John 12:26-28

12:26 If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow ¹  me, and where I am, my servant will be too. ²  If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

12:27 “Now my soul is greatly distressed. And what should I say? ‘Father, deliver me ³  from this hour’? ⁴  No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour. ⁵  12:28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, ⁶  “I have glorified it, ⁷  and I will glorify it ⁸  again.”

[12:26]  ¹ tn As a third person imperative in Greek, ἀκολουθείτω (akolouqeitw) is usually translated “let him follow me.” This could be understood by the modern English reader as merely permissive, however (“he may follow me if he wishes”). In this context there is no permissive sense, but rather a command, so the translation “he must follow me” is preferred.

[12:26]  ² tn Grk “where I am, there my servant will be too.”

[12:27]  ³ tn Or “save me.”

[12:27]  ⁴ tn Or “this occasion.”

[12:27]  ⁵ tn Or “this occasion.”

[12:28]  ⁵ tn Or “from the sky” (see note on 1:32).

[12:28]  ⁶ tn “It” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[12:28]  ⁷ tn “It” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.