John 1:48

1:48 Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, ¹  “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, ²  I saw you.”

John 10:3

10:3 The doorkeeper ³  opens the door ⁴  for him, ⁵  and the sheep hear his voice. He ⁶  calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁷ 

John 19:13

19:13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat ⁸  in the place called “The Stone Pavement” ⁹  (Gabbatha in ¹⁰  Aramaic). ¹¹ 

John 21:2

21:2 Simon Peter, Thomas ¹²  (called Didymus), ¹³  Nathanael ¹⁴  (who was from Cana ¹⁵  in Galilee), the sons ¹⁶  of Zebedee, ¹⁷  and two other disciples ¹⁸  of his were together.

[1:48]  ¹ tn Grk “answered and said to him.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation to “replied.”

[1:48]  ² sn Many have speculated about what Nathanael was doing under the fig tree. Meditating on the Messiah who was to come? A good possibility, since the fig tree was used as shade for teaching or studying by the later rabbis (Ecclesiastes Rabbah 5:11). Also, the fig tree was symbolic for messianic peace and plenty (Mic 4:4, Zech 3:10.)

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

[10:3]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn Grk “For this one.”

[10:3]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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.

[19:13]  ⁵ tn Or “the judge’s seat.”

[19:13]  ⁶ sn The precise location of the place called ‘The Stone Pavement’ is still uncertain, although a paved court on the lower level of the Fortress Antonia has been suggested. It is not certain whether it was laid prior to a.d. 135, however.

[19:13]  ⁷ tn Grk “in Hebrew.”

[19:13]  ⁸ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[21:2]  ⁷ tn Grk “and Thomas.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements of a series.

[21:2]  ⁸ sn Didymus means “the twin” in Greek.

[21:2]  ⁹ tn Grk “and Nathanael.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements of a series.

[21:2]  ¹⁰ map For location see Map1 C3; Map2 D2; Map3 C5.

[21:2]  ¹¹ tn Grk “and the sons.” The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements of a series.

[21:2]  ¹² sn The sons of Zebedee were James and John.

[21:2]  ¹³ sn The two other disciples who are not named may have been Andrew and Philip, who are mentioned together in John 6:7-8 and 12:22.