YHN 12:38 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. ἵνα
2. hina
3. in order that
4. -
5. 24430
6. C·······
7. in_order_that
8. in_order_that
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74562
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74563
1. λόγος
2. logos
3. message
4. -
5. 30560
6. N····NMS
7. message
8. word
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74564
1. Ἠσαΐου
2. ēsaias
3. of Aʸsaias/(Yəshaˊyāh)
4. -
5. 22680
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ Aʸsaias/(Yəshaˊ\sup yāh\sup*)
8. ˱of˲ Isaiah
9. U
10. Person=Isaiah; Y33; F74570
11. 74565
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74566
1. προφήτου
2. profētēs
3. prophet
4. prophet
5. 43960
6. N····GMS
7. prophet
8. prophet
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74567
1. πληρωθῇ
2. plēroō
3. may be fulfilled
4. fulfilled
5. 41370
6. VSAP3··S
7. ˓may_be˒ fulfilled
8. ˓may_be˒ fulfilled
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74568
1. ὅν
2. hos
3. that
4. -
5. 37390
6. R····AMS
7. that
8. that
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74569
1. εἶπεν
2. legō
3. he said
4. -
5. 30040
6. VIAA3··S
7. ˱he˲ said
8. ˱he˲ said
9. -
10. Y33; R74565; Person=Isaiah
11. 74570
1. Κύριε
2. kurios
3. master
4. “Yahweh
5. 29620
6. N····VMS
7. master
8. Lord
9. GVBN
10. Y33
11. 74571
1. τίς
2. tis
3. who
4. -
5. 51010
6. R····NMS
7. who
8. who
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74572
1. ἐπίστευσεν
2. pisteuō
3. believed
4. believed
5. 41000
6. VIAA3··S
7. believed
8. believed
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74573
1. τῇ
2. ho
3. in the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····DFS
7. ˱in˲ the
8. ˱in˲ the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74574
1. ἀκοῇ
2. akoē
3. report
4. report
5. 1890
6. N····DFS
7. report
8. report
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74575
1. ἡμῶν
2. egō
3. of us
4. our
5. 14730
6. R···1G·P
7. ˱of˲ us
8. ˱of˲ us
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74576
1. Καί
2. kai
3. And
4. -
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. S
10. Y33
11. 74577
1. ὁ
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····NMS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74578
1. βραχίων
2. braχiōn
3. arm
4. -
5. 10230
6. N····NMS
7. arm
8. arm
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74579
1. Κυρίου
2. kurios
3. of +the master
4. -
5. 29620
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ ˓the˒ master
8. ˱of˲ ˓the˒ Lord
9. GN
10. Y33
11. 74580
1. τίνι
2. tis
3. to whom
4. -
5. 51010
6. R····DMS
7. ˱to˲ whom
8. ˱to˲ whom
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74581
1. ἀπεκαλύφθη
2. apokaluptō
3. was revealed
4. revealed
5. 6010
6. VIAP3··S
7. ˓was˒ revealed
8. ˓was˒ revealed
9. -
10. Y33
11. 74582

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 12:36c–43: The Unbelief of the People

This paragraph discusses the unbelief (lack of belief or faith) of many of those who heard Jesus and saw his miracles. Many of them rejected him, as the Hebrew Scriptures prophesied. Others did believe but remained silent, afraid that they themselves would be rejected.

Here are some other possible titles for this section:

The Jews still did not believe

Many Jews refused to have faith in Jesus

12:38a

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:

This fulfilled the word/message Isaiah the prophet spoke/wrote:
Their lack of faith actually fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah said/wrote:

This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: In the Greek text this is a purpose clause: This happened in order to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy. The word This refers back to the fact that the Jews in general did not believe in Jesus. Isaiah had predicted that people would not be willing to believe in Jesus, and this actