John 3:5

3:5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, ¹  unless a person is born of water and spirit, ²  he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

John 10:1

Jesus as the Good Shepherd

10:1 “I tell you the solemn truth, ³  the one who does not enter the sheepfold ⁴  by the door, ⁵  but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.

John 11:9

11:9 Jesus replied, ⁶  “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks around in the daytime, he does not stumble, ⁷  because he sees the light of this world. ⁸ 

John 11:55

11:55 Now the Jewish feast of Passover ⁹  was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem ¹⁰  from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually. ¹¹ 

John 19:10

19:10 So Pilate said, ¹²  “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority ¹³  to release you, and to crucify you?” ¹⁴ 

¹ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

² tn Or “born of water and wind” (the same Greek word, πνεύματος [pneumatos], may be translated either “spirit/Spirit” or “wind”).

³ tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”

⁴ 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).

⁵ tn Or “entrance.”

⁵ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

⁶ tn Or “he does not trip.”

⁷ sn What is the light of this world? On one level, of course, it refers to the sun, but the reader of John’s Gospel would recall 8:12 and understand Jesus’ symbolic reference to himself as the light of the world. There is only a limited time left (Are there not twelve hours in a day?) until the Light will be withdrawn (until Jesus returns to the Father) and the one who walks around in the dark will trip and fall (compare the departure of Judas by night in 13:30).

⁷ tn Grk “the Passover of the Jews.” This is the final Passover of Jesus’ ministry. The author is now on the eve of the week of the Passion. Some time prior to the feast itself, Jerusalem would be crowded with pilgrims from the surrounding districts (ἐκ τῆς χώρας, ek th" cwra") who had come to purify themselves ceremonially before the feast.

⁸ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁹ tn Or “to purify themselves” (to undergo or carry out ceremonial cleansing before participating in the Passover celebration).

⁹ tn Grk “said to him.” The words “to him” are not translated because they are unnecessary in contemporary English style.

¹⁰ tn Or “the power.”

¹¹ tn Grk “know that I have the authority to release you and the authority to crucify you.” Repetition of “the authority” is unnecessarily redundant English style.