John 11:8-10

11:8 The disciples replied, ¹  “Rabbi, the Jewish leaders ²  were just now trying ³  to stone you to death! Are ⁴  you going there again?” 11:9 Jesus replied, ⁵  “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If anyone walks around in the daytime, he does not stumble, ⁶  because he sees the light of this world. ⁷  11:10 But if anyone walks around at night, ⁸  he stumbles, ⁹  because the light is not in him.”

[11:8]  ¹ tn Grk “The disciples said to him.”

[11:8]  ² 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 leaders. See the previous references and the notes on the phrase “Jewish people” in v. 19, and “Jewish religious leaders” in vv. 24, 31, 33.

[11:8]  ³ tn Grk “seeking.”

[11:8]  ⁴ tn Grk “And are.” 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.

[11:9]  ⁵ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[11:9]  ⁶ tn Or “he does not trip.”

[11:9]  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 until the Light will be withdrawn (until Jesus returns to the Father) and the one who walks around in the dark will trip and fall (compare the departure of Judas by night in 13:30).

[11:10]  ⁸ tn Grk “in the night.”

[11:10]  ⁹ tn Or “he trips.”