Heb 11:17]; in patristic Greek, the process continued [cf. PGL 881 s.v. 7]. Second, there are several instances in the NT in which a substantival adjective is followed by a noun with which it has complete concord: cf., e.g., Rom 1:30; Gal 3:9; 1 Tim 1:9; 2 Pet 2:5.) The modern translations which best express this are the NEB (margin) and TEV. Several things should be noted: μονογενής alone, without υἱός, can mean “only son,” “unique son,” “unique one,” etc. (see 1:14). Furthermore, θεός is anarthrous. As such it carries qualitative force much like it does in 1:1c, where θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος (qeo" hn Jo logo") means “the Word was fully God” or “the Word was fully of the essence of deity.” Finally, ὁ ὤν occurs in Rev 1:4, 8; 4:8, 11:17; and 16:5, but even more significantly in the LXX of Exod 3:14. Putting all of this together leads to the translation given in the text.

[1:18]  tn Or “The unique one.” For the meaning of μονογενής (monogenh") see the note on “one and only” in 1:14.

[1:18]  ⁷ tn Grk “in the bosom of” (an idiom for closeness or nearness; cf. L&N 34.18; BDAG 556 s.v. κόλπος 1).

[1:18]  ⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:18]  ⁹ sn Has made God known. In this final verse of the prologue, the climactic and ultimate statement of the earthly career of the Logos, Jesus of Nazareth, is reached. The unique One (John 1:14), the One who has taken on human form and nature by becoming incarnate (became flesh, 1:14), who is himself fully God (the Word was God, 1:1c) and is to be identified with the ever-living One of the Old Testament revelation (Exod 3:14), who is in intimate relationship with the Father, this One and no other has fully revealed what God is like. As Jesus said to Philip in John 14:9, “The one who has seen me has seen the Father.”

[2:16]  ¹⁰ tn Or (perhaps) “Stop making.”

[2:16]  ¹¹ tn Or “a house of merchants” (an allusion to Zech 14:21).

[2:16]  sn A marketplace. Zech 14:20-21, in context, is clearly a picture of the messianic kingdom. The Hebrew word translated “Canaanite” may also be translated “merchant” or “trader.” Read in this light, Zech 14:21 states that there will be no merchant in the house of the Lord in that day (the day of the Lord, at the establishment of the messianic kingdom). And what would Jesus’ words (and actions) in cleansing the temple have suggested to the observers? That Jesus was fulfilling messianic expectations would have been obvious – especially to the disciples, who had just seen the miracle at Cana with all its messianic implications.

[3:35]  ¹² tn Grk “has given all things into his hand” (an idiom).

[4:21]  ¹³ sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions.

[4:21]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “an hour.”

[4:21]  ¹⁵ tn The verb is plural.

[4:23]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “an hour.”

[4:23]  ¹⁷ tn “Here” is not in the Greek text but is supplied to conform to contemporary English idiom.

[4:23]  ¹⁸ sn See also John 4:27.

[4:23]  ¹⁹ tn Or “as.” The object-complement construction implies either “as” or “to be.”

[4:23]  ²⁰ tn This is a double accusative construction of object and complement with τοιούτους (toioutous) as the object and the participle προσκυνοῦντας (proskunounta") as the complement.

[4:23]  sn The Father wants such people as his worshipers. Note how the woman has been concerned about where people ought to worship, while Jesus is concerned about who people ought to worship.

[5:17]  ²¹ tc ‡ Most witnesses (Ì⁶⁶ A D L Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï latt co) have ᾿Ιησοῦς (Ihsou", “Jesus”) here, while generally better witnesses (Ì⁷⁵ א B W {0141} 892 1241 pbo) lack the name. Although it is possible that Alexandrian scribes deleted the name due to proclivities to prune, this is not as likely as other witnesses adding it for clarification, especially since multiple strands of the Alexandrian text are represented in the shorter reading. NA²⁷ places the word in brackets, indicating some doubts as to authenticity.

[5:17]  ²² tn Grk “answered.”

[5:17]  ²³ sn “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” What is the significance of Jesus’ claim? A preliminary understanding can be obtained from John 5:18, noting the Jewish authorities’ response and the author’s comment. They sought to kill Jesus, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God. This must be seen in the context of the relation of God to the Sabbath rest. In the commandment (Exod 20:11) it is explained that “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth…and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Philo, based on the LXX translation of Exod 20:11, denied outright that God had ever ceased his creative activity. And when Rabban Gamaliel II, R. Joshua, R. Eleazar ben Azariah, and R. Akiba were in Rome, ca. a.d. 95, they gave as a rebuttal to sectarian arguments evidence that God might do as he willed in the world without breaking the Sabbath because the entire world was his private residence. So even the rabbis realized that God did not really cease to work on the Sabbath: Divine providence remained active on the Sabbath, otherwise, all nature and life would cease to exist. As regards men, divine activity was visible in two ways: Men were born and men died on the Sabbath. Since only God could give life and only God could deal with the fate of the dead in judgment, this meant God was active on the Sabbath. This seems to be the background for Jesus’ words in 5:17. He justified his work of healing on the Sabbath by reminding the Jewish authorities that they admitted God worked on the Sabbath. This explains the violence of the reaction. The Sabbath privilege was peculiar to God, and no one was equal to God. In claiming the right to work even as his Father worked, Jesus was claiming a divine prerogative. He was literally making himself equal to God, as 5:18 goes on to state explicitly for the benefit of the reader who might not have made the connection.

[5:18]  ²⁴ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.

[5:19]  ²⁵ tn Grk “answered and said to them.”

[5:19]  ²⁶ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[5:19]  ²⁷ tn Grk “nothing from himself.”

[5:19]  ²⁸ tn Grk “that one”; the referent (the Father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:19]  ²⁹ sn What works does the Son do likewise? The same that the Father does – and the same that the rabbis recognized as legitimate works of God on the Sabbath (see note on working in v. 17). (1) Jesus grants life (just as the Father grants life) on the Sabbath. But as the Father gives physical life on the Sabbath, so the Son grants spiritual life (John 5:21; note the “greater things” mentioned in v. 20). (2) Jesus judges (determines the destiny of people) on the Sabbath, just as the Father judges those who die on the Sabbath, because the Father has granted authority to the Son to judge (John 5:22-23). But this is not all. Not only has this power been granted to Jesus in the present; it will be his in the future as well. In v. 28 there is a reference not to spiritually dead (only) but also physically dead. At their resurrection they respond to the Son as well.

