John 12:20-33

Lectionary Year B
April 9, 2000
John 12:20-33

Initial Acquaintance/Rough Translation

A. COMPARISION OF TRANSLATIONS

(JFC)

The New International Version (1978) reads the second half of verse 20, “those who went up to worship at the Feast.” The New Living Translation (1996) has, “who had come to Jerusalem to attend the Passover”, while the New Revised Standard Version (1989) has, “who went up to worship at the festival . . .”
In the next verse (21), both the NIV and the NRSV translate, “They came to Phillip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,” while the NLT reads, “paid a visit to Philip”. Then, NIV reads, “with a request.” NLT reads, “They said,” and the NRSV, “and said to him”.
Verse 22 finds the NIV stating, “Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.” There, the NLT says, “Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.” The NRSV has, “Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.”
At the beginning of verse 23, both the NIV and the NLT say, “Jesus replied”, where NRSV says, “Jesus answered them”. NIV and NRSV say it is “The hour has come”, where the NLT reads, “The time has come”. Thereafter, the NIV and the NRSV agree to read, “to be glorified.” There, the NLT reads, “enter into his glory.”
Verse 24 begins, “I tell you the truth,” in the NIV, “The truth is,” in the NLT and “Very truly, I tell you,” in the NRSV. Then, both the NIV and the NLT call it “a kernel of wheat” that falls, while the NRSV calls it, “a grain of wheat”. Then the NIV says it “falls to the ground and dies,” and the NLT has, “must be planted in the soil.” and the NRSV has, “falls into the earth and dies,”. Thereafter, NIV translates, “it remains only a single seed.” The NLT makes it a new sentence, “Unless it dies it will be alone - a single seed.” There, the NRSV reads, “it remains just a single grain;”.
Finally for this verse (24), NIV has, “But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” To end this verse (24), NLT has another new sentence, “But its death will produce many new kernels - a plentiful harvest of new lives.” NRSV ends the verse (24), “but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
Verse 25 begins in the NIV, “The man who loves his life”, while both the NLT and the NRSV begin similarly by, “Those who love their life” except, the NLT adds, “in this world”. Thereafter, all three agree, “lose it”, except, the NLT adds “will” to “lose it”. Then, the NIV follows, “while the man who hates his life in this world” and the NLT begins a new sentence, “Those who despise their life in this world” and the NRSV, “and those who hate their life in this world”.
Next, for verse 26, the differences come in the first phrase, where the NIV and the NRSV read, “Whoever serves me” and the NLT, “All those who want to be my disciples”. The NLT adds “must come” to what the others have as, “must follow me”. Next in that verse (26), NLT puts “where I am” at the end, while NIV and NRSV both “and where I am”, although NLT adds “because” to “my servants must be”. To end that verse (26), the NIV begins another sentence with, “My Father will honor” and the NLT continues the sentence with “the Father will honor them.” The NRSV has, there, “the Father will honor.”
The NRSV begins verse 27 as a new paragraph. The others do not indent anywhere except at chapters. It finds the three translations rendering the word for what is troubled as “heart” for the NIV, “soul” for the NLT and the NRSV. The NLT adds an adverb, “deeply troubled”. Thereafter, the NIV has a coma followed by, “and what shall I say?” The NLT and the NRSV begin new sentences, the former, “Should I say, ‘Father, save me from what lies ahead’?” and the latter, “And what should I say - ‘Father, save me from this hour’?” Both the NIV and the NRSV cite Jesus’ reply to that rhetorical question by saying, “No,”. The NLT has Jesus begin the answer, “But”. Thereafter, the NIV reads, “it was for this very reason I came to this hour.” The NLT has, “that is the very reason I came!” The NRSV has, “it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.”
Verse 28 concludes Jesus’ statement with the NIV and the NRSV translating, “Father, glorify your name.” The NLT ends the quote, “Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice begins to respond, in the NIV and the NRSV by, “Then a voice came from heaven.” The NLT adds, to that announcement, that the voice comes from heaven “saying,”. Thereafter, the NIV says the voice from heaven states, “I have already glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The NRSV has the same response but without the adverb, “already”. The NLT says the voice says, “I have already brought it to glory, and will do it again.”
Verse 29 Begins describing the crowd at the scene; NIV calls them, “The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered;”, the NLT says, “When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder,” and the NRSV has, “The crowd standing there heard it and said it was thunder.”
The 30th verse begins a quote from Jesus, saying in the NIV, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.” The NLT says it the same way except it is “The voice” rather than “This voice”. The NRSV has it similarly except it is “The voice has come . . .”
Verse 31 begins in the NIV and the NRSV, “Now . . .” The translations of the middle part of this verse differ only with various uses of the prepositions, “of”, “for” and “on”. Then, the end of the verse refers to “the prince (NIV and NLT) of this world” and “the ruler (NRSV) of this world”. They all indicate the exile thereof, by “be driven out” (NIV and NRSV) and “be cast out” (NLT).
Verse 32 begins with different conjunctions in different translations: NIV has, “But I,” NLT has, “And when I . . “ and NRSV reads, “And I,”. The lifting up differs, too, NIV and the NRSV have, “from the earth,” while the NLT has, “on the cross,”. Then, the object of drawing to Himself, differs as well; the NIV reads, “all men”, the NLT offers, “everyone” and the NRSV says, “all people”.
The last verse (33) states that Jesus’ words “show the kind of death he was going to die” (NIV), “indicate how he was going to die” (NLT) and, “indicate the kind of death he was to die.” (NRSV)

Footnotes: NIV has none for this passage
NLT has one at the end of verse 31, “The prince of this world is a name for Satan” and another in the middle of verse 32, “Greek lifted up from the earth.”
NRSV has one at the end of verse 32, “Other ancient authorities read [all things]

(DR) Here are some of the primary word differences found in different translations:

	RSV	NRSV	NIV	GREEK
v. 24	remains alone	single grain	single seed	autos monos menei
v. 25	he who loves	they who love	man who loves	ho philon
v. 31	ruler..cast	ruler..driven	prince..driven	ho archon...ekblethesethai
v. 32	when...lifted	when...lifted	when...lifted	ean hupsotho

One of the most interesting differences in these translations is in v. 32 where all the translations use "when" but the Greek uses "if."

B. TEXTUAL CRITICISM

(JFC)

In verse 21 Papyrus 66 and a number of Uncials want to read "Bedsaida" instead of "BeTHsaida". Wonder why. I can’t find such a place named Bedsaida in my two Lexicons. Could it be just another pronunciation of Bethsaida? Perhaps. Therefore, I suggest we stay with the received text.
In the 22nd verse, some Uncials and a majority of others would omit the first "ho Filippos" in the first few words. However, Papyri 66 and 67 and many other witnesses would retain the Textus Receptus, as would I. Also in that verse, a majority of the tradition would replace the phrase, "erchetai Andreas kai Filippos kai" with "kai palin". Others, including Papyrus 66 would add "de" before "kai". Still others would add the verb "erchetai" to the shortened alteration. And, finally for this verse, Papyrus 75 and a few others opt to retain the received version.
Early in verse 23, some witnesses and a majority of others would change "apokrinetai" to "apekrinato", while still a few others would change it to "apokrithe", while Papyri 66 and 75 maintain it as received. Are the changes for a shorter form of the aorist present active indicative third person singular in the first instance and for it to become subjunctive in the second? The evidence of the reliability of the witnesses leads us to retain the Textus Receptus.
Verse 25 finds some witnesses and a majority of Latin versions changing "apolluei" to "apolesei" to change the present tense into an imperfect. However, Papyri 66 sand 75 and a few others prefer to retain the text as received.
A majority of redactors wants to reorder words early in verse 26. They prefer them to read "emoi diakone tis". Others prefer "tis emoi diakone". Papyri 66 and 75vid and other Uncials prefer remaining with the text as received. Later in that verse, Papyrus 66 would reorder "eimi egw" to read, rather obviously, "egw eimi". Then as we approach the end of that verse, Papyrus 66c and a few others would add a post positive "de" to "ean" after the semi colon. A majority of others would add a "kai" to "ean". Papyri 66. and 75 with others would retain the text as received. And after the final word, "pater", Papyrus 66c and a few others would add "mou". A few other witnesses would add "mou ho en tois ouranois". These additions might well have been in the original, we will consider adding them.
Instead of "sou to onoma" in verse 28, some one redactor, B, would read, "mou to onoma". A few others prefer "sou ton huion". Immediately thereafter, before the period ending the sentence, we get the suggested addition of "huion".
Someone wants to add a post positive "de" to begin verse 29. I think that’s unnecessary, it’s a new sentence in my copy of Nestle-Aland NTG. Then, a few words later, Papyrus 59vid and others would change "estos" to "estekos". That change would change the nomnitive masculine singular (or the accusative neuter) perfect participle into the nomnitive masculine singular specifically, I think. Well, it might be original to make the change and, besides, it is the longer option by a couple of letters. Some redactors want to delete the conjunction "kai". Probably not. A couple of words later Papyrus 66 would replace "elegen" with "elegon" making the singular into a plural as later in the verse. Well, maybe that language got to needing that change, so it is possible, I suppose. So, then, at the last word in the verse, Papyrus 66 and others would change the Textus Receptus’ "lelaleken" to have read "elalesen". This alteration would make the indicative active perfect become an aorist. Probably not.
Papyrus 75vid wants us to reorder the subject of the next verse (30) from "Iesous kai eipen" to "kai eipen Iesous". Here, Papyrus 66vid seems more like English language preferences, not likely to have been original in the Gospel of John’s language. Then Papyrus 66 would change the perfect "gegonen" to read as an aorist "elthen". Probably not, again.
In verse 31 Papyrus 66* would omit "toutou". No, I think not. The emphasis is needed. At the end of that verse, Papyrus 66 and others would change "ekblthesetai exw" to read "blethesetai exw". Could be, but perhaps the longer is more nearly the original, as usual.
Verse 32 begins with a couple of suggested redactions to change the conjunction "ean" into other forms, "an" or "otan". Possibly. Then Papyrus 66 would change "pantas" into "panta" making it either a neuter plural or another form of the macsuline plural. With that kind of either or, I think I would leave it be. Although, when we get to the rough translation, we might decide to go with the neuter. We’ll see.

