[7:1]  ¹ sn Again, the transition is indicated by the imprecise temporal indicator After this. Clearly, though, the author has left out much of the events of Jesus’ ministry, because chap. 6 took place near the Passover (6:4). This would have been the Passover between winter/spring of a.d. 32, just one year before Jesus’ crucifixion (assuming a date of a.d. 33 for the crucifixion), or the Passover of winter/spring a.d. 29, assuming a date of a.d. 30 for the crucifixion.

[7:1]  ² tn Grk “Jesus was traveling around in Galilee.”

[7:1]  ³ tn Grk “For he.” Here γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated.

[7:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “he did not want to travel around in Judea.”

[7:1]  ⁵ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase should be restricted to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents.

[7:1]  ⁶ tn Grk “were seeking.”

[7:2]  ⁷ tn Or “feast of the Tents” (the feast where people lived in tents or shelters, which was celebrated in the autumn after harvest). John’s use of σκηνοπηγία (skhnophgia) for the feast of Tabernacles constitutes the only use of this term in the New Testament.

[7:2]  ⁸ sn Since the present verse places these incidents at the feast of Tabernacles (a.d. 29 or 32, depending on whether one dates the crucifixion in a.d. 30 or 33) there would have been a 6-month interval during which no events are recorded. The author is obviously selective in his approach; he is not recording an exhaustive history (as he will later tell the reader in John 21:25). After healing the paralytic on the Sabbath in Jerusalem (John 5:1-47), Jesus withdrew again to Galilee because of mounting opposition. In Galilee the feeding of the 5,000 took place, which marked the end of the Galilean ministry for all practical purposes. John 7:1-9 thus marks Jesus’ final departure from Galilee.

[7:3]  ⁹ tn Grk “his brothers.”

[7:3]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “your deeds that you are doing.”

[7:4]  ¹¹ tn Or “seeks to be well known.”

[7:4]  ¹² sn No one who seeks to make a reputation for himself does anything in secret means, in effect: “if you’re going to perform signs to authenticate yourself as Messiah, you should do them at Jerusalem.” (Jerusalem is where mainstream Jewish apocalyptic tradition held that Messiah would appear.)

[7:5]  ¹³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[7:6]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “Then Jesus said to them.”

[7:6]  ¹⁵ tn Or “my opportunity.”

[7:6]  ¹⁶ tn Or “is not yet here.”

[7:6]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “your time is always ready.”

[7:8]  ¹⁸ sn One always speaks of “going up” to Jerusalem in Jewish idiom, even though in western thought it is more common to speak of south as “down” (Jerusalem lies south of Galilee). The reason for the idiom is that Jerusalem was identified with Mount Zion in the OT, so that altitude was the issue.

[7:8]  ¹⁹ tc Most mss (Ì^66,75 B L T W Θ Ψ 070 0105 0250 Ë^1,13 Ï sa), including most of the better witnesses, have “not yet” (οὔπω, oupw) here. Those with the reading οὐκ are not as impressive (א D K 1241 al lat), but οὐκ is the more difficult reading here, especially because it stands in tension with v. 10. On the one hand, it is possible that οὐκ arose because of homoioarcton: A copyist who saw oupw wrote ouk. However, it is more likely that οὔπω was introduced early on to harmonize with what is said two verses later. As for Jesus’ refusal to go up to the feast in v. 8, the statement does not preclude action of a different kind at a later point. Jesus may simply have been refusing to accompany his brothers with the rest of the group of pilgrims, preferring to travel separately and “in secret” (v. 10) with his disciples.

[7:8]  ²⁰ tn Although the word is καιρός (kairos) here, it parallels John’s use of ὥρα (Jwra) elsewhere as a reference to the time appointed for Jesus by the Father – the time of his return to the Father, characterized by his death, resurrection, and ascension (glorification). In the Johannine literature, synonyms are often interchanged for no apparent reason other than stylistic variation.

[7:8]  ²¹ tn Or “my time has not yet come to an end” (a possible hint of Jesus’ death at Jerusalem); Grk “my time is not yet fulfilled.”

[7:10]  ²² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:11]  ²³ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 1.

[7:11]  ²⁴ tn Grk “Where is that one?”

[7:12]  ²⁵ tn Grk “And there was.”

[7:12]  ²⁶ tn Or “complaining.”

[7:12]  ²⁷ tn Or “among the common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities mentioned in the previous verse).

[7:12]  ²⁸ tn Or “the crowd.”

[7:13]  ²⁹ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See also the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 1.

[7:14]  ³⁰ tn Grk “to the temple.”

[7:14]  ³¹ tn Or “started teaching.” An ingressive sense for the imperfect verb (“began to teach” or “started teaching”) fits well here, since the context implies that Jesus did not start his teaching at the beginning of the festival, but began when it was about half over.

[7:15]  ³² tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 1.

[7:15]  ³³ tn Or “began to be astonished.” This imperfect verb could also be translated ingressively (“began to be astonished”), but for English stylistic reasons it is rendered as a simple past.

[7:15]  ³⁴ tn Grk “How does this man know learning since he has not been taught?” The implication here is not that Jesus never went to school (in all probability he did attend a local synagogue school while a youth), but that he was not the disciple of a particular rabbi and had not had formal or advanced instruction under a recognized rabbi (compare Acts 4:13 where a similar charge is made against Peter and John; see also Paul’s comment in Acts 22:3).

[7:16]  ³⁵ tn Grk “So Jesus answered and said to them.”

[7:16]  ³⁶ tn The phrase “the one who sent me” refers to God.

[7:17]  ³⁷ tn Grk “his will.”

[7:17]  ³⁸ tn Grk “or whether I speak from myself.”

[7:18]  ³⁹ tn Grk “who speaks from himself.”

[7:18]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “seeks.”

[7:18]  ⁴¹ tn Or “praise”; Grk “glory.”

[7:18]  ⁴² tn Or “seeks.”

[7:18]  ⁴³ tn Or “praise”; Grk “glory.”

[7:18]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “is truthful”; Grk “is true.”

[7:19]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “accomplishes”; Grk “does.”

[7:19]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “seek.”

[7:20]  ⁴⁷ tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities mentioned in 7:15).

[7:20]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “You have a demon!”

[7:20]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “Who is seeking to kill you?”

[7:21]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “Jesus answered and said to them.”

[7:21]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “I did one deed.”

[7:21]  ⁵² sn The “one miracle” that caused them all to be amazed was the last previous public miracle in Jerusalem recorded by the author, the healing of the paralyzed man in John 5:1-9 on the Sabbath. (The synoptic gospels record other Sabbath healings, but John does not mention them.)

[7:22]  ⁵³ tn Grk “gave you circumcision.”

[7:22]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “a man.” While the text literally reads “circumcise a man” in actual fact the practice of circumcising male infants on the eighth day after birth (see Phil 3:5) is primarily what is in view here.

[7:23]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “a man.” See the note on “male child” in the previous verse.

[7:23]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “receives circumcision.”

[7:23]  ⁵⁷ sn If a male child is circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses is not broken. The Rabbis counted 248 parts to a man’s body. In the Talmud (b. Yoma 85b) R. Eleazar ben Azariah (ca. a.d. 100) states: “If circumcision, which attaches to one only of the 248 members of the human body, suspends the Sabbath, how much more shall the saving of the whole body suspend the Sabbath?” So absolutely binding did rabbinic Judaism regard the command of Lev 12:3 to circumcise on the eighth day, that in the Mishnah m. Shabbat 18.3; 19.1, 2; and m. Nedarim 3.11 all hold that the command to circumcise overrides the command to observe the Sabbath.

[7:23]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “made an entire man well.”

[7:24]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “based on sight.”

[7:24]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “honest”; Grk “righteous.”

[7:25]  ⁶¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[7:25]  ⁶² tn Grk “Is it not this one.”

[7:25]  ⁶³ tn Grk “seeking.”

[7:26]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “speaking openly.”

[7:26]  ⁶⁵ sn They are saying nothing to him. Some people who had heard Jesus were so impressed with his teaching that they began to infer from the inactivity of the opposing Jewish leaders a tacit acknowledgment of Jesus’ claims.

[7:26]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “this one.”

[7:26]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[7:27]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “this one.”

[7:27]  ⁶⁹ sn We know where this man comes from. The author apparently did not consider this objection worth answering. The true facts about Jesus’ origins were readily available for any reader who didn’t know already. Here is an instance where the author assumes knowledge about Jesus that is independent from the material he records.

[7:27]  ⁷⁰ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[7:27]  ⁷¹ sn The view of these people regarding the Messiah that no one will know where he comes from reflects the idea that the origin of the Messiah is a mystery. In the Talmud (b. Sanhedrin 97a) Rabbi Zera taught: “Three come unawares: Messiah, a found article, and a scorpion.” Apparently OT prophetic passages like Mal 3:1 and Dan 9:25 were interpreted by some as indicating a sudden appearance of Messiah. It appears that this was not a universal view: The scribes summoned by Herod at the coming of the Magi in Matt 2 knew that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem. It is important to remember that Jewish messianic expectations in the early 1st century were not monolithic.

[7:28]  ⁷² tn Grk “the temple.”

[7:28]  ⁷³ tn Grk “Then Jesus cried out in the temple, teaching and saying.”

[7:28]  ⁷⁴ sn You both know me and know where I come from! Jesus’ response while teaching in the temple is difficult – it appears to concede too much understanding to his opponents. It is best to take the words as irony: “So you know me and know where I am from, do you?” On the physical, literal level, they did know where he was from: Nazareth of Galilee (at least they thought they knew). But on another deeper (spiritual) level, they did not: He came from heaven, from the Father. Jesus insisted that he has not come on his own initiative (cf. 5:37), but at the bidding of the Father who sent him.

[7:28]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “And I have not come from myself.”

[7:28]  ⁷⁶ tn The phrase “the one who sent me” refers to God.

[7:28]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “the one who sent me is true, whom you do not know.”

[7:29]  ⁷⁸ tn Although the conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, the contrast is implied (an omitted conjunction is called asyndeton).

[7:29]  ⁷⁹ tn The preposition παρά (para) followed by the genitive has the local sense preserved and can be used of one person sending another. This does not necessarily imply origin in essence or eternal generation.

[7:29]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “and that one.”

[7:30]  ⁸¹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:30]  ⁸² tn Grk “his hour.”

[7:31]  ⁸³ tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities).

[7:31]  ⁸⁴ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[7:31]  ⁸⁵ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here it is “will he?”).

[7:32]  ⁸⁶ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[7:32]  ⁸⁷ tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities like the Pharisees).

[7:32]  ⁸⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:32]  ⁸⁹ tn Or “servants.” The “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. As “servants” or “officers” of the Sanhedrin their representatives should be distinguished from the Levites serving as temple police (perhaps John 7:30 and 44; also John 8:20; 10:39; 19:6; Acts 4:3). Even when performing “police” duties such as here, their “officers” are doing so only as part of their general tasks (see K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT 8:540).

[7:32]  ⁹⁰ tn Grk “to seize him.” In the context of a deliberate attempt by the servants of the chief priests and Pharisees to detain Jesus, the English verb “arrest” conveys the point more effectively.

[7:33]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “Yet a little I am with you.”

[7:33]  ⁹² tn The word “then” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[7:34]  ⁹³ tn Grk “seek me.”

[7:35]  ⁹⁴ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase is understood to refer to the Jewish authorities or leaders, since the Jewish leaders are mentioned in this context both before and after the present verse (7:32, 45).

[7:35]  ⁹⁵ tn Grk “this one.”

[7:35]  ⁹⁶ tn Grk “will not find him.”

[7:35]  ⁹⁷ sn The Jewish people dispersed (Grk “He is not going to the Diaspora”). The Greek term diaspora (“dispersion”) originally meant those Jews not living in Palestine, but dispersed or scattered among the Gentiles.

[7:35]  ⁹⁸ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “is he?”).

[7:36]  ⁹⁹ tn Grk “What is this word that he said.”

[7:36]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “seek me.”

[7:37]  ¹⁰¹ sn There is a problem with the identification of this reference to the last day of the feast, the greatest day: It appears from Deut 16:13 that the feast went for seven days. Lev 23:36, however, makes it plain that there was an eighth day, though it was mentioned separately from the seven. It is not completely clear whether the seventh or eighth day was the climax of the feast, called here by the author the “last great day of the feast.” Since according to the Mishnah (m. Sukkah 4.1) the ceremonies with water and lights did not continue after the seventh day, it seems more probable that this is the day the author mentions.

[7:37]  ¹⁰² tn Grk “Jesus stood up and cried out, saying.”

[7:38]  ¹⁰³ tn An alternate way of punctuating the Greek text of vv. 37-38 results in this translation: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me, just as the scripture says, ‘From within him will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38 has been the subject of considerable scholarly debate. Certainly Jesus picks up on the literal water used in the ceremony and uses it figuratively. But what does the figure mean? According to popular understanding, it refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit to dwell in the believer. There is some difficulty in locating an OT text which speaks of rivers of water flowing from within such a person, but Isa 58:11 is often suggested: “The Lord will continually lead you, he will feed you even in parched regions. He will give you renewed strength, and you will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring that continually produces water.” Other passages which have been suggested are Prov 4:23 and 5:15; Isa 44:3 and 55:1; Ezek 47:1 ff.; Joel 3:18; and Zech 13:1 and 14:8. The meaning in this case is that when anyone comes to believe in Jesus the scriptures referring to the activity of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life are fulfilled. “When the believer comes to Christ and drinks he not only slakes his thirst but receives such an abundant supply that veritable rivers flow from him” (L. Morris, John [NICNT], 424-25). In other words, with this view, the believer himself becomes the source of the living water. This is the traditional understanding of the passage, often called the “Eastern interpretation” following Origen, Athanasius, and the Greek Fathers. It is supported by such modern scholars as Barrett, Behm, Bernard, Cadman, Carson, R. H. Lightfoot, Lindars, Michaelis, Morris, Odeberg, Schlatter, Schweizer, C. H. Turner, M. M. B. Turner, Westcott, and Zahn. In addition it is represented by the following Greek texts and translations: KJV, RSV, NASB, NA²⁷, and UBS⁴. D. A. Carson, John, 322-29, has a thorough discussion of the issues and evidence although he opts for the previous interpretation. There is another interpretation possible, however, called the “Western interpretation” because of patristic support by Justin, Hippolytus, Tertullian, and Irenaeus. Modern scholars who favor this view are Abbott, Beasley-Murray, Bishop, Boismard, Braun, Brown, Bullinger, Bultmann, Burney, Dodd, Dunn, Guilding, R. Harris, Hoskyns, Jeremias, Loisy, D. M. Stanley, Thüsing, N. Turner, and Zerwick. This view is represented by the translation in the RSV margin and by the NEB. It is also sometimes called the “christological interpretation” because it makes Jesus himself the source of the living water in v. 38, by punctuating as follows: (37b) ἐάν τι διψᾷ ἐρχέσθω πρός με, καὶ πινέτω (38) ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ. Καθὼς εἶπεν ἡ γραφή, ποταμοὶ ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ῥεύσουσιν ὕδατος ζῶντος. Three crucial questions are involved in the solution of this problem: (1) punctuation; (2) determining the antecedent of αὐτοῦ (autou); and (3) the source of the scripture quotation. With regard to (1) Ì⁶⁶ does place a full stop after πινέτω (pinetw), but this may be theologically motivated and could have been added later. Grammatical and stylistic arguments are inconclusive. More important is (2) the determination of the antecedent of αὐτοῦ. Can any other Johannine parallels be found which make the believer the source of the living water? John 4:14 is often mentioned in this regard, but unlike 4:14 the water here becomes a source for others also. Neither does 14:12 provide a parallel. Furthermore, such an interpretation becomes even more problematic in light of the explanation given in v. 39 that the water refers to the Holy Spirit, since it is extremely difficult to see the individual believer becoming the ‘source’ of the Spirit for others. On the other hand, the Gospel of John repeatedly places Jesus himself in this role as source of the living water: 4:10, of course, for the water itself; but according to 20:22 Jesus provides the Spirit (cf. 14:16). Furthermore, the symbolism of 19:34 is difficult to explain as anything other than a deliberate allusion to what is predicted here. This also explains why the Spirit cannot come to the disciples unless Jesus “departs” (16:7). As to (3) the source of the scripture quotation, M. E. Boismard has argued that John is using a targumic rendering of Ps 78:15-16 which describes the water brought forth from the rock in the wilderness by Moses (“Les citations targumiques dans le quatrième évangile,” RB 66 [1959]: 374-78). The frequency of Exodus motifs in the Fourth Gospel (paschal lamb, bronze serpent, manna from heaven) leads quite naturally to the supposition that the author is here drawing on the account of Moses striking the rock in the wilderness to bring forth water (Num 20:8 ff.). That such imagery was readily identified with Jesus in the early church is demonstrated by Paul’s understanding of the event in 1 Cor 10:4. Jesus is the Rock from which the living water – the Spirit – will flow. Carson (see note above) discusses this imagery although he favors the traditional or “Eastern” interpretation. In summary, the latter or “Western” interpretation is to be preferred.

[7:38]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Or “out of the innermost part of his person”; Grk “out of his belly.”

[7:38]  ¹⁰⁵ sn An OT quotation whose source is difficult to determine; Isa 44:3, 55:1, 58:11, and Zech 14:8 have all been suggested.

[7:39]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Grk “for the Spirit was not yet.” Although only B and a handful of other NT mss supply the participle δεδομένον (dedomenon), this is followed in the translation to avoid misunderstanding by the modern English reader that prior to this time the Spirit did not exist. John’s phrase is expressed from a human standpoint and has nothing to do with the preexistence of the third Person of the Godhead. The meaning is that the era of the Holy Spirit had not yet arrived; the Spirit was not as yet at work in a way he later would be because Jesus had not yet returned to his Father. Cf. also Acts 19:2.

[7:39]  ¹⁰⁷ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[7:40]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or “The common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities like the chief priests and Pharisees).

[7:40]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Or “truly.”

[7:40]  ¹¹⁰ sn The Prophet is a reference to the “prophet like Moses” of Deut 18:15, by this time an eschatological figure in popular belief.

[7:41]  ¹¹¹ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[7:41]  ¹¹² tn An initial negative reply (“No”) is suggested by the causal or explanatory γάρ (gar) which begins the clause.

[7:41]  ¹¹³ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “does he?”).

[7:42]  ¹¹⁴ tn Grk “is from the seed” (an idiom for human descent).

[7:42]  ¹¹⁵ sn An allusion to Ps 89:4.

[7:42]  ¹¹⁶ sn An allusion to Mic 5:2.

[7:42]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “the village where David was.”

[7:43]  ¹¹⁸ tn Or “among the common people” (as opposed to the religious authorities like the chief priests and Pharisees).

[7:43]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:44]  ¹²⁰ sn Compare John 7:30 regarding the attempt to seize Jesus.

[7:45]  ¹²¹ tn Or “servants.” The “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. As “servants” or “officers” of the Sanhedrin, their representatives should be distinguished from the Levites serving as temple police (perhaps John 7:30 and 44; also John 8:20; 10:39; 19:6; Acts 4:3). Even when performing ‘police’ duties such as here, their “officers” are doing so only as part of their general tasks (See K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT 8:540).

[7:45]  ¹²² tn Grk “came.”

[7:45]  ¹²³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[7:45]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk “Why did you not bring him?” The words “back with you” are implied.

[7:47]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “answered them.”

[7:47]  ¹²⁶ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have you?”).