[5:21]  ³⁰ tn Grk “and makes them live.”

[5:21]  ³¹ tn Grk “the Son makes whomever he wants to live.”

[5:22]  ³² tn Or “condemn.”

[5:22]  ³³ tn Or “given,” or “handed over.”

[5:23]  ³⁴ tn Grk “all.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for stylistic reasons and for clarity (cf. KJV “all men”).

[5:36]  ³⁵ tn Or “works.”

[5:36]  ³⁶ tn Grk “complete, which I am now doing”; the referent of the relative pronoun has been specified by repeating “deeds” from the previous clause.

[5:37]  ³⁷ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to clarify that the following verbs (“heard,” “seen,” “have residing,” “do not believe”) are second person plural.

[5:37]  ³⁸ sn You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time. Compare Deut 4:12. Also see Deut 5:24 ff., where the Israelites begged to hear the voice no longer – their request (ironically) has by this time been granted. How ironic this would be if the feast is Pentecost, where by the 1st century a.d. the giving of the law at Sinai was being celebrated.

[5:43]  ³⁹ tn Or “you do not receive.”

[5:43]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “you will receive.”

[5:45]  ⁴¹ sn The final condemnation will come from Moses himself – again ironic, since Moses is the very one the Jewish authorities have trusted in (placed your hope). This is again ironic if it is occurring at Pentecost, which at this time was being celebrated as the occasion of the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai. There is evidence that some Jews of the 1st century looked on Moses as their intercessor at the final judgment (see W. A. Meeks, The Prophet King [NovTSup], 161). This would mean the statement Moses, in whom you have placed your hope should be taken literally and relates directly to Jesus’ statements about the final judgment in John 5:28-29.

[6:27]  ⁴² tn Or “perishes” (this might refer to spoiling, but is more focused on the temporary nature of this kind of food).

[6:27]  sn Do not work for the food that disappears. Note the wordplay on “work” here. This does not imply “working” for salvation, since the “work” is later explained (in John 6:29) as “to believe in the one whom he (the Father) sent.”

[6:27]  ⁴³ tn The referent (the food) has been specified for clarity by repeating the word “food” from the previous clause.

[6:27]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “on this one.”

[6:32]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[6:37]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “drive away”; Grk “cast out.”

[6:44]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “attracts him,” or “pulls him.” The word is used of pulling or dragging, often by force. It is even used once of magnetic attraction (A. Oepke, TDNT 2:503).

[6:44]  sn The Father who sent me draws him. The author never specifically explains what this “drawing” consists of. It is evidently some kind of attraction; whether it is binding and irresistible or not is not mentioned. But there does seem to be a parallel with 6:65, where Jesus says that no one is able to come to him unless the Father has allowed it. This apparently parallels the use of Isaiah by John to reflect the spiritual blindness of the Jewish leaders (see the quotations from Isaiah in John 9:41 and 12:39-40).

[6:45]  ⁴⁸ sn A quotation from Isa 54:13.

[6:45]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “listens to the Father and learns.”

[6:46]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “this one.”

[6:46]  ⁵¹ sn This is best taken as a parenthetical note by the author. Although some would attribute these words to Jesus himself, the switch from first person in Jesus’ preceding and following remarks to third person in v. 46 suggests that the author has added a clarifying comment here.

[6:57]  ⁵² tn Or “who chews”; Grk “who eats.” Here the translation “consumes” is more appropriate than simply “eats,” because it is the internalization of Jesus by the individual that is in view. On the alternation between ἐσθίω (esqiw, “eat,” v. 53) and τρώγω (trwgw, “eats,” vv. 54, 56, 58; “consumes,” v. 57) see the note on “eats” in v. 54.

[8:16]  ⁵³ tn Grk “my judgment is true.”

[8:16]  ⁵⁴ tn The phrase “when I judge” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the context.

[8:16]  ⁵⁵ tn The phrase “do so together” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the context.

[8:19]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “Then they were saying to him.” The imperfect verb has been translated with ingressive force here because of the introduction of a new line of questioning by the Pharisees. Jesus had just claimed his Father as a second witness; now his opponents want to know who his father is.

[8:19]  ⁵⁷ sn If you knew me you would know my Father too. Jesus’ reply is based on his identity with the Father (see also John 1:18; 14:9).

[8:27]  ⁵⁸ sn They did not understand…about his Father is a parenthetical note by the author. This type of comment, intended for the benefit of the reader, is typical of the “omniscient author” convention adopted by the author, who is writing from a postresurrection point of view. He writes with the benefit of later knowledge that those who originally heard Jesus’ words would not have had.

[8:28]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “Then Jesus said to them” (the words “to them” are not found in all mss).

[8:28]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “that I am.” See the note on this phrase in v. 24.

[8:28]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “I do nothing from myself.”

[8:28]  ⁶² tn Grk “but just as the Father taught me, these things I speak.”

[8:38]  ⁶³ tc The first person pronoun μου (mou, “my”) may be implied, especially if ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “your”) follows the second mention of “father” in this verse (as it does in the majority of mss); no doubt this implication gave rise to the reading μου found in most witnesses (א D Θ Ψ 0250 Ë^1,13 33 Ï it sy). No pronoun here is read by Ì^66,75 B C L 070 pc. This problem cannot be isolated from the second in the verse, however. See that discussion below.

[8:38]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “The things which I have seen with the Father I speak about.”

[8:38]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “and you.”

[8:38]  ⁶⁶ tc A few significant witnesses lack ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “your”) here (Ì^66,75 B L W 070 pc), while the majority have the pronoun (א C D Θ Ψ 0250 Ë^1,13 33 565 892 Ï al lat sy). However, these mss do not agree on the placement of the pronoun: τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν ποιεῖτε (tou patro" Jumwn poieite), τῷ πατρὶ ὑμῶν (tw patri Jumwn), and τῷ πατρὶ ὑμῶν ταῦτα (tw patri Jumwn tauta) all occur. If the pronoun is read, then the devil is in view and the text should be translated as “you are practicing the things you have heard from your father.” If it is not read, then the same Father mentioned in the first part of the verse is in view. In this case, ποιεῖτε should be taken as an imperative: “you [must] practice the things you have heard from the Father.” The omission is decidedly the harder reading, both because the contrast between God and the devil is now delayed until v. 41, and because ποιεῖτε could be read as an indicative, especially since the two clauses are joined by καί (kai, “and”). Thus, the pronoun looks to be a motivated reading. In light of the better external and internal evidence the omission is preferred.