C. ROUGH TRANSLATION

(JFC)
20 So, there were some Greeks from the going up (the road to Jerusalem) to worship in the (Jewish Passover) festival; 21 they then approached Phillip who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and they asked him saying, “Sir, we wish Jesus to see.” 22 Went Phillip and tells Andrew, is taken Andrew and Phillip and they tell Jesus. 23 And this Jesus replies to them saying, “Has come the hour for to be glorified the Son of Man.” 24 Truly truly I say to you, unless a seed of wheat has fallen into the soil should die, it alone remains; but if it dies, much fruit it produces. 25 The one(s) loving the life of theirs lose it, and the one(s) loving less the life of theirs in the world this (one) unto life eternal will keep it. 26 Whoever me would serve, me shall follow, and wherever am I there also the one serving me shall be; whoever me would serve shall honor him the Father. 27 “Now the soul of mine has been troubled, and what should I say? ‘Father, preserve me from the hour this (one)’? Rather because of this I have come unto the hour this (one). 28 Father, glorify of you the name.” Came then a voice from the heaven, “Both I glorified and again I shall glorify.” 29 Then the crowd standing and hearing said thunder has come, but others “an angel to him has spoken.” 30 Answered Jesus and said, “Not for me the voice this has come but for you. 31 Now judgement is to be of the world this, now the ruler of the world this shall be driven outside. 32 And I when I am lifted up from the world, all (people) shall I draw (close) to myself.” 33 This he said indicating what kind of death he was certain to die.

(DR)
(v. 20) And there were some Greeks from out of the ones going up in order that they might worship in the festival. (v. 21) Therefore these approached to Philipp, the one from Bethsaida of Galilee, and they were asking him saying: "Lord (sir?), we wish to see Jesus." (v. 22) Philipp comes and says to Andrew; Andrew comes, also Philipp, and they say to Jesus, (v. 23) and Jesus responds to them saying: "The hour has come in order that the Son of man may be glorified; (v. 24) truly, truly I say to you (all), if the kernel of the grain having fallen into the earth should not perish, (the kernel) itself only remains; but if it perishes it bears much fruit. (v. 25) The one loving (not "agape"!) the soul of him/her will lose it, and the one hating the soul of him/her in this cosmos will guard it into life eternal; (v. 26) if someone ministers to me, let him/her follow (in discipleship; technical term?) me, and where I am, there also will be the minister, the mine; if someone ministers to me the Father will honor him/her. (v. 27) Now my soul has been troubled and what should I say? Father, save me from out of this hour?! But for the sake of this hour I came into this hour. (v. 28)----- Father, glorify your name!" Therefore a voice out of the heaven came: "I both glorified and shall again glorify." (v. 29) Therefore the crowd, the one having stood and having heard was saying, "There has happened thunder," others were saying, "an angel has spoken to him." (v. 30) Jesus answered and said, "not for the my sake has the voice become but for the your sake". (v. 31) Now is {the) crisis of this cosmos, now the one of this cosmos leading shall be cast outside. (v. 32) And I if I shall be lifted up out of the earth shall pull along all (people) toward myself." (v. 33) And this thing he was saying indicating by the word with respect to what sort of death he was about to die.

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