[7:48]  ¹²⁷ sn The chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45) is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. Likewise the term ruler here denotes a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews. Note the same word (“ruler”) is used to describe Nicodemus in John 3:1, and Nicodemus also speaks up in this episode (John 7:50).

[7:48]  ¹²⁸ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have they?”).

[7:49]  ¹²⁹ tn Grk “crowd.” “Rabble” is a good translation here because the remark by the Pharisees is so derogatory.

[7:50]  ¹³⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:50]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “who was one of them”; the referent (the rulers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:50]  ¹³² tn Grk “said to them.”

[7:51]  ¹³³ tn Grk “judge.”

[7:51]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “knows.”

[7:51]  ¹³⁵ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “does it?”).

[7:52]  ¹³⁶ tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”

[7:52]  ¹³⁷ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are you?”).

[7:52]  ¹³⁸ tc At least one early and important ms (Ì^66*) places the article before “prophet” (ὁ προφήτης, Jo profhths), making this a reference to the “prophet like Moses” mentioned in Deut 18:15.

[7:53]  ¹³⁹ tc This entire section, 7:53-8:11, traditionally known as the pericope adulterae, is not contained in the earliest and best mss and was almost certainly not an original part of the Gospel of John. Among modern commentators and textual critics, it is a foregone conclusion that the section is not original but represents a later addition to the text of the Gospel. B. M. Metzger summarizes: “the evidence for the non-Johannine origin of the pericope of the adulteress is overwhelming” (TCGNT 187). External evidence is as follows. For the omission of 7:53-8:11: Ì^66,75 א B L N T W Δ Θ Ψ 0141 0211 33 565 1241 1424* 2768 al. In addition codices A and C are defective in this part of John, but it appears that neither contained the pericope because careful measurement shows that there would not have been enough space on the missing pages to include the pericope 7:53-8:11 along with the rest of the text. Among the mss that include 7:53-8:11 are D Ï lat. In addition E S Λ 1424^mg al include part or all of the passage with asterisks or obeli, 225 places the pericope after John 7:36, ˹ places it after John 21:25, {115} after John 8:12, ˹³ after Luke 21:38, and the corrector of 1333 includes it after Luke 24:53. (For a more complete discussion of the locations where this “floating” text has ended up, as well as a minority opinion on the authenticity of the passage, see M. A. Robinson, “Preliminary Observations regarding the Pericope Adulterae Based upon Fresh Collations of nearly All Continuous-Text Manuscripts and All Lectionary Manuscripts containing the Passage,” Filologia Neotestamentaria 13 [2000]: 35-59, especially 41-42.) In evaluating this ms evidence, it should be remembered that in the Gospels A is considered to be of Byzantine texttype (unlike in the epistles and Revelation, where it is Alexandrian), as are E F G (mss with the same designation are of Western texttype in the epistles). This leaves D as the only major Western uncial witness in the Gospels for the inclusion. Therefore the evidence could be summarized by saying that almost all early mss of the Alexandrian texttype omit the pericope, while most mss of the Western and Byzantine texttype include it. But it must be remembered that “Western mss” here refers only to D, a single witness (as far as Greek mss are concerned). Thus it can be seen that practically all of the earliest and best mss extant omit the pericope; it is found only in mss of secondary importance. But before one can conclude that the passage was not originally part of the Gospel of John, internal evidence needs to be considered as well. Internal evidence in favor of the inclusion of 8:1-11 (7:53-8:11): (1) 7:53 fits in the context. If the “last great day of the feast” (7:37) refers to the conclusion of the Feast of Tabernacles, then the statement refers to the pilgrims and worshipers going home after living in “booths” for the week while visiting Jerusalem. (2) There may be an allusion to Isa 9:1-2 behind this text: John 8:12 is the point when Jesus describes himself as the Light of the world. But the section in question mentions that Jesus returned to the temple at “early dawn” (῎Ορθρου, Orqrou, in 8:2). This is the “dawning” of the Light of the world (8:12) mentioned by Isa 9:2. (3) Furthermore, note the relationship to what follows: Just prior to presenting Jesus’ statement that he is the Light of the world, John presents the reader with an example that shows Jesus as the light. Here the woman “came to the light” while her accusers shrank away into the shadows, because their deeds were evil (cf. 3:19-21). Internal evidence against the inclusion of 8:1-11 (7:53-8:11): (1) In reply to the claim that the introduction to the pericope, 7:53, fits the context, it should also be noted that the narrative reads well without the pericope, so that Jesus’ reply in 8:12 is directed against the charge of the Pharisees in 7:52 that no prophet comes from Galilee. (2) The assumption that the author “must” somehow work Isa 9:1-2 into the narrative is simply that – an assumption. The statement by the Pharisees in 7:52 about Jesus’ Galilean origins is allowed to stand without correction by the author, although one might have expected him to mention that Jesus was really born in Bethlehem. And 8:12 does directly mention Jesus’ claim to be the Light of the world. The author may well have presumed familiarity with Isa 9:1-2 on the part of his readers because of its widespread association with Jesus among early Christians. (3) The fact that the pericope deals with the light/darkness motif does not inherently strengthen its claim to authenticity, because the motif is so prominent in the Fourth Gospel that it may well have been the reason why someone felt that the pericope, circulating as an independent tradition, fit so well here. (4) In general the style of the pericope is not Johannine either in vocabulary or grammar (see D. B. Wallace, “Reconsidering ‘The Story of the Woman Taken in Adultery Reconsidered’,” NTS 39 [1993]: 290-96). According to R. E. Brown it is closer stylistically to Lukan material (John [AB], 1:336). Interestingly one important family of mss (˹³) places the pericope after Luke 21:38. Conclusion: In the final analysis, the weight of evidence in this case must go with the external evidence. The earliest and best mss do not contain the pericope. It is true with regard to internal evidence that an attractive case can be made for inclusion, but this is by nature subjective (as evidenced by the fact that strong arguments can be given against such as well). In terms of internal factors like vocabulary and style, the pericope does not stand up very well. The question may be asked whether this incident, although not an original part of the Gospel of John, should be regarded as an authentic tradition about Jesus. It could well be that it is ancient and may indeed represent an unusual instance where such a tradition survived outside of the bounds of the canonical literature. However, even that needs to be nuanced (see B. D. Ehrman, “Jesus and the Adulteress,” NTS 34 [1988]: 24–44).

[8:1]  ¹⁴⁰ sn The Mount of Olives is a hill running north to south about 1.8 mi (3 km) long, lying east of Jerusalem across the Kidron Valley. It was named for the large number of olive trees that grew on it.

[8:2]  ¹⁴¹ tn An ingressive sense for the imperfect fits well here following the aorist participle.

[8:3]  ¹⁴² tn Or “The scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.

[8:3]  ¹⁴³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[8:4]  ¹⁴⁴ tn Grk “to him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:5]  ¹⁴⁵ sn An allusion to Lev 20:10 and Deut 22:22-24.

[8:5]  ¹⁴⁶ sn The accusers themselves subtly misrepresented the law. The Mosaic law stated that in the case of adultery, both the man and woman must be put to death (Lev 20:10, Deut 22:22), but they mentioned only such women.

[8:6]  ¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “so that they could accuse.”

[8:6]  ¹⁴⁸ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author of 7:53–8:11.

[8:6]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Or possibly “Jesus bent down and wrote an accusation on the ground with his finger.” The Greek verb καταγράφω (katagrafw) may indicate only the action of writing on the ground by Jesus, but in the overall context (Jesus’ response to the accusation against the woman) it can also be interpreted as implying that what Jesus wrote was a counteraccusation against the accusers (although there is no clue as to the actual content of what he wrote, some scribes added “the sins of each one of them” either here or at the end of v. 8 [U 264 700 al]).

[8:7]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Or “he straightened up.”

[8:7]  ¹⁵¹ tn Grk “and said to them.”

[8:7]  ¹⁵² tn Or “sinless.”

[8:8]  ¹⁵³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.

[8:9]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Or “beginning from the eldest.”

[8:10]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Or “straightened up.”

[8:10]  ¹⁵⁶ 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.

[8:11]  ¹⁵⁷ tc The earliest and best mss do not contain 7:53–8:11 (see note on 7:53).

[8:12]  ¹⁵⁸ tn Grk “Then again Jesus spoke to them saying.”

[8:12]  ¹⁵⁹ sn The theory proposed by F. J. A. Hort (The New Testament in the Original Greek, vol. 2, Introduction; Appendix, 87-88), that the backdrop of 8:12 is the lighting of the candelabra in the court of women, may offer a plausible setting to the proclamation by Jesus that he is the light of the world. The last time that Jesus spoke in the narrative (assuming 7:53-8:11 is not part of the original text, as the textual evidence suggests) is in 7:38, where he was speaking to a crowd of pilgrims in the temple area. This is where he is found in the present verse, and he may be addressing the crowd again. Jesus’ remark has to be seen in view of both the prologue (John 1:4, 5) and the end of the discourse with Nicodemus (John 3:19-21). The coming of Jesus into the world provokes judgment: A choosing up of sides becomes necessary. The one who comes to the light, that is, who follows Jesus, will not walk in the darkness. The one who refuses to come, will walk in the darkness. In this contrast, there are only two alternatives. So it is with a person’s decision about Jesus. Furthermore, this serves as in implicit indictment of Jesus’ opponents, who still walk in the darkness, because they refuse to come to him. This sets up the contrast in chap. 9 between the man born blind, who receives both physical and spiritual sight, and the Pharisees (John 9:13, 15, 16) who have physical sight but remain in spiritual darkness.

[8:12]  ¹⁶⁰ tn The double negative οὐ μή (ou mh) is emphatic in 1st century Hellenistic Greek.

[8:13]  ¹⁶¹ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[8:13]  ¹⁶² tn Grk “Then the Pharisees said to him.”

[8:13]  ¹⁶³ sn Compare the charge You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true! to Jesus’ own statement about his testimony in 5:31.

[8:14]  ¹⁶⁴ tn Grk “Jesus answered and said to them.”

[8:14]  ¹⁶⁵ tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the pronoun (“you”) and verb (“do not know”) in Greek are plural.

[8:14]  ¹⁶⁶ sn You people do not know where I came from or where I am going. The ignorance of the religious authorities regarding Jesus’ origin works on two levels at once: First, they thought Jesus came from Galilee (although he really came from Bethlehem in Judea) and second, they did not know that he came from heaven (from the Father), and this is where he would return. See further John 7:52.

[8:15]  ¹⁶⁷ tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to indicate that the pronoun and verb (“judge”) in Greek are plural.

[8:15]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Or “judge according to external things”; Grk “according to the flesh.” These translations are given by BDAG 916 s.v. σάρξ 5.

[8:15]  ¹⁶⁹ sn What is the meaning of Jesus’ statement “I do not judge anyone”? It is clear that Jesus did judge (even in the next verse). The point is that he didn’t practice the same kind of judgment that the Pharisees did. Their kind of judgment was condemnatory. They tried to condemn people. Jesus did not come to judge the world, but to save it (3:17). Nevertheless, and not contradictory to this, the coming of Jesus did bring judgment, because it forced people to make a choice. Would they accept Jesus or reject him? Would they come to the light or shrink back into the darkness? As they responded, so were they judged – just as 3:19-21 previously stated. One’s response to Jesus determines one’s eternal destiny.

[8:16]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “my judgment is true.”

[8:16]  ¹⁷¹ tn The phrase “when I judge” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the context.

[8:16]  ¹⁷² tn The phrase “do so together” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the context.

[8:17]  ¹⁷³ sn An allusion to Deut 17:6.

[8:18]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Grk “I am the one who testifies about myself.”

[8:19]  ¹⁷⁵ 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]  ¹⁷⁶ 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).

[8:20]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:20]  ¹⁷⁸ tn The term γαζοφυλάκιον (gazofulakion) can be translated “treasury” or “treasure room” in this context. BDAG 186 s.v. 1 notes, “It can be taken in this sense J 8:20 (sing.) in (or at) the treasury.” BDAG 186 s.v. 2 argues that the occurrences of this word in the synoptic gospels also refer to the treasury: “For Mk 12:41, 43; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. Acc. to Mishnah, Shekalim 6, 5 there were in the temple 13 such receptacles in the form of trumpets. But even in these passages the general sense of ‘treasury’ is prob., for the contributions would go [into] the treasury via the receptacles.” Based upon the extra-biblical evidence (see sn following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself.

[8:20]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Grk “the temple.”

[8:20]  ¹⁸⁰ tn Grk “his hour.”

[8:20]  ¹⁸¹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[8:21]  ¹⁸² tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:21]  ¹⁸³ tn The expression οὖν πάλιν (oun palin) indicates some sort of break in the sequence of events, but it is not clear how long. The author does not mention the interval between 8:12-20 and this next recorded dialogue. The feast of Tabernacles is past, and the next reference to time is 10:22, where the feast of the Dedication is mentioned. The interval is two months, and these discussions could have taken place at any time within that interval, as long as one assumes something of a loose chronological framework. However, if the material in the Fourth Gospel is arranged theologically or thematically, such an assumption would not apply.

[8:21]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Grk “you will seek me.”

[8:21]  ¹⁸⁵ tn The expression ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ ὑμῶν ἀποθανεῖσθε (en th Jamartia Jumwn apoqaneisqe) is similar to an expression found in the LXX at Ezek 3:18, 20 and Prov 24:9. Note the singular of ἁμαρτία (the plural occurs later in v. 24). To die with one’s sin unrepented and unatoned would be the ultimate disaster to befall a person. Jesus’ warning is stern but to the point.

[8:22]  ¹⁸⁶ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders in Jerusalem. It was the Pharisees who had begun this line of questioning in John 8:13, and there has been no clear change since then in the identity of Jesus’ opponents.

[8:22]  ¹⁸⁷ tn The imperfect verb has been translated with ingressive force (“began to say”) because the comments that follow were occasioned by Jesus’ remarks in the preceding verse about his upcoming departure.

[8:23]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Grk “And he said to them.”

[8:23]  ¹⁸⁹ tn The word “people” is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.

[8:24]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Grk “thus I said to you.”

[8:24]  ¹⁹¹ tn Grk “unless you believe that I am.” In this context there is an implied predicate nominative (“he”) following the “I am” phrase. What Jesus’ hearers had to acknowledge is that he was who he claimed to be, i.e., the Messiah (cf. 20:31). This view is also reflected in English translations like NIV (“if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be”), NLT (“unless you believe that I am who I say I am”), and CEV (“if you don’t have faith in me for who I am”). For a different view that takes this “I am” and the one in 8:28 as nonpredicated (i.e., absolute), see R. E. Brown, John (AB), 1:533-38. Such a view refers sees the nonpredicated “I am” as a reference to the divine Name revealed in Exod 3:14, and is reflected in English translations like NAB (“if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins”) and TEV (“you will die in your sins if you do not believe that ‘I Am Who I Am’”).

[8:25]  ¹⁹² tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”

[8:26]  ¹⁹³ tn Or “I have many things to pronounce in judgment about you.” The two Greek infinitives could be understood as a hendiadys, resulting in one phrase.

[8:26]  ¹⁹⁴ tn Grk “the one”; the referent (the Father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:26]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Grk “true” (in the sense of one who always tells the truth).

[8:26]  ¹⁹⁶ tn Grk “and what things I have heard from him, these things I speak to the world.”

[8:27]  ¹⁹⁷ 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]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “Then Jesus said to them” (the words “to them” are not found in all mss).

[8:28]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Grk “that I am.” See the note on this phrase in v. 24.

[8:28]  ²⁰⁰ tn Grk “I do nothing from myself.”

[8:28]  ²⁰¹ tn Grk “but just as the Father taught me, these things I speak.”

[8:29]  ²⁰² tn That is, “he has not abandoned me.”

[8:30]  ²⁰³ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity and smoothness in the translation.

[8:31]  ²⁰⁴ tn Grk “to the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory (i.e., “Judeans”), the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9; also BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple and had believed his claim to be the Messiah, hence, “those Judeans who had believed him.” The term “Judeans” is preferred here to the more general “people” because the debate concerns descent from Abraham (v. 33).

[8:31]  ²⁰⁵ tn Grk “If you continue in my word.”

[8:31]  ²⁰⁶ tn Or “truly.”

[8:32]  ²⁰⁷ tn Or “the truth will release you.” The translation “set you free” or “release you” (unlike the more traditional “make you free”) conveys more the idea that the hearers were currently in a state of slavery from which they needed to be freed. The following context supports precisely this idea.

[8:33]  ²⁰⁸ tn Grk “We are the seed” (an idiom).

[8:33]  ²⁰⁹ tn Grk “They answered to him.”

[8:33]  ²¹⁰ tn Or “How is it that you say.”

[8:34]  ²¹¹ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[8:34]  ²¹² tn Or “who commits.” This could simply be translated, “everyone who sins,” but the Greek is more emphatic, using the participle ποιῶν (poiwn) in a construction with πᾶς (pas), a typical Johannine construction. Here repeated, continuous action is in view. The one whose lifestyle is characterized by repeated, continuous sin is a slave to sin. That one is not free; sin has enslaved him. To break free from this bondage requires outside (divine) intervention. Although the statement is true at the general level (the person who continually practices a lifestyle of sin is enslaved to sin) the particular sin of the Jewish authorities, repeatedly emphasized in the Fourth Gospel, is the sin of unbelief. The present tense in this instance looks at the continuing refusal on the part of the Jewish leaders to acknowledge who Jesus is, in spite of mounting evidence.

[8:34]  ²¹³ tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.

[8:35]  ²¹⁴ tn Or “household.” The Greek work οἰκία (oikia) can denote the family as consisting of relatives by both descent and marriage, as well as slaves and servants, living in the same house (more the concept of an “extended family”).

[8:35]  ²¹⁵ sn Jesus’ point is that while a slave may be part of a family or household, the slave is not guaranteed a permanent place there, while a son, as a descendant or blood relative, will always be guaranteed a place in the family (remains forever).

[8:36]  ²¹⁶ tn Or “Son.” The question is whether “son” is to be understood as a direct reference to Jesus himself, or as an indirect reference (a continuation of the generic illustration begun in the previous verse).

[8:37]  ²¹⁷ tn Grk “seed” (an idiom).

[8:37]  ²¹⁸ tn Grk “you are seeking.”

[8:37]  ²¹⁹ tn Grk “my word.”

[8:37]  ²²⁰ tn Or “finds no place in you.” The basic idea seems to be something (in this case Jesus’ teaching) making headway or progress where resistance is involved. See BDAG 1094 s.v. χωρέω 2.

[8:38]  ²²¹ 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]  ²²² tn Grk “The things which I have seen with the Father I speak about.”

[8:38]  ²²³ tn Grk “and you.”

[8:38]  ²²⁴ 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.

[8:39]  ²²⁵ tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”

[8:39]  ²²⁶ tn Or “Our father is Abraham.”

[8:39]  ²²⁷ tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”

[8:39]  ²²⁸ tc Although most mss (C W Θ Ψ 0250 Ë^1,13 33 Ï) have the imperfect ἦτε (hte, “you were”) here, making this sentence a proper second class condition, the harder reading, ἐστε (este, “you are”), is found in the better witnesses (Ì^66,75 א B D L 070 pc lat).

[8:39]  ²²⁹ tc Some important mss (Ì⁶⁶ B* [700]) have the present imperative ποιεῖτε (poieite) here: “If you are Abraham’s children, then do,” while many others (א² C K L N Δ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 565 579 892 pm) add the contingent particle ἄν (an) to ἐποιεῖτε (epoieite) making it a more proper second class condition by Attic standards. The simple ἐποιεῖτε without the ἄν is the hardest reading, and is found in some excellent witnesses (Ì⁷⁵ א* B² D W Γ Θ 070 0250 1424 pm).

[8:40]  ²³⁰ tn Grk “seeking.”

[8:40]  ²³¹ tn Grk “has spoken to you.”

[8:40]  ²³² tn The Greek word order is emphatic: “This Abraham did not do.” The emphasis is indicated in the translation by an exclamation point.

[8:41]  ²³³ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.

[8:41]  ²³⁴ tc ‡ Important and early witnesses (א B L W 070 it sy^s,p co) lack the conjunction here, while the earliest witnesses along with many others read οὖν (oun, “therefore”; Ì^66,75 C D Θ Ψ 0250 ˹³ 33 Ï). This conjunction occurs in John some 200 times, far more than in any other NT book. Even though the combined testimony of two early papyri for the conjunction is impressive, the reading seems to be a predictable scribal emendation. In particular, οὖν is frequently used with the plural of εἶπον (eipon, “they said”) in John (in this chapter alone, note vv. 13, 39, 48, 57, and possibly 52). On balance, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic, even though “Then” is virtually required in translation for English stylistic reasons. NA²⁷ has the conjunction in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[8:41]  ²³⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:41]  ²³⁶ sn We were not born as a result of immorality! is ironic, because Jesus’ opponents implied that it was not themselves but Jesus who had been born as a result of immoral behavior. This shows they did not know Jesus’ true origin and were not aware of the supernatural events surrounding his birth. The author does not even bother to refute the opponents’ suggestion but lets it stand, assuming his readers will know the true story.

[8:42]  ²³⁷ tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”

[8:42]  ²³⁸ tn Or “I came from God and have arrived.”

[8:42]  ²³⁹ tn Grk “For I.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.

[8:42]  ²⁴⁰ tn Grk “from myself.”

[8:42]  ²⁴¹ tn Grk “that one” (referring to God).

[8:43]  ²⁴² tn Grk “you cannot hear,” but this is not a reference to deafness, but rather hearing in the sense of listening to something and responding to it.

[8:43]  ²⁴³ tn Grk “my word.”

[8:44]  ²⁴⁴ tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to clarify that the Greek pronoun and verb are plural.

[8:44]  ²⁴⁵ tn Many translations read “You are of your father the devil” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NASB) or “You belong to your father, the devil” (NIV), but the Greek preposition ἐκ (ek) emphasizes the idea of source or origin. Jesus said his opponents were the devil’s very offspring (a statement which would certainly infuriate them).

[8:44]  ²⁴⁶ tn Grk “the desires of your father you want to do.”

[8:44]  ²⁴⁷ tn Grk “That one” (referring to the devil).

[8:44]  ²⁴⁸ tn Grk “he does not stand in the truth” (in the sense of maintaining, upholding, or accepting the validity of it).

[8:44]  ²⁴⁹ tn Grk “Whenever he speaks the lie.”

[8:44]  ²⁵⁰ tn Grk “he speaks from his own.”

[8:44]  ²⁵¹ tn Grk “because he is a liar and the father of it.”

[8:45]  ²⁵² tn Or “because I tell you.”

[8:46]  ²⁵³ tn Or “can convict me.”

[8:46]  ²⁵⁴ tn Or “of having sinned”; Grk “of sin.”

[8:46]  ²⁵⁵ tn Or “if I tell you.”

[8:47]  ²⁵⁶ tn Grk “who is of.”

[8:47]  ²⁵⁷ tn Grk “to God hears” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).

[8:47]  ²⁵⁸ tn Grk “you do not hear” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).

[8:47]  ²⁵⁹ tn Grk “you are not of God.”

[8:48]  ²⁶⁰ tn Grk “the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31). They had become increasingly hostile as Jesus continued to teach. Now they were ready to say that Jesus was demon-possessed.

[8:48]  ²⁶¹ tn Grk “answered and said to him.”

[8:48]  ²⁶² tn Grk “Do we not say rightly.”

[8:48]  ²⁶³ tn Grk “and have a demon.” It is not clear what is meant by the charge Σαμαρίτης εἶ σὺ καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχεις (Samarith" ei su kai daimonion ecei"). The meaning could be “you are a heretic and are possessed by a demon.” Note that the dual charge gets one reply (John 8:49). Perhaps the phrases were interchangeable: Simon Magus (Acts 8:14-24) and in later traditions Dositheus, the two Samaritans who claimed to be sons of God, were regarded as mad, that is, possessed by demons.

[8:49]  ²⁶⁴ tn Grk “I do not have a demon.”

[8:49]  ²⁶⁵ tn “Yet” is supplied to show the contrastive element present in the context.

[8:50]  ²⁶⁶ tn Grk “I am not seeking.”

[8:50]  ²⁶⁷ tn Grk “my glory.”

[8:50]  ²⁶⁸ tn Grk “who seeks.”

[8:50]  ²⁶⁹ tn Or “will be the judge.”

[8:51]  ²⁷⁰ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[8:51]  ²⁷¹ tn Grk “If anyone keeps.”

[8:51]  ²⁷² tn Grk “my word.”

[8:51]  ²⁷³ tn Grk “he will never see death forever.” The Greek negative here is emphatic.

[8:52]  ²⁷⁴ tc ‡ Important and early witnesses (Ì⁶⁶ א B C W Θ 579 it) lack the conjunction here, while other witnesses read οὖν (oun, “therefore”; Ì⁷⁵ D L Ψ 070 Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat). This conjunction occurs in John some 200 times, far more than in any other NT book. Even though the most important Johannine papyrus (Ì⁷⁵) has the conjunction, the combination of Ì⁶⁶ א B for the omission is even stronger. Further, the reading seems to be a predictable scribal emendation. In particular, οὖν is frequently used with the plural of εἶπον (eipon, “they said”) in John (in this chapter alone, note vv. 13, 39, 48, 57, and possibly 41). On balance, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic, even though “Then” is virtually required in translation for English stylistic reasons. NA²⁷ has the conjunction in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[8:52]  ²⁷⁵ tn Grk “the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here, as in vv. 31 and 48, the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31).

[8:52]  ²⁷⁶ tn Grk “said to him.”

[8:52]  ²⁷⁷ tn Grk “you have a demon.”

[8:52]  ²⁷⁸ tn “Yet” has been supplied to show the contrastive element present in the context.

[8:52]  ²⁷⁹ tn Grk “If anyone keeps.”

[8:52]  ²⁸⁰ tn Grk “my word.”

[8:52]  ²⁸¹ tn Grk “will never taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).

[8:52]  ²⁸² tn Grk “he will never taste of death forever.” The Greek negative here is emphatic.

[8:53]  ²⁸³ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are you?”).

[8:54]  ²⁸⁴ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[8:54]  ²⁸⁵ tn Grk “is nothing.”

[8:54]  ²⁸⁶ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.

[8:55]  ²⁸⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast present in the context.

[8:55]  ²⁸⁸ tn Grk “If I say, ‘I do not know him.’”

[8:55]  ²⁸⁹ tn Grk “I keep.”

[8:55]  ²⁹⁰ tn Grk “his word.”

[8:56]  ²⁹¹ tn Or “rejoiced greatly.”

[8:56]  ²⁹² tn What is the meaning of Jesus’ statement that the patriarch Abraham “saw” his day and rejoiced? The use of past tenses would seem to refer to something that occurred during the patriarch’s lifetime. Genesis Rabbah 44:25ff, (cf. 59:6) states that Rabbi Akiba, in a debate with Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai, held that Abraham had been shown not this world only but the world to come (this would include the days of the Messiah). More realistically, it is likely that Gen 22:13-15 lies behind Jesus’ words. This passage, known to rabbis as the Akedah (“Binding”), tells of Abraham finding the ram which will replace his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice – an occasion of certain rejoicing.

[8:57]  ²⁹³ tn Grk “Then the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here, as in vv. 31, 48, and 52, the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31). They have now become completely hostile, as John 8:59 clearly shows.

[8:57]  ²⁹⁴ tn Grk “said to him.”

[8:57]  ²⁹⁵ tn Grk ‘You do not yet have fifty years” (an idiom).

[8:57]  ²⁹⁶ tn Grk “And have.”

[8:58]  ²⁹⁷ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[8:58]  ²⁹⁸ tn Grk “before Abraham was.”

[8:58]  ²⁹⁹ sn I am! is an explicit claim to deity. Although each occurrence of the phrase “I am” in the Fourth Gospel needs to be examined individually in context to see if an association with Exod 3:14 is present, it seems clear that this is the case here (as the response of the Jewish authorities in the following verse shows).

[8:59]  ³⁰⁰ tn Grk “they took up.”

[8:59]  ³⁰¹ sn Jesus’ Jewish listeners understood his claim to deity, rejected it, and picked up stones to throw at him for what they considered blasphemy.

[8:59]  ³⁰² tc Most later witnesses (A Θ^c Ë^1,13 Ï) have at the end of the verse “passing through their midst, he went away in this manner” (διελθὼν διὰ μέσου καὶ παρῆγεν οὕτως, dielqwn dia mesou kai parhgen {outw"), while many others have similar permutations (so א^1,2 C L N Ψ 070 33 579 892 1241 al). The wording is similar to two other texts: Luke 4:30 (διελθὼν διὰ μέσου; in several mss αὐτῶν ἐπορεύετο καί [autwn eporeueto kai] is found between this phrase and παρῆγεν, strengthening the parallel with Luke 4:30) and John 9:1 (παρῆγεν; cf. παράγων [paragwn] there). The effect is to signal Jesus’ departure as a miraculous cloaking. As such, the additional statement has all the earmarks of scribal amplification. Further, the best and earliest witnesses (Ì^66,75 א* B D W Θ* lat sa) lack these words, rendering the shorter text virtually certain.

