John 4:51

While he was on his way down, ¹  his slaves ²  met him and told him that his son was going to live.

biblegateway Joh 4:51

While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.

biblegateway Joh 4:51

As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living.

biblegateway Joh 4:51

While he was on his way, some of his servants met him with the news that his son was alive and well.

biblegateway Joh 4:51

On his way back, his servants intercepted him and announced, "Your son lives!"

SABDAweb Joh 4:51

And while he was going down, his servants came to him and said, Your boy is living.

bibleoremus Joh 4:51

As he was going down, his slaves met him and told him that his child was alive.

biblegateway Joh 4:51

And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him , saying, "Your son lives!"

biblegateway Joh 4:51

While he was on his way down, ¹  his slaves ²  met him and told him that his son was going to live.

¹ sn While he was on his way down. Going to Capernaum from Cana, one must go east across the Galilean hills and then descend to the Sea of Galilee. The 20 mi (33 km) journey could not be made in a single day. The use of the description on his way down shows the author was familiar with Palestinian geography.

² tn Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.