[8:42]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”

[8:42]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “I came from God and have arrived.”

[8:42]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “For I.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.

[8:42]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “from myself.”

[8:42]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “that one” (referring to God).

[8:49]  ⁷² tn Grk “I do not have a demon.”

[8:49]  ⁷³ tn “Yet” is supplied to show the contrastive element present in the context.

[8:54]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[8:54]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “is nothing.”

[8:54]  ⁷⁶ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.

[10:15]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “I die willingly.”

[10:15]  ⁷⁸ tn Or “on behalf of” or “for the sake of.”

[10:17]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “Because of this the Father loves me.”

[10:17]  ⁸⁰ tn Or “die willingly.”

[10:18]  ⁸¹ tn Or “give it up.”

[10:18]  ⁸² tn Or “of my own accord.” “Of my own free will” is given by BDAG 321 s.v. ἐμαυτοῦ c.

[10:18]  ⁸³ tn Or “I have the right.”

[10:18]  ⁸⁴ tn Or “I have the right.”

[10:18]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “order.”

[10:25]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “answered them.”

[10:25]  ⁸⁷ tn Or “the works.”

[10:29]  ⁸⁸ tn Or “is superior to all.”

[10:29]  ⁸⁹ tn Or “no one can seize.”

[10:30]  ⁹⁰ tn Grk “I and the Father.” The order has been reversed to reflect English style.

[10:30]  ⁹¹ tn The phrase ἕν ἐσμεν ({en esmen) is a significant assertion with trinitarian implications. ἕν is neuter, not masculine, so the assertion is not that Jesus and the Father are one person, but one “thing.” Identity of the two persons is not what is asserted, but essential unity (unity of essence).

[10:32]  ⁹² tn Grk “Jesus answered them.”

[10:32]  ⁹³ tn Or “good works.”

[10:36]  ⁹⁴ tn Or “dedicated.”

[10:37]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “do.”

[10:37]  ⁹⁶ tn Or “works.”

[10:38]  ⁹⁷ tn Or “works.”

[10:38]  sn Jesus says that in the final analysis, the deeds he did should indicate whether he was truly from the Father. If the authorities could not believe in him, it would be better to believe in the deeds he did than not to believe at all.

[10:38]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “so that you may learn.”

[11:41]  ⁹⁹ tn Or “they removed.”

[11:41]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “lifted up his eyes above.”

[11:41]  ¹⁰¹ tn Or “that you have heard me.”

[12:26]  ¹⁰² tn As a third person imperative in Greek, ἀκολουθείτω (akolouqeitw) is usually translated “let him follow me.” This could be understood by the modern English reader as merely permissive, however (“he may follow me if he wishes”). In this context there is no permissive sense, but rather a command, so the translation “he must follow me” is preferred.

[12:26]  ¹⁰³ tn Grk “where I am, there my servant will be too.”

[12:27]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Or “save me.”

[12:27]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Or “this occasion.”

[12:27]  sn Father, deliver me from this hour. It is now clear that Jesus’ hour has come – the hour of his return to the Father through crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension (see 12:23). This will be reiterated in 13:1 and 17:1. Jesus states (employing words similar to those of Ps 6:4) that his soul is troubled. What shall his response to his imminent death be? A prayer to the Father to deliver him from that hour? No, because it is on account of this very hour that Jesus has come. His sacrificial death has always remained the primary purpose of his mission into the world. Now, faced with the completion of that mission, shall he ask the Father to spare him from it? The expected answer is no.

[12:27]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Or “this occasion.”

[12:28]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Or “from the sky” (see note on 1:32).

[12:28]  ¹⁰⁸ tn “It” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[12:28]  ¹⁰⁹ tn “It” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[12:49]  ¹¹⁰ tn Grk “I have not spoken from myself.”

[12:49]  ¹¹¹ tn Grk “has given me commandment.”

[12:50]  ¹¹² tn Or “his commandment results in eternal life.”

[12:50]  ¹¹³ tn Grk “The things I speak, just as the Father has spoken to me, thus I speak.”

[13:1]  ¹¹⁴ tn Grk “his hour.”

[13:1]  ¹¹⁵ tn Grk “that he should depart.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause in Koine Greek frequently encroached on the simple infinitive (for the sake of greater clarity).

[13:1]  ¹¹⁶ tn Or “he now loved them completely,” or “he now loved them to the uttermost” (see John 19:30). All of John 13:1 is a single sentence in Greek, although in English this would be unacceptably awkward. At the end of the verse the idiom εἰς τέλος (eis telos) was translated literally as “to the end” and the modern equivalents given in the note above, because there is an important lexical link between this passage and John 19:30, τετέλεσται (tetelestai, “It is ended”).

[13:1]  sn The full extent of Jesus’ love for his disciples is not merely seen in his humble service to them in washing their feet (the most common interpretation of the passage). The full extent of his love for them is demonstrated in his sacrificial death for them on the cross. The footwashing episode which follows then becomes a prophetic act, or acting out beforehand, of his upcoming death on their behalf. The message for the disciples was that they were to love one another not just in humble, self-effacing service, but were to be willing to die for one another. At least one of them got this message eventually, though none understood it at the time (see 1 John 3:16).

[14:2]  ¹¹⁷ tn Many interpreters have associated μοναί (monai) with an Aramaic word that can refer to a stopping place or resting place for a traveler on a journey. This is similar to one of the meanings the word can have in secular Greek (Pausanius 10.31.7). Origen understood the use here to refer to stations on the road to God. This may well have been the understanding of the Latin translators who translated μονή (monh) by mansio, a stopping place. The English translation “mansions” can be traced back to Tyndale, but in Middle English the word simply meant “a dwelling place” (not necessarily large or imposing) with no connotation of being temporary. The interpretation put forward by Origen would have been well suited to Gnosticism, where the soul in its ascent passes through stages during which it is gradually purified of all that is material and therefore evil. It is much more likely that the word μονή should be related to its cognate verb μένω (menw), which is frequently used in the Fourth Gospel to refer to the permanence of relationship between Jesus and the Father and/or Jesus and the believer. Thus the idea of a permanent dwelling place, rather than a temporary stopping place, would be in view. Luther’s translation of μοναί by Wohnungen is very accurate here, as it has the connotation of a permanent residence.