[9:1]  ³⁰³ tn Or “going along.” The opening words of chap. 9, καὶ παράγων (kai paragwn), convey only the vaguest indication of the circumstances.

[9:2]  ³⁰⁴ tn Grk “asked him, saying.”

[9:2]  ³⁰⁵ tn Grk “this one.”

[9:2]  ³⁰⁶ tn Grk “in order that he should be born blind.”

[9:3]  ³⁰⁷ tn Grk “this one.”

[9:3]  ³⁰⁸ tn Grk “but so that.” There is an ellipsis that must be supplied: “but [he was born blind] so that” or “but [it happened to him] so that.”

[9:3]  ³⁰⁹ tn Or “deeds”; Grk “works.”

[9:3]  ³¹⁰ tn Or “manifested,” “brought to light.”

[9:3]  ³¹¹ tn Grk “in him.”

[9:4]  ³¹² tn Grk “We must work the works.”

[9:4]  ³¹³ tn Or “of him who sent me” (God).

[9:4]  ³¹⁴ tn Or “while.”

[9:5]  ³¹⁵ sn Jesus’ statement I am the light of the world connects the present account with 8:12. Here (seen more clearly than at 8:12) it is obvious what the author sees as the significance of Jesus’ statement. “Light” is not a metaphysical definition of the person of Jesus but a description of his effect on the world, forcing everyone in the world to ‘choose up sides’ for or against him (cf. 3:19-21).

[9:6]  ³¹⁶ tn Grk “said these things.”

[9:6]  ³¹⁷ tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency). The textual variant preserved in the Syriac text of Ephraem’s commentary on the Diatessaron (“he made eyes from his clay”) probably arose from the interpretation given by Irenaeus in Against Heresies: “that which the Artificer, the Word, had omitted to form in the womb, he then supplied in public.” This involves taking the clay as an allusion to Gen 2:7, which is very unlikely.

[9:6]  ³¹⁸ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) was replaced by a third person pronoun and a new sentence started here in the translation.

[9:6]  ³¹⁹ tn Grk “on his.”

[9:7]  ³²⁰ tn The pool’s name in Hebrew is shiloah from the Hebrew verb “to send.” In Gen 49:10 the somewhat obscure shiloh was interpreted messianically by later Jewish tradition, and some have seen a lexical connection between the two names (although this is somewhat dubious). It is known, however, that it was from the pool of Siloam that the water which was poured out at the altar during the feast of Tabernacles was drawn.

[9:7]  ³²¹ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Why does he comment on the meaning of the name of the pool? Here, the significance is that the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the man born blind. The name of the pool is applicable to the man, but also to Jesus himself, who was sent from heaven.

[9:7]  ³²² tn Grk “So he”; the referent (the blind man) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:8]  ³²³ tn Or “formerly.”

[9:8]  ³²⁴ tn An ingressive force (“began saying”) is present here because the change in status of the blind person provokes this new response from those who knew him.

[9:8]  ³²⁵ tn Grk “the one.”

[9:9]  ³²⁶ tn Grk “Others were saying.”

[9:9]  ³²⁷ tn Grk “This is the one.”

[9:9]  ³²⁸ tn Grk “No, but he is like him.”

[9:9]  ³²⁹ tn Grk “That one”; the referent (the man himself) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:9]  ³³⁰ tn Grk “I am he.”

[9:10]  ³³¹ tn Grk “So they were saying to him.”

[9:10]  ³³² tn Grk “How then were your eyes opened” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).

[9:11]  ³³³ tn Grk “That one answered.”

[9:11]  ³³⁴ tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).

[9:11]  ³³⁵ tn Grk “and smeared.” Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when obvious from the context.

[9:11]  ³³⁶ tn Grk “said to me.”

[9:11]  ³³⁷ tn Or “and I gained my sight.”

[9:12]  ³³⁸ tn Grk “And they said.”

[9:12]  ³³⁹ tn Grk “that one.” “Man” is more normal English style for the referent.

[9:12]  ³⁴⁰ tn Grk “He said.”

[9:13]  ³⁴¹ tn Grk “who was formerly blind.”

[9:13]  ³⁴² sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[9:14]  ³⁴³ tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).

[9:14]  ³⁴⁴ tn Grk “and opened his eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).

[9:14]  ³⁴⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[9:15]  ³⁴⁶ tn Or “how he had become able to see.”

[9:15]  ³⁴⁷ tn Grk “And he said to them.”

[9:15]  ³⁴⁸ tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).

[9:15]  ³⁴⁹ tn The word “now” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate the contrast between the man’s former state (blind) and his present state (able to see).

[9:16]  ³⁵⁰ tn As a response to the answers of the man who used to be blind, the use of the imperfect tense in the reply of the Pharisees is best translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to say” or “started saying”).

[9:16]  ³⁵¹ tn Grk “he does not keep.”

[9:16]  ³⁵² sn The Jewish religious leaders considered the work involved in making the mud to be a violation of the Sabbath.

[9:16]  ³⁵³ tn Grk “do.”

[9:16]  ³⁵⁴ tn Or “So there was discord.”

[9:17]  ³⁵⁵ tn Grk “the blind man.”

[9:17]  ³⁵⁶ tn Grk “since he opened your eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).

[9:17]  ³⁵⁷ tn Grk “And he said, ‘He is a prophet.’”

[9:18]  ³⁵⁸ tn Or “the Jewish religious authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers mainly to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. References in this context to Pharisees and to the synagogue (v. 22) suggest an emphasis on the religious nature of the debate which is brought out by the translation “the Jewish religious leaders.”

[9:18]  ³⁵⁹ tn The Greek text contains the words “about him” at this point: “the Jewish authorities did not believe about him…”

[9:18]  ³⁶⁰ tn Grk “they called.”

[9:18]  ³⁶¹ tn Or “the man who had gained his sight.”

[9:19]  ³⁶² tn Grk “and they asked them, saying”; the referent (the parents) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:19]  ³⁶³ tn The Greek pronoun and verb are both plural (both parents are addressed).

[9:20]  ³⁶⁴ tn Grk “So his parents answered and said.”

[9:21]  ³⁶⁵ tn Grk “who opened his eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).

[9:21]  ³⁶⁶ tn Or “he is of age.”

[9:22]  ³⁶⁷ tn Or “the Jewish religious authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Twice in this verse the phrase refers to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. The second occurrence is shortened to “the Jewish leaders” for stylistic reasons. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish religious leaders” in v. 18.

[9:22]  ³⁶⁸ tn Grk “confessed him.”

[9:22]  ³⁶⁹ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[9:22]  ³⁷⁰ tn Or “would be expelled from.”

[9:22]  ³⁷¹ sn This reference to excommunication from the Jewish synagogue for those who had made some sort of confession about Jesus being the Messiah is dismissed as anachronistic by some (e.g., Barrett) and nonhistorical by others. In later Jewish practice there were at least two forms of excommunication: a temporary ban for thirty days, and a permanent ban. But whether these applied in NT times is far from certain. There is no substantial evidence for a formal ban on Christians until later than this Gospel could possibly have been written. This may be a reference to some form of excommunication adopted as a contingency to deal with those who were proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah. If so, there is no other record of the procedure than here. It was probably local, limited to the area around Jerusalem. See also the note on synagogue in 6:59.

[9:23]  ³⁷² tn Or “he is of age.”

[9:23]  ³⁷³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author explaining the parents’ response.

[9:24]  ³⁷⁴ tn Grk “they called.”

[9:24]  ³⁷⁵ tn Grk “who was blind.”

[9:24]  ³⁷⁶ tn Grk “Give glory to God” (an idiomatic formula used in placing someone under oath to tell the truth).

[9:24]  ³⁷⁷ tn The phrase “this man” is a reference to Jesus.

[9:25]  ³⁷⁸ tn Grk “Then that one answered.”

[9:26]  ³⁷⁹ tn Grk “open your eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).

[9:27]  ³⁸⁰ tn Grk “He answered them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς (autois) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.

[9:27]  ³⁸¹ tn Grk “you did not hear.”

[9:27]  ³⁸² tn “It” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when they were clearly implied in the context.

[9:27]  ³⁸³ tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.

[9:28]  ³⁸⁴ 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.

[9:28]  ³⁸⁵ tn The Greek word means “to insult strongly” or “slander.”

[9:28]  ³⁸⁶ tn Grk “and said.”

[9:28]  ³⁸⁷ tn Grk “You are that one’s disciple.”

[9:29]  ³⁸⁸ tn Grk “where this one.”

[9:30]  ³⁸⁹ tn Grk “The man answered and said to them.” This has been simplified in the translation to “The man replied.”

[9:30]  ³⁹⁰ tn Grk “For in this is a remarkable thing.”

[9:30]  ³⁹¹ tn Grk “and he opened my eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).

[9:31]  ³⁹² tn Grk “God does not hear.”

[9:31]  ³⁹³ tn Or “godly.”

[9:31]  ³⁹⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:31]  ³⁹⁵ tn Or “hears.”

[9:31]  ³⁹⁶ tn Grk “this one.”

[9:32]  ³⁹⁷ tn Or “Never from the beginning of time,” Grk “From eternity.”

[9:32]  ³⁹⁸ tn Grk “someone opening the eyes of a man born blind” (“opening the eyes” is an idiom referring to restoration of sight).

[9:33]  ³⁹⁹ tn Grk “this one.”

[9:34]  ⁴⁰⁰ tn Grk “They answered and said to him.” This has been simplified in the translation to “They replied.”

[9:34]  ⁴⁰¹ tn Or “From birth you have been evil.” The implication of this insult, in the context of John 9, is that the man whom Jesus caused to see had not previously adhered rigorously to all the conventional requirements of the OT law as interpreted by the Pharisees. Thus he had no right to instruct them about who Jesus was.

