John 3:12

3:12 If I have told you people ¹  about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ² 

John 6:30

6:30 So they said to him, “Then what miraculous sign will you perform, so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?

John 8:13

8:13 So the Pharisees ³  objected, ⁴  “You testify about yourself; your testimony is not true!” ⁵ 

John 8:57

8:57 Then the Judeans ⁶  replied, ⁷  “You are not yet fifty years old! ⁸  Have ⁹  you seen Abraham?”

John 9:28

9:28 They ¹⁰  heaped insults ¹¹  on him, saying, ¹²  “You are his disciple! ¹³  We are disciples of Moses!

John 11:40

11:40 Jesus responded, ¹⁴  “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe, you would see the glory of God?”

John 18:8

18:8 Jesus replied, ¹⁵  “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for ¹⁶  me, let these men ¹⁷  go.” ¹⁸ 

John 18:34

18:34 Jesus replied, ¹⁹  “Are you saying this on your own initiative, ²⁰  or have others told you about me?”

[3:12]  ¹ tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate that the verb is second person plural (referring to more than Nicodemus alone).

[3:12]  ² sn Obviously earthly things and heavenly things are in contrast, but what is the contrast? What are earthly things which Jesus has just spoken to Nicodemus? And through him to others – this is not the first instance of the plural pronoun, see v. 7, you must all. Since Nicodemus began with a plural (we know, v. 2) Jesus continues it, and through Nicodemus addresses a broader audience. It makes most sense to take this as a reference to the things Jesus has just said (and the things he is about to say, vv. 13-15). If this is the case (and it seems the most natural explanation) then earthly things are not necessarily strictly physical things, but are so called because they take place on earth, in contrast to things like v. 16, which take place in heaven. Some have added the suggestion that the things are called earthly because physical analogies (birth, wind, water) are used to describe them. This is possible, but it seems more probable that Jesus calls these things earthly because they happen on earth (even though they are spiritual things). In the context, taking earthly things as referring to the words Jesus has just spoken fits with the fact that Nicodemus did not believe. And he would not after hearing heavenly things either, unless he first believed in the earthly things – which included the necessity of a regenerating work from above, by the Holy Spirit.

[8:13]  ³ sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

[8:13]  ⁴ tn Grk “Then the Pharisees said to him.”

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

[8:57]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Grk “said to him.”

[8:57]  ⁷ tn Grk ‘You do not yet have fifty years” (an idiom).

[8:57]  ⁸ tn Grk “And have.”

[9:28]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn The Greek word means “to insult strongly” or “slander.”

[9:28]  ⁹ tn Grk “and said.”

[9:28]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “You are that one’s disciple.”

[11:40]  ⁹ tn Grk “Jesus said to her.”

[18:8]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[18:8]  ¹² tn Grk “if you are seeking.”

[18:8]  ¹³ tn The word “men” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The translation uses the word “men” here rather than a more generic word like “people” because in context Jesus referred only to the eleven remaining disciples who were loyal to him and were present at his arrest.

[18:8]  ¹⁴ sn A second time Jesus replied, “I told you that I am he,” identifying himself as the one they are seeking. Jesus also added, “If you are looking for me, let these men go.” Jesus successfully diverted attention from his disciples by getting the soldiers and officers of the chief priests to admit (twice) that it is only him they were after. Even in this hour Jesus still protected and cared for his own, giving himself up on their behalf. By handing himself over to his enemies, Jesus ensured that his disciples went free. From the perspective of the author, this is acting out beforehand what Jesus will actually do for his followers when he goes to the cross.

[18:34]  ¹³ tn Grk “Jesus answered.”

[18:34]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “saying this from yourself.”