[14:2]  ¹¹⁸ sn Most interpreters have understood the reference to my Father’s house as a reference to heaven, and the dwelling places (μονή, monh) as the permanent residences of believers there. This seems consistent with the vocabulary and the context, where in v. 3 Jesus speaks of coming again to take the disciples to himself. However, the phrase in my Father’s house was used previously in the Fourth Gospel in 2:16 to refer to the temple in Jerusalem. The author in 2:19-22 then reinterpreted the temple as Jesus’ body, which was to be destroyed in death and then rebuilt in resurrection after three days. Even more suggestive is the statement by Jesus in 8:35, “Now the slave does not remain (μένω, menw) in the household forever, but the son remains (μένω) forever.” If in the imagery of the Fourth Gospel the phrase in my Father’s house is ultimately a reference to Jesus’ body, the relationship of μονή to μένω suggests the permanent relationship of the believer to Jesus and the Father as an adopted son who remains in the household forever. In this case the “dwelling place” is “in” Jesus himself, where he is, whether in heaven or on earth. The statement in v. 3, “I will come again and receive you to myself,” then refers not just to the parousia, but also to Jesus’ postresurrection return to the disciples in his glorified state, when by virtue of his death on their behalf they may enter into union with him and with the Father as adopted sons. Needless to say, this bears numerous similarities to Pauline theology, especially the concepts of adoption as sons and being “in Christ” which are prominent in passages like Eph 1. It is also important to note, however, the emphasis in the Fourth Gospel itself on the present reality of eternal life (John 5:24, 7:38-39, etc.) and the possibility of worshiping the Father “in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:21-24) in the present age. There is a sense in which it is possible to say that the future reality is present now. See further J. McCaffrey, The House With Many Rooms (AnBib 114).

[14:2]  ¹¹⁹ tc A number of important mss (Ì^66c א A B C* D K L W Ψ Ë¹³ 33 565 579 892 al lat) have ὅτι (Joti) here, while the majority lack it (Ì^66* C² Θ Ï). Should the ὅτι be included or omitted? The external evidence is significantly stronger for the longer reading. Most Alexandrian and Western mss favor inclusion (it is a little unusual for the Alexandrian to favor the longer reading), while most Byzantine mss favor omission (again, a little unusual). However, the reading of Ì^66*, which aligns with the Byzantine, needs to be given some value. At the same time, the scribe of this papyrus was known for freely omitting and adding words, and the fact that the ms was corrected discounts its testimony here. But because the shorter reading is out of character for the Byzantine text, the shorter reading (omitting the ὅτι) may well be authentic. Internally, the question comes down to whether the shorter reading is more difficult or not. And here, it loses the battle, for it seems to be a clarifying omission (so TCGNT 206). R. E. Brown is certainly right when he states: “all in all, the translation without ὅτι makes the best sense” (John [AB], 2:620). But this tacitly argues for the authenticity of the word. Thus, on both external and internal grounds, the ὅτι should be regarded as authentic.

[14:2]  tn If the ὅτι (Joti) is included (see tc above), there are no less than four possible translations for this sentence: The sentence could be either a question or a statement, and in addition the ὅτι could either indicate content or be causal. How does one determine the best translation? (1) A question here should probably be ruled out because it would imply a previous statement by Jesus that either there are many dwelling places in his Father’s house (if the ὅτι is causal) or he was going off to make a place ready for them (if the ὅτι indicates content). There is no indication anywhere in the Fourth Gospel that Jesus had made such statements prior to this time. So understanding the sentence as a statement is the best option. (2) A statement with ὅτι indicating content is understandable but contradictory. If there were no dwelling places, Jesus would have told them that he was going off to make dwelling places. But the following verse makes clear that Jesus’ departure is not hypothetical but real – he is really going away. So understanding the ὅτι with a causal nuance is the best option. (3) A statement with a causal ὅτι can be understood two ways: (a) “Otherwise I would have told you” is a parenthetical statement, and the ὅτι clause goes with the preceding “There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house.” This would be fairly awkward syntactically, however; it would be much more natural for the ὅτι clause to modify what directly preceded it. (b) “Otherwise I would have told you” is explained by Jesus’ statement that he is going to make ready a place. He makes a logical, necessary connection between his future departure and the reality of the dwelling places in his Father’s house. To sum up, all the possibilities for understanding the verse with the inclusion of ὅτι present some interpretive difficulties, but last option given seems best: “Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going to make ready a place.” Of all the options it provides the best logical flow of thought in the passage without making any apparent contradictions in the context.

[14:2]  ¹²⁰ tn Or “to prepare.”

[14:2]  ¹²¹ tn Or “If not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” What is the meaning of the last clause with or without the ὅτι? One of the questions that must be answered here is whether or not τόπος (topos) is to be equated with μονή (monh). In Rev 12:8 τόπος is used to refer to a place in heaven, which would suggest that the two are essentially equal here. Jesus is going ahead of believers to prepare a place for them, a permanent dwelling place in the Father’s house (see the note on this phrase in v. 2).

[14:6]  ¹²² tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”

[14:6]  ¹²³ tn Or “I am the way, even the truth and the life.”

[14:7]  ¹²⁴ tc There is a difficult textual problem here: The statement reads either “If you have known (ἐγνώκατε, egnwkate) me, you will know (γνώσεσθε, gnwsesqe) my Father” or “If you had really known (ἐγνώκειτε, egnwkeite) me, you would have known (ἐγνώκειτε ἄν or ἂν ἤδειτε [egnwkeite an or an hdeite]) my Father.” The division of the external evidence is difficult, but can be laid out as follows: The mss that have the perfect ἐγνώκατε in the protasis (Ì⁶⁶ [א D* W] 579 pc it) also have, for the most part, the future indicative γνώσεσθε in the apodosis (Ì⁶⁶ א D W [579] pc sa bo), rendering Jesus’ statement as a first-class condition. The mss that have the pluperfect ἐγνώκειτε in the protasis (A B C D¹ L Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï) also have, for the most part, a pluperfect in the apodosis (either ἂν ἤδειτε in B C* [L] Q Ψ 1 33 565 al, or ἐγνώκειτε ἄν in A C³ Θ Ë¹³ Ï), rendering Jesus’ statement a contrary-to-fact second-class condition. The external evidence slightly favors the first-class condition, since there is an Alexandrian-Western alliance supported by Ì⁶⁶. As well, the fact that the readings with a second-class condition utilize two different verbs with ἄν in different positions suggests that these readings are secondary. However, it could be argued that the second-class conditions are harder readings in that they speak negatively of the apostles (so K. Aland in TCGNT 207); in this case, the ἐγνώκειτε…ἐγνώκειτε ἄν reading should be given preference. Although a decision is difficult, the first-class condition is to be slightly preferred. In this case Jesus promises the disciples that, assuming they have known him, they will know the Father. Contextually this fits better with the following phrase (v. 7b) which asserts that “from the present time you know him and have seen him” (cf. John 1:18).