[9:34]  ⁴⁰² tn Grk “and are you teaching us?”

[9:35]  ⁴⁰³ tn Grk “found him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:35]  ⁴⁰⁴ tc Although most witnesses (A L Θ Ψ 070 0250 Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat) have θεοῦ (qeou, “of God”) instead of ἀνθρώπου (anqrwpou, “of man”) here, the better witnesses (Ì^66,75 א B D W sy^s) have ἀνθρώπου. Not only is the external evidence decidedly on the side of ἀνθρώπου, but it is difficult to see such early and diverse witnesses changing θεοῦ to ἀνθρώπου. The wording “Son of Man” is thus virtually certain.

[9:36]  ⁴⁰⁵ tn Grk “That one.”

[9:36]  ⁴⁰⁶ tn Grk answered and said.” This has been simplified in the translation to “replied.”

[9:36]  ⁴⁰⁷ tn Or “And who is he, sir? Tell me so that…” Some translations supply elliptical words like “Tell me” (NIV, NRSV) following the man’s initial question, but the shorter form given in the translation is clear enough.

[9:37]  ⁴⁰⁸ tn Grk “that one.”

[9:37]  ⁴⁰⁹ tn The καί – καί (kai – kai) construction would normally be translated “both – and”: “You have both seen him, and he is the one speaking with you.” In this instance the English semicolon was used instead because it produces a smoother and more emphatic effect in English.

[9:38]  ⁴¹⁰ sn Assuming the authenticity of John 9:38-39a (see the tc note following the bracket in v. 39), the man’s response after Jesus’ statement of v. 37 is extremely significant: He worshiped Jesus. In the Johannine context the word would connote its full sense: This was something due God alone. Note also that Jesus did not prevent the man from doing this. The verb προσκυνέω (proskunew) is used in John 4:20-25 of worshiping God, and again with the same sense in 12:20. This would be the only place in John’s Gospel where anyone is said to have worshiped Jesus using this term. As such, it forms the climax of the story of the man born blind, but the uniqueness of the concept of worshiping Jesus at this point in John's narrative (which reaches its ultimate climax in the confession of Thomas in John 20:28) may suggest it is too early for such a response and it represents a later scribal addition.

[9:39]  ⁴¹¹ tn Grk “And Jesus.” 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.

[9:39]  ⁴¹² tc ‡ Some early and important witnesses (Ì⁷⁵ א* W b sa^ms ac² mf) lack the words, “He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him. Jesus said,” (vv. 38-39a). This is weighty evidence for the omission of these words. It is difficult to overstate the value of Ì⁷⁵ here, since it is the only currently available papyrus ms extant for the text of John 9:38-39. Further, א is an important and early Alexandrian witness for the omission. The versional testimony and codex W also give strong support to the omission. Nearly all other mss, however, include these words. The omission may have been occasioned by parablepsis (both vv. 37 and 39 begin with “Jesus said to him”), though it is difficult to account for such an error across such a wide variety of witnesses. On the other hand, the longer reading appears to be motivated by liturgical concerns (so R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:375), since the verb προσκυνέω (proskunew, “I worship”) is used in John 4:20-25 of worshiping God, and again with the same sense in 12:20. If these words were authentic here, this would be the only place in John’s Gospel where Jesus is the explicit object of προσκυνέω. Even if these words are not authentic, such an omission would nevertheless hardly diminish John’s high Christology (cf. 1:1; 5:18-23; 14:6-10; 20:28), nor the implicit worship of him by Thomas (20:28). Nevertheless, a decision is difficult, and the included words may reflect a very early tradition about the blind man’s response to Jesus.

[9:39]  ⁴¹³ tn Or “that those who do not see may see.”

[9:40]  ⁴¹⁴ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[9:40]  ⁴¹⁵ tn Grk “heard these things.”

[9:40]  ⁴¹⁶ tn Grk “and said to him.”

[9:40]  ⁴¹⁷ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are we?”).

[9:41]  ⁴¹⁸ tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”

[9:41]  ⁴¹⁹ tn Grk “you would not have sin.”

[9:41]  ⁴²⁰ tn Grk “now because you say, ‘We see…’”

[9:41]  ⁴²¹ tn Or “your sin.”

[9:41]  ⁴²² sn Because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains. The blind man received sight physically, and this led him to see spiritually as well. But the Pharisees, who claimed to possess spiritual sight, were spiritually blinded. The reader might recall Jesus’ words to Nicodemus in 3:10, “Are you the teacher of Israel and don’t understand these things?” In other words, to receive Jesus was to receive the light of the world, to reject him was to reject the light, close one’s eyes, and become blind. This is the serious sin of which Jesus had warned before (8:21-24). The blindness of such people was incurable since they had rejected the only cure that exists (cf. 12:39-41).

[10:1]  ⁴²³ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[10:1]  ⁴²⁴ sn There was more than one type of sheepfold in use in Palestine in Jesus’ day. The one here seems to be a courtyard in front of a house (the Greek word used for the sheepfold here, αὐλή [aulh] frequently refers to a courtyard), surrounded by a stone wall (often topped with briars for protection).

[10:1]  ⁴²⁵ tn Or “entrance.”

[10:3]  ⁴²⁶ tn Or “porter” (British English).

[10:3]  ⁴²⁷ tn The words “the door” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.

[10:3]  ⁴²⁸ tn Grk “For this one.”

[10:3]  ⁴²⁹ tn Grk “And he.” 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.

[10:3]  ⁴³⁰ sn He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. Some interpreters have suggested that there was more than one flock in the fold, and there would be a process of separation where each shepherd called out his own flock. This may also be suggested by the mention of a doorkeeper in v. 3 since only the larger sheepfolds would have such a guard. But the Gospel of John never mentions a distinction among the sheep in this fold; in fact (10:16) there are other sheep which are to be brought in, but they are to be one flock and one shepherd.

[10:4]  ⁴³¹ tn The word “sheep” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[10:4]  ⁴³² tn Grk “because they know.”

[10:5]  ⁴³³ tn Or “someone whom they do not know.”

[10:5]  ⁴³⁴ tn Grk “know.”

[10:5]  ⁴³⁵ tn Or “the voice of someone they do not know.”

[10:6]  ⁴³⁶ sn A parable is a fairly short narrative that has symbolic meaning. The Greek word παροιμίαν (paroimian) is used again in 16:25, 29. This term does not occur in the synoptic gospels, where παραβολή (parabolh) is used. Nevertheless it is similar, denoting a short narrative with figurative or symbolic meaning.

[10:6]  ⁴³⁷ tn Grk “these.”

[10:6]  ⁴³⁸ tn Or “comprehend.”

[10:7]  ⁴³⁹ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

[10:7]  ⁴⁴⁰ tn Or “I am the sheep’s door.”

[10:8]  ⁴⁴¹ tn Grk “are” (present tense).

[10:8]  ⁴⁴² tn Or “the sheep did not hear them.”

[10:9]  ⁴⁴³ tn Since the Greek phrase εἰσέρχομαι καὶ ἐξέρχομαι (eisercomai kai exercomai, “come in and go out”) is in some places an idiom for living or conducting oneself in relationship to some community (“to live with, to live among” [cf. Acts 1:21; see also Num 27:17; 2 Chr 1:10]), it may well be that Jesus’ words here look forward to the new covenant community of believers. Another significant NT text is Luke 9:4, where both these verbs occur in the context of the safety and security provided by a given household for the disciples. See also BDAG 294 s.v. εἰσέρχομαι 1.b.β.

[10:9]  ⁴⁴⁴ sn That is, pasture land in contrast to cultivated land.

[10:10]  ⁴⁴⁵ tn That is, “to slaughter” (in reference to animals).

[10:10]  ⁴⁴⁶ tn That is, more than one would normally expect or anticipate.

[10:11]  ⁴⁴⁷ tn Or “model” (see R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:386, who argues that “model” is a more exact translation of καλός [kalos] here).

[10:11]  ⁴⁴⁸ tn Or “The good shepherd dies willingly.”

[10:12]  ⁴⁴⁹ sn Jesus contrasts the behavior of the shepherd with that of the hired hand. This is a worker who is simply paid to do a job; he has no other interest in the sheep and is certainly not about to risk his life for them. When they are threatened, he simply runs away.

[10:12]  ⁴⁵⁰ tn Grk “leaves.”

[10:12]  ⁴⁵¹ tn Or “flees.”

[10:12]  ⁴⁵² tn Or “seizes.” The more traditional rendering, “snatches,” has the idea of seizing something by force and carrying it off, which is certainly possible here. However, in the sequence in John 10:12, this action precedes the scattering of the flock of sheep, so “attacks” is preferable.

[10:13]  ⁴⁵³ tn Grk “does not have a care for the sheep.”

[10:13]  ⁴⁵⁴ tc The phrase “he runs away” is lacking in several important mss (Ì^{44vid,45,66,75} א A*^vid B D L [W] Θ 1 33 1241 al co). Most likely it was added by a later scribe to improve the readability of vv. 12-13, which is one long sentence in Greek. It has been included in the translation for the same stylistic reasons.

[10:14]  ⁴⁵⁵ tn Grk “And I.” 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.

[10:14]  ⁴⁵⁶ tn The direct object is frequently omitted in Greek and must be supplied from the context. Here it could be “sheep,” but Jesus was ultimately talking about “people.”

[10:15]  ⁴⁵⁷ tn Or “I die willingly.”

[10:15]  ⁴⁵⁸ tn Or “on behalf of” or “for the sake of.”

[10:16]  ⁴⁵⁹ tn Grk “And I have.” 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.

[10:16]  ⁴⁶⁰ tn Or “that do not belong to”; Grk “that are not of.”

