John 8:39-47

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. John 8:39 tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”
2. John 8:39 tn Or “Our father is Abraham.”
3. John 8:39 tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”
4. John 8:39 tc Although most mss (C W Θ Ψ 0250 ƒ^1,13 33 M) have the imperfect ἦτε (ēte, “you were”) here, making this sentence a proper second class condition, the harder reading, ἐστε (este, “you are”), is found in the better witnesses (P^66,75 א B D L 070 lat).
5. John 8:39 tc Some significant mss (P⁶⁶ B* [700]) have the present imperative ποιεῖτε (poieite) here: “If you are Abraham’s children, then do,” while many others (א² C K L N Δ Ψ ƒ^1,13 33 565 579 892 pm) add the contingent particle ἄν (an) to ἐποιεῖτε (epoieite) making it a more proper second class condition by Attic standards. The simple ἐποιεῖτε without the ἄν is the hardest reading, and is found in some excellent witnesses (P⁷⁵ א* B² D W Γ Θ 070 0250 1424 pm).tn Or “you would do.”
6. John 8:40 tn Grk “seeking.”
7. John 8:40 tn Grk “has spoken to you.”
8. John 8:40 tn The Greek word order is emphatic: “This Abraham did not do.” The emphasis is indicated in the translation by an exclamation point.
9. John 8:41 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.
10. John 8:41 tc ‡ Significant and early witnesses (א B L W 070 it sy^s,p co) lack the conjunction here, while the earliest witnesses along with many others read οὖν (oun, “therefore”; P^66,75 C D Θ Ψ 0250 ƒ¹³ 33 M). This conjunction occurs in John some 200 times, far more than in any other NT book. Even though the combined testimony of two early papyri for the conjunction is impressive, the reading seems to be a predictable scribal emendation. In particular, οὖν is frequently used with the plural of εἶπον (eipon, “they said”) in John (in this chapter alone, note vv. 13, 39, 48, 57, and possibly 52). On balance, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic, even though “Then” is virtually required in translation for English stylistic reasons. NA²⁸ has the conjunction in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
11. John 8:41 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.
12. John 8:41 sn We were not born as a result of immorality! is ironic, because Jesus’ opponents implied that it was not themselves but Jesus who had been born as a result of immoral behavior. This shows they did not know Jesus’ true origin and were not aware of the supernatural events surrounding his birth. The author does not even bother to refute the opponents’ suggestion but lets it stand, assuming his readers will know the true story.
13. John 8:42 tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”
14. John 8:42 tn Or “I came from God and have arrived.”
15. John 8:42 tn Grk “For I.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
16. John 8:42 tn Grk “from myself.”
17. John 8:42 tn Grk “that one” (referring to God).
18. John 8:43 tn Grk “you cannot hear,” but this is not a reference to deafness, but rather hearing in the sense of listening to something and responding to it.
19. John 8:43 tn Grk “my word.”
20. John 8:44 tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to clarify that the Greek pronoun and verb are plural.
21. John 8:44 tn Many translations read “You are of your father the devil” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NASB) or “You belong to your father, the devil” (NIV), but the Greek preposition ἐκ (ek) emphasizes the idea of source or origin. Jesus said his opponents were the devil’s very offspring (a statement which would certainly infuriate them).
22. John 8:44 tn Grk “the desires of your father you want to do.”
23. John 8:44 tn Grk “That one” (referring to the devil).
24. John 8:44 tn Grk “he does not stand in the truth” (in the sense of maintaining, upholding, or accepting the validity of it).
25. John 8:44 tn Grk “Whenever he speaks the lie.”
26. John 8:44 tn Grk “he speaks from his own.”
27. John 8:44 tn Grk “because he is a liar and the father of it.”
28. John 8:45 tn Or “because I tell you.”
29. John 8:46 tn Or “can convict me.”
30. John 8:46 tn Or “of having sinned”; Grk “of sin.”
31. John 8:46 tn Or “if I tell you.”
32. John 8:47 tn Grk “who is of.”
33. John 8:47 tn Grk “to God hears” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).
34. John 8:47 tn Grk “you do not hear” (in the sense of listening to something and responding to it).
35. John 8:47 tn Grk “you are not of God.”