[14:8]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “said to him.”

[14:8]  ¹²⁶ tn Or “and that is enough for us.”

[14:9]  ¹²⁷ tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”

[14:9]  ¹²⁸ tn Or “recognized.”

[14:10]  ¹²⁹ tn The mutual interrelationship of the Father and the Son (ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἐν ἐμοί ἐστιν, egw en tw patri kai Jo pathr en emoi estin) is something that Jesus expected even his opponents to recognize (cf. John 10:38). The question Jesus asks of Philip (οὐ πιστεύεις, ou pisteuei") expects the answer “yes.” Note that the following statement is addressed to all the disciples, however, because the plural pronoun (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is used. Jesus says that his teaching (the words he spoke to them all) did not originate from himself, but the Father, who permanently remains (μένων, menwn) in relationship with Jesus, performs his works. One would have expected “speaks his words” here rather than “performs his works”; many of the church fathers (e.g., Augustine and Chrysostom) identified the two by saying that Jesus’ words were works. But there is an implicit contrast in the next verse between words and works, and v. 12 seems to demand that the works are real works, not just words. It is probably best to see the two terms as related but not identical; there is a progression in the idea here. Both Jesus’ words (recall the Samaritans’ response in John 4:42) and Jesus’ works are revelatory of who he is, but as the next verse indicates, works have greater confirmatory power than words.

[14:10]  ¹³⁰ tn Grk “I do not speak from myself.”

[14:10]  ¹³¹ tn Or “does.”

[14:10]  ¹³² tn Or “his mighty acts”; Grk “his works.”

[14:10]  sn Miraculous deeds is most likely a reference to the miraculous signs Jesus had performed, which he viewed as a manifestation of the mighty acts of God. Those he performed in the presence of the disciples served as a basis for faith (although a secondary basis to their personal relationship to him; see the following verse).

[14:11]  ¹³³ tn The phrase “but if you do not believe me” contains an ellipsis; the Greek text reads Grk “but if not.” The ellipsis has been filled out (“but if [you do] not [believe me]…”) for the benefit of the modern English reader.

[14:11]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “because of the works.”

[14:11]  sn In the context of a proof or basis for belief, Jesus is referring to the miraculous deeds (signs) he has performed in the presence of the disciples.

[14:12]  ¹³⁵ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[14:12]  ¹³⁶ tn Or “will do.”

[14:12]  ¹³⁷ tn Grk “the works.”

[14:12]  ¹³⁸ tn Or “that I do.”

[14:12]  sn See the note on miraculous deeds in v. 11.

[14:12]  ¹³⁹ tn Or “will do.”

[14:12]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “greater works.”

[14:12]  sn What are the greater deeds that Jesus speaks of, and how is this related to his going to the Father? It is clear from both John 7:39 and 16:7 that the Holy Spirit will not come until Jesus has departed. After Pentecost and the coming of the Spirit to indwell believers in a permanent relationship, believers would be empowered to perform even greater deeds than those Jesus did during his earthly ministry. When the early chapters of Acts are examined, it is clear that, from a numerical standpoint, the deeds of Peter and the other Apostles surpassed those of Jesus in a single day (the day of Pentecost). On that day more were added to the church than had become followers of Jesus during the entire three years of his earthly ministry. And the message went forth not just in Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, but to the farthest parts of the known world. This understanding of what Jesus meant by “greater deeds” is more probable than a reference to “more spectacular miracles.” Certainly miraculous deeds were performed by the apostles as recounted in Acts, but these do not appear to have surpassed the works of Jesus himself in either degree or number.

[14:13]  ¹⁴¹ tn Grk “And whatever you ask in my name, I will do it.”

[14:13]  ¹⁴² tn Or “may be praised” or “may be honored.”

[14:16]  ¹⁴³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to reflect the implied sequence in the discourse.

[14:16]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Or “Helper” or “Counselor”; Grk “Paraclete,” from the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklhto"). Finding an appropriate English translation for παράκλητος is a very difficult task. No single English word has exactly the same range of meaning as the Greek word. “Comforter,” used by some of the older English versions, appears to be as old as Wycliffe. But today it suggests a quilt or a sympathetic mourner at a funeral. “Counselor” is adequate, but too broad, in contexts like “marriage counselor” or “camp counselor.” “Helper” or “Assistant” could also be used, but could suggest a subordinate rank. “Advocate,” the word chosen for this translation, has more forensic overtones than the Greek word does, although in John 16:5-11 a forensic context is certainly present. Because an “advocate” is someone who “advocates” or supports a position or viewpoint and since this is what the Paraclete will do for the preaching of the disciples, it was selected in spite of the drawbacks.

[14:20]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “will know in that day.”

[14:20]  sn At that time could be a reference to the parousia (second coming of Christ). But the statement in 14:19, that the world will not see Jesus, does not fit. It is better to take this as the postresurrection appearances of Jesus to his disciples (which has the advantage of taking in a little while in v. 19 literally).

[14:21]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “keeps.”

[14:21]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “obeys them, that one is the one who loves me.”

[14:21]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Grk “And the one.” Here the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated to improve the English style.

[14:21]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Or “will disclose.”

[14:23]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Grk “answered and said to him.”

[14:23]  ¹⁵¹ tn Or “will keep.”

[14:23]  ¹⁵² tn Grk “we will come to him and will make our dwelling place with him.” The context here is individual rather than corporate indwelling, so the masculine singular pronoun has been retained throughout v. 23. It is important to note, however, that the pronoun is used generically here and refers equally to men, women, and children.

[14:24]  ¹⁵³ tn Or “does not keep.”

[14:24]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Or “the message.”

[14:26]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Or “Helper” or “Counselor”; Grk “Paraclete,” from the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklhto"). See the note on the word “Advocate” in v. 16 for a discussion of how this word is translated.

[14:26]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “that one will teach you.” The words “that one” have been omitted from the translation since they are redundant in English.

[14:26]  ¹⁵⁷ tn Grk “all things.”

[14:26]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Grk “all things.”

[14:28]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Or “You have heard that I said to you.”

[14:28]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Or “you would rejoice.”

[14:28]  ¹⁶¹ sn Jesus’ statement the Father is greater than I am has caused much christological and trinitarian debate. Although the Arians appealed to this text to justify their subordinationist Christology, it seems evident that by the fact Jesus compares himself to the Father, his divine nature is taken for granted. There have been two orthodox interpretations: (1) The Son is eternally generated while the Father is not: Origen, Tertullian, Athanasius, Hilary, etc. (2) As man the incarnate Son was less than the Father: Cyril of Alexandria, Ambrose, Augustine. In the context of the Fourth Gospel the second explanation seems more plausible. But why should the disciples have rejoiced? Because Jesus was on the way to the Father who would glorify him (cf. 17:4-5); his departure now signifies that the work the Father has given him is completed (cf. 19:30). Now Jesus will be glorified with that glory that he had with the Father before the world was (cf. 17:5). This should be a cause of rejoicing to the disciples because when Jesus is glorified he will glorify his disciples as well (17:22).

[14:31]  ¹⁶² tn Or “may learn.”

[14:31]  ¹⁶³ tn Grk “But so that the world may know that I love the Father, and just as the Father commanded me, thus I do.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation to conform to contemporary English style.

[14:31]  ¹⁶⁴ sn Some have understood Jesus’ statement Get up, let us go from here to mean that at this point Jesus and the disciples got up and left the room where the meal was served and began the journey to the garden of Gethsemane. If so, the rest of the Farewell Discourse took place en route. Others have pointed to this statement as one of the “seams” in the discourse, indicating that the author used preexisting sources. Both explanations are possible, but not really necessary. Jesus could simply have stood up at this point (the disciples may or may not have stood with him) to finish the discourse before finally departing (in 18:1). In any case it may be argued that Jesus refers not to a literal departure at this point, but to preparing to meet the enemy who is on the way already in the person of Judas and the soldiers with him.

[15:1]  ¹⁶⁵ sn I am the true vine. There are numerous OT passages which refer to Israel as a vine: Ps 80:8-16, Isa 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Ezek 15:1-8, 17:5-10, 19:10-14, and Hos 10:1. The vine became symbolic of Israel, and even appeared on some coins issued by the Maccabees. The OT passages which use this symbol appear to regard Israel as faithless to Yahweh (typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT) and/or the object of severe punishment. Ezek 15:1-8 in particular talks about the worthlessness of wood from a vine (in relation to disobedient Judah). A branch cut from a vine is worthless except to be burned as fuel. This fits more with the statements about the disciples (John 15:6) than with Jesus’ description of himself as the vine. Ezek 17:5-10 contains vine imagery which refers to a king of the house of David, Zedekiah, who was set up as king in Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah allied himself to Egypt and broke his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar (and therefore also with God), which would ultimately result in his downfall (17:20-21). Ezek 17:22-24 then describes the planting of a cedar sprig which grows into a lofty tree, a figurative description of Messiah. But it is significant that Messiah himself is not described in Ezek 17 as a vine, but as a cedar tree. The vine imagery here applies to Zedekiah’s disobedience. Jesus’ description of himself as the true vine in John 15:1 ff. is to be seen against this background, but it differs significantly from the imagery surveyed above. It represents new imagery which differs significantly from OT concepts; it appears to be original with Jesus. The imagery of the vine underscores the importance of fruitfulness in the Christian life and the truth that this results not from human achievement, but from one’s position in Christ. Jesus is not just giving some comforting advice, but portraying to the disciples the difficult path of faithful service. To some degree the figure is similar to the head-body metaphor used by Paul, with Christ as head and believers as members of the body. Both metaphors bring out the vital and necessary connection which exists between Christ and believers.

[15:1]  ¹⁶⁶ tn Or “the farmer.”

[15:8]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Grk “glorified.”

[15:8]  ¹⁶⁸ tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause is best taken as substantival in apposition to ἐν τούτῳ (en toutw) at the beginning of the verse. The Father is glorified when the disciples bring forth abundant fruit. Just as Jesus has done the works which he has seen his Father doing (5:19-29) so also will his disciples.

[15:8]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Or “yield.”

[15:8]  ¹⁷⁰ tc Most mss (א A Ψ Ë¹³ 33 Ï) read the future indicative γενήσεσθε (genhsesqe; perhaps best rendered as “[and show that] you will become”), while some early and good witnesses (Ì^66vid B D L Θ 0250 1 565 al) have the aorist subjunctive γένησθε (genhsqe; “[and show that] you are”). The original reading is difficult to determine because the external evidence is fairly evenly divided. On the basis of the external evidence alone the first reading has some credibility because of א and 33, but it is not enough to overthrow the Alexandrian and Western witnesses for the aorist. Some who accept the future indicative see a consecutive (or resultative) sequence between φέρητε (ferhte) in the ἵνα (Jina) clause and γενήσεσθε, so that the disciples’ bearing much fruit results in their becoming disciples. This alleviates the problem of reading a future indicative within a ἵνα clause (a grammatical solecism that is virtually unattested in Attic Greek), although such infrequently occurs in the NT, particularly in the Apocalypse (cf. Gal 2:4; Rev 3:9; 6:4, 11; 8:3; 9:4, 5, 20; 13:12; 14:13; 22:14; even here, however, the Byzantine mss, with א occasionally by their side, almost always change the future indicative to an aorist subjunctive). It seems more likely, however, that the second verb (regardless of whether it is read as aorist or future) is to be understood as coordinate in meaning with the previous verb φέρητε (So M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek §342). Thus the two actions are really one and the same: Bearing fruit and being Jesus’ disciple are not two different actions, but a single action. The first is the outward sign or proof of the second – in bearing fruit the disciples show themselves to be disciples indeed (cf. 15:5). Thus the translation followed here is, “that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples.” As far as the textual reading is concerned, it appears somewhat preferable to accept the aorist subjunctive reading (γένησθε) on the basis of better external testimony.

[15:9]  ¹⁷¹ tn Or “reside.”

[15:10]  ¹⁷² tn Or “keep.”

[15:10]  ¹⁷³ tn Or “reside.”

[15:10]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Or “kept.”

[15:10]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Or “reside.”

[15:15]  ¹⁷⁶ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[15:15]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Or “does not know.”

[15:15]  ¹⁷⁸ tn Grk “all things.”

[15:15]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Or “learned.”