[10:16]  ⁴⁶¹ sn The statement I have other sheep that do not come from this sheepfold almost certainly refers to Gentiles. Jesus has sheep in the fold who are Jewish; there are other sheep which, while not of the same fold, belong to him also. This recalls the mission of the Son in 3:16-17, which was to save the world – not just the nation of Israel. Such an emphasis would be particularly appropriate to the author if he were writing to a non-Palestinian and primarily non-Jewish audience.

[10:16]  ⁴⁶² tn Grk “they will hear my voice.”

[10:16]  ⁴⁶³ tn Grk “voice, and.”

[10:16]  ⁴⁶⁴ tn The word “and” is not in the Greek text, but must be supplied to conform to English style. In Greek it is an instance of asyndeton (omission of a connective), usually somewhat emphatic.

[10:17]  ⁴⁶⁵ tn Grk “Because of this the Father loves me.”

[10:17]  ⁴⁶⁶ tn Or “die willingly.”

[10:18]  ⁴⁶⁷ tn Or “give it up.”

[10:18]  ⁴⁶⁸ tn Or “of my own accord.” “Of my own free will” is given by BDAG 321 s.v. ἐμαυτοῦ c.

[10:18]  ⁴⁶⁹ tn Or “I have the right.”

[10:18]  ⁴⁷⁰ tn Or “I have the right.”

[10:18]  ⁴⁷¹ tn Or “order.”

[10:19]  ⁴⁷² tn Or perhaps “the Jewish religious leaders”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase could be taken to refer to the Jewish religious leaders, since the Pharisees were the last to be mentioned specifically by name, in John 9:40. However, in light of the charge about demon possession, which echoes 8:48, it is more likely that Jewish people in general (perhaps in Jerusalem, if that is understood to be the setting of the incident) are in view here.

[10:20]  ⁴⁷³ tn Or “is insane.” To translate simply “he is mad” (so KJV, ASV, RSV; “raving mad” NIV) could give the impression that Jesus was angry, while the actual charge was madness or insanity.

[10:21]  ⁴⁷⁴ tn Or “the sayings.”

[10:21]  ⁴⁷⁵ tn Grk “open the eyes of the blind” (“opening the eyes” is an idiom referring to restoration of sight).

[10:21]  ⁴⁷⁶ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “can it?”).

[10:22]  ⁴⁷⁷ tn That is, Hanukkah or the ‘Festival of Lights.’ The Greek name for the feast, τὰ ἐγκαίνια (ta enkainia), literally means “renewal” and was used to translate Hanukkah which means “dedication.” The Greek noun, with its related verbs, was the standard term used in the LXX for the consecration of the altar of the Tabernacle (Num 7:10-11), the altar of the temple of Solomon (1 Kgs 8:63; 2 Chr 7:5), and the altar of the second temple (Ezra 6:16). The word is thus connected with the consecration of all the houses of God in the history of the nation of Israel.

[10:22]  ⁴⁷⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[10:23]  ⁴⁷⁹ sn It was winter. The feast began on 25 Kislev, in November-December of the modern Gregorian calendar.

[10:23]  ⁴⁸⁰ tn Grk “in the temple.”

[10:23]  ⁴⁸¹ tn Or “portico,” “colonnade”; Grk “stoa.”

[10:24]  ⁴⁸² tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. The question they ask Jesus (“Are you the Christ?”) is the same one they sent and asked of John the Baptist in the desert (see John 1:19-34). See also the note on the phrase “the Jewish people” in v. 19.

[10:24]  ⁴⁸³ tn Grk “said to him.” This has been translated as “asked” for stylistic reasons.

[10:24]  ⁴⁸⁴ tn Grk “How long will you take away our life?” (an idiom which meant to keep one from coming to a conclusion about something). The use of the phrase τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις (thn yuchn Jhmwn airei") meaning “to keep in suspense” is not well attested, although it certainly fits the context here. In modern Greek the phrase means “to annoy, bother.”

[10:24]  ⁴⁸⁵ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[10:24]  ⁴⁸⁶ tn Or “publicly.”

[10:25]  ⁴⁸⁷ tn Grk “answered them.”

[10:25]  ⁴⁸⁸ tn Or “the works.”

[10:28]  ⁴⁸⁹ tn Grk “And I give.”

[10:28]  ⁴⁹⁰ tn Or “will never die” or “will never be lost.”

[10:28]  ⁴⁹¹ tn Or “no one will seize.”

[10:29]  ⁴⁹² tn Or “is superior to all.”

[10:29]  ⁴⁹³ tn Or “no one can seize.”

[10:30]  ⁴⁹⁴ tn Grk “I and the Father.” The order has been reversed to reflect English style.

[10:30]  ⁴⁹⁵ 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).

[10:31]  ⁴⁹⁶ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the notes on the phrases “Jewish people” in v. 19 and “Jewish leaders” in v. 24.

[10:32]  ⁴⁹⁷ tn Grk “Jesus answered them.”

[10:32]  ⁴⁹⁸ tn Or “good works.”

[10:33]  ⁴⁹⁹ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here again the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders. See the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19 and “Jewish leaders” in vv. 24, 31.

[10:33]  ⁵⁰⁰ tn Grk “answered him.”

[10:33]  ⁵⁰¹ tn Or “good work.”

[10:33]  ⁵⁰² sn This is the first time the official charge of blasphemy is voiced openly in the Fourth Gospel (although it was implicit in John 8:59).

[10:33]  ⁵⁰³ tn Grk “and because.”

[10:33]  ⁵⁰⁴ tn Grk “you, a man, make yourself to be God.”

[10:34]  ⁵⁰⁵ tn Grk “answered them.”

[10:34]  ⁵⁰⁶ sn A quotation from Ps 82:6. Technically the Psalms are not part of the OT “law” (which usually referred to the five books of Moses), but occasionally the term “law” was applied to the entire OT, as here. The problem in this verse concerns the meaning of Jesus’ quotation from Ps 82:6. It is important to look at the OT context: The whole line reads “I say, you are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you.” Jesus will pick up on the term “sons of the Most High” in 10:36, where he refers to himself as the Son of God. The psalm was understood in rabbinic circles as an attack on unjust judges who, though they have been given the title “gods” because of their quasi-divine function of exercising judgment, are just as mortal as other men. What is the argument here? It is often thought to be as follows: If it was an OT practice to refer to men like the judges as gods, and not blasphemy, why did the Jewish authorities object when this term was applied to Jesus? This really doesn’t seem to fit the context, however, since if that were the case Jesus would not be making any claim for “divinity” for himself over and above any other human being – and therefore he would not be subject to the charge of blasphemy. Rather, this is evidently a case of arguing from the lesser to the greater, a common form of rabbinic argument. The reason the OT judges could be called gods is because they were vehicles of the word of God (cf. 10:35). But granting that premise, Jesus deserves much more than they to be called God. He is the Word incarnate, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world to save the world (10:36). In light of the prologue to the Gospel of John, it seems this interpretation would have been most natural for the author. If it is permissible to call men “gods” because they were the vehicles of the word of God, how much more permissible is it to use the word “God” of him who is the Word of God?

[10:35]  ⁵⁰⁷ sn The parenthetical note And the scripture cannot be broken belongs to Jesus’ words rather than the author’s. Not only does Jesus appeal to the OT to defend himself against the charge of blasphemy, but he also adds that the scripture cannot be “broken.” In this context he does not explain precisely what is meant by “broken,” but it is not too hard to determine. Jesus’ argument depended on the exact word used in the context of Ps 82:6. If any other word for “judge” had been used in the psalm, his argument would have been meaningless. Since the scriptures do use this word in Ps 82:6, the argument is binding, because they cannot be “broken” in the sense of being shown to be in error.

[10:36]  ⁵⁰⁸ tn Or “dedicated.”

[10:37]  ⁵⁰⁹ tn Or “do.”

[10:37]  ⁵¹⁰ tn Or “works.”

[10:38]  ⁵¹¹ tn Or “works.”

[10:38]  ⁵¹² tn Or “so that you may learn.”

[10:39]  ⁵¹³ tc It is difficult to decide between ἐζήτουν οὖν (ezhtoun oun, “then they were seeking”; Ì⁶⁶ א A L W Ψ Ë^1,13 33 pm lat), ἐζήτουν δέ (ezhtoun de, “now they were seeking”; Ì⁴⁵ and a few versional witnesses), καὶ ἐζήτουν (kai ezhtoun, “and they were seeking”; D), and ἐζήτουν (Ì^75vid B Γ Θ 700 pm). Externally, the most viable readings are ἐζήτουν οὖν and ἐζήτουν. Transcriptionally, the οὖν could have dropped out via haplography since the verb ends in the same three letters. On the other hand, it is difficult to explain the readings with δέ or καί if ἐζήτουν οὖν is original; such readings would more likely have arisen from the simple ἐζήτουν. Intrinsically, John is fond of οὖν, using it some 200 times. Further, this Gospel begins relatively few sentences without some conjunction. The minimal support for the δέ and καί readings suggests that they arose either from the lone verb reading (which would thus be prior to their respective Vorlagen but not necessarily the earliest reading) or through carelessness on the part of the scribes. Indeed, the ancestors of Ì⁴⁵ and D may have committed haplography, leaving later scribes in the chain to guess at the conjunction needed. In sum, the best reading appears to be ἐζήτουν οὖν.

[10:39]  ⁵¹⁴ tn Grk “they were seeking.”

[10:39]  ⁵¹⁵ tn Grk “he departed out of their hand.”

[10:40]  ⁵¹⁶ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:40]  ⁵¹⁷ tn The word “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.

[10:40]  ⁵¹⁸ sn John refers to John the Baptist.

[10:40]  ⁵¹⁹ tn Grk “formerly.”

[10:41]  ⁵²⁰ tn Grk “And many.” 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.

[10:41]  ⁵²¹ sn John refers to John the Baptist.

[10:41]  ⁵²² tn Grk “did.”

[10:41]  ⁵²³ tn Grk “this one.”

[10:42]  ⁵²⁴ tn Grk “in him.”