[15:16]  ¹⁸⁰ sn You did not choose me, but I chose you. If the disciples are now elevated in status from slaves to friends, they are friends who have been chosen by Jesus, rather than the opposite way round. Again this is true of all Christians, not just the twelve, and the theme that Christians are “chosen” by God appears frequently in other NT texts (e.g., Rom 8:33; Eph 1:4ff.; Col 3:12; and 1 Pet 2:4). Putting this together with the comments on 15:14 one may ask whether the author sees any special significance at all for the twelve. Jesus said in John 6:70 and 13:18 that he chose them, and 15:27 makes clear that Jesus in the immediate context is addressing those who have been with him from the beginning. In the Fourth Gospel the twelve, as the most intimate and most committed followers of Jesus, are presented as the models for all Christians, both in terms of their election and in terms of their mission.

[15:16]  ¹⁸¹ tn Or “and yield.”

[15:16]  ¹⁸² sn The purpose for which the disciples were appointed (“commissioned”) is to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains. The introduction of the idea of “going” at this point suggests that the fruit is something more than just character qualities in the disciples’ own lives, but rather involves fruit in the lives of others, i.e., Christian converts. There is a mission involved (cf. John 4:36). The idea that their fruit is permanent, however, relates back to vv. 7-8, as does the reference to asking the Father in Jesus’ name. It appears that as the imagery of the vine and the branches develops, the “fruit” which the branches produce shifts in emphasis from qualities in the disciples’ own lives in John 15:2, 4, 5 to the idea of a mission which affects the lives of others in John 15:16. The point of transition would be the reference to fruit in 15:8.

[15:24]  ¹⁸³ tn Or “If I had not done.”

[15:24]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Grk “the works.”

[15:24]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Grk “they would not have sin” (an idiom).

[15:24]  ¹⁸⁶ tn The words “the deeds” are supplied to clarify from context what was seen. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.

[15:24]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Or “But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.” It is possible to understand both the “seeing” and the “hating” to refer to both Jesus and the Father, but this has the world “seeing” the Father, which seems alien to the Johannine Jesus. (Some point out John 14:9 as an example, but this is addressed to the disciples, not to the world.) It is more likely that the “seeing” refers to the miraculous deeds mentioned in the first half of the verse. Such an understanding of the first “both – and” construction is apparently supported by BDF §444.3.

[15:26]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Or “Helper” or “Counselor”; Grk “Paraclete,” from the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklhto"). See the note on the word “Advocate” in John 14:16 for discussion of how this word is translated.

[15:26]  ¹⁸⁹ tn Grk “that one.”

[16:3]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Grk “And they.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[16:3]  ¹⁹¹ sn Ignorance of Jesus and ignorance of the Father are also linked in 8:19; to know Jesus would be to know the Father also, but since the world does not know Jesus, neither does it know his Father. The world’s ignorance of the Father is also mentioned in 8:55, 15:21, and 17:25.

[16:10]  ¹⁹² tn There are two questions that need to be answered: (1) what is the meaning of δικαιοσύνη (dikaiosunh) in this context, and (2) to whom does it pertain – to the world, or to someone else? (1) The word δικαιοσύνη occurs in the Gospel of John only here and in v. 8. It is often assumed that it refers to forensic justification, as it does so often in Paul’s writings. Thus the answer to question (2) would be that it refers to the world. L. Morris states, “The Spirit shows men (and no-one else can do this) that their righteousness before God depends not on their own efforts but on Christ’s atoning work for them” (John [NICNT], 699). Since the word occurs so infrequently in the Fourth Gospel, however, the context must be examined very carefully. The ὅτι (Joti) clause which follows provides an important clue: The righteousness in view here has to do with Jesus’ return to the Father and his absence from the disciples. It is true that in the Fourth Gospel part of what is involved in Jesus’ return to the Father is the cross, and it is through his substitutionary death that people are justified, so that Morris’ understanding of righteousness here is possible. But more basic than this is the idea that Jesus’ return to the Father constitutes his own δικαιοσύνη in the sense of vindication rather than forensic justification. Jesus had repeatedly claimed oneness with the Father, and his opponents had repeatedly rejected this and labeled him a deceiver, a sinner, and a blasphemer (John 5:18, 7:12, 9:24, 10:33, etc.). But Jesus, by his glorification through his return to the Father, is vindicated in his claims in spite of his opponents. In his vindication his followers are also vindicated as well, but their vindication derives from his. Thus one would answer question (1) by saying that in context δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosunh") refers not to forensic justification but vindication, and question (2) by referring this justification/vindication not to the world or even to Christians directly, but to Jesus himself. Finally, how does Jesus’ last statement in v. 10, that the disciples will see him no more, contribute to this? It is probably best taken as a reference to the presence of the Spirit-Paraclete, who cannot come until Jesus has departed (16:7). The meaning of v. 10 is thus: When the Spirit-Paraclete comes he will prove the world wrong concerning the subject of righteousness, namely, Jesus’ righteousness which is demonstrated when he is glorified in his return to the Father and the disciples see him no more (but they will have instead the presence of the Spirit-Paraclete, whom the world is not able to receive).

[16:10]  ¹⁹³ tn Or “that.”

[16:15]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Grk “I said he”; the referent (the Spirit) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:15]  ¹⁹⁵ tn The words “what is mine” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[16:15]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Or “will announce it to you.”

[16:17]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “What is this that he is saying to us.”

[16:17]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “A little while, and you.”

[16:17]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Grk “and again a little while, and you.”

[16:17]  ²⁰⁰ sn These fragmentary quotations of Jesus’ statements are from 16:16 and 16:10, and indicate that the disciples heard only part of what Jesus had to say to them on this occasion.

[16:23]  ²⁰¹ tn Grk “And in that day.”

[16:23]  ²⁰² tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[16:23]  ²⁰³ sn This statement is also found in John 15:16.

[16:25]  ²⁰⁴ tn Or “in parables”; or “in metaphors.” There is some difficulty in defining παροιμίαις (paroimiai") precisely: A translation like “parables” does not convey accurately the meaning. BDAG 779-80 s.v. παροιμία suggests in general “proverb, saw, maxim,” but for Johannine usage “veiled saying, figure of speech, in which esp. lofty ideas are concealed.” In the preceding context of the Farewell Discourse, Jesus has certainly used obscure language and imagery at times: John 13:8-11; 13:16; 15:1-17; and 16:21 could all be given as examples. In the LXX this word is used to translate the Hebrew mashal which covers a wide range of figurative speech, often containing obscure or enigmatic elements.

[16:25]  ²⁰⁵ tn Grk “an hour.”

[16:25]  ²⁰⁶ tn Or “inform you.”

[16:25]  ²⁰⁷ tn Or “openly.”

[16:26]  ²⁰⁸ tn Grk “In that day.”

[16:26]  ²⁰⁹ tn Grk “I do not say to you.”

[16:27]  ²¹⁰ tc A number of early mss (א¹ B C* D L pc co) read πατρός (patros, “Father”) here instead of θεοῦ (qeou, “God”; found in Ì⁵ א*^,2 A C³ W Θ Ψ 33 Ë^1,13 Ï). Although externally πατρός has relatively strong support, it is evidently an assimilation to “I came from the Father” at the beginning of v. 28, or more generally to the consistent mention of God as Father throughout this chapter (πατήρ [pathr, “Father”] occurs eleven times in this chapter, while θεός [qeos, “God”] occurs only two other times [16:2, 30]).

[16:28]  ²¹¹ tn Or “into the world; again.” Here πάλιν (palin) functions as a marker of contrast, with the implication of a sequence.

[16:28]  ²¹² sn The statement I am leaving the world and going to the Father is a summary of the entire Gospel of John. It summarizes the earthly career of the Word made flesh, Jesus of Nazareth, on his mission from the Father to be the Savior of the world, beginning with his entry into the world as he came forth from God and concluding with his departure from the world as he returned to the Father.

[16:32]  ²¹³ tn Grk “an hour.”

[16:32]  ²¹⁴ tn Grk “each one to his own”; the word “home” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The phrase “each one to his own” may be completed in a number of different ways: “each one to his own property”; “each one to his own family”; or “each one to his own home.” The last option seems to fit most easily into the context and so is used in the translation.

[16:32]  ²¹⁵ sn The proof of Jesus’ negative evaluation of the disciples’ faith is now given: Jesus foretells their abandonment of him at his arrest, trials, and crucifixion (I will be left alone). This parallels the synoptic accounts in Matt 26:31 and Mark 14:27 when Jesus, after the last supper and on the way to Gethsemane, foretold the desertion of the disciples as a fulfillment of Zech 13:7: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” Yet although the disciples would abandon Jesus, he reaffirmed that he was not alone, because the Father was still with him.

[16:32]  ²¹⁶ tn Grk “And” (but with some contrastive force).

[16:32]  ²¹⁷ tn Grk “the Father.”

[17:1]  ²¹⁸ tn Grk “he raised his eyes” (an idiom).

[17:1]  sn Jesus also looked upward before his prayer in John 11:41. This was probably a common posture in prayer. According to the parable in Luke 18:13 the tax collector did not feel himself worthy to do this.

[17:1]  ²¹⁹ tn Or “to the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.

[17:1]  ²²⁰ tn Grk “the hour.”

[17:1]  sn The time has come. Jesus has said before that his “hour” had come, both in 12:23 when some Greeks sought to speak with him, and in 13:1 where just before he washed the disciples’ feet. It appears best to understand the “hour” as a period of time starting at the end of Jesus’ public ministry and extending through the passion week, ending with Jesus’ return to the Father through death, resurrection, and exaltation. The “hour” begins as soon as the first events occur which begin the process that leads to Jesus’ death.

[17:1]  ²²¹ tc The better witnesses (א B C* W 0109 0301) have “the Son” (ὁ υἱός, Jo Juios) here, while the majority (C³ L Ψ Ë¹³ 33 Ï) read “your Son also” (καὶ ὁ υἱὸς σου, kai Jo Juio" sou), or “your Son” (ὁ υἱὸς σου; A D Θ 0250 1 579 pc lat sy); the second corrector of C has καὶ ὁ υἱός (“the Son also”). The longer readings appear to be predictable scribal expansions and as such should be considered secondary.

[17:1]  tn Grk “the Son”; “your” has been added here for English stylistic reasons.

[17:5]  ²²² tn Or “in your presence”; Grk “with yourself.” The use of παρά (para) twice in this verse looks back to the assertion in John 1:1 that the Word (the Λόγος [Logos], who became Jesus of Nazareth in 1:14) was with God (πρὸς τὸν θεόν, pro" ton qeon). Whatever else may be said, the statement in 17:5 strongly asserts the preexistence of Jesus Christ.

[17:5]  ²²³ tn Grk “before the world was.” The word “created” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[17:5]  sn It is important to note that although Jesus prayed for a return to the glory he had at the Father’s side before the world was created, he was not praying for a “de-incarnation.” His humanity which he took on at the incarnation (John 1:14) remains, though now glorified.

[17:11]  ²²⁴ tn Grk And I.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.

[17:11]  ²²⁵ tn The context indicates that this should be translated as an adversative or contrastive conjunction.

[17:11]  ²²⁶ tn Or “protect them”; Grk “keep them.”

[17:11]  ²²⁷ tn Or “by your name.”

[17:11]  ²²⁸ tn The second repetition of “one” is implied, and is supplied here for clarity.

[17:21]  ²²⁹ tn The words “I pray” are repeated from the first part of v. 20 for clarity.

[17:24]  ²³⁰ tn Grk “the ones you have given me, I want these to be where I am with me.”

[17:24]  ²³¹ tn Grk “before the foundation of the world.”

[17:25]  ²³² tn The word “men” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The translation uses the word “men” here rather than a more general term like “people” because the use of the aorist verb ἔγνωσαν (egnwsan) implies that Jesus is referring to the disciples present with him as he spoke these words (presumably all of them men in the historical context), rather than to those who are yet to believe because of their testimony (see John 17:20).

[18:11]  ²³³ tn Grk “The cup that the Father has given me to drink, shall I not drink it?” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to reflect contemporary English style.

[18:11]  sn Jesus continues with what most would take to be a rhetorical question expecting a positive reply: “Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” The cup is also mentioned in Gethsemane in the synoptics (Matt 26:39, Mark 14:36, and Luke 22:42). In connection with the synoptic accounts it is mentioned in Jesus’ prayer; this occurrence certainly complements the synoptic accounts if Jesus had only shortly before finished praying about this. Only here in the Fourth Gospel is it specifically said that the cup is given to Jesus to drink by the Father, but again this is consistent with the synoptic mention of the cup in Jesus’ prayer: It is the cup of suffering which Jesus is about to undergo.

[20:17]  ²³⁴ tn Grk “Jesus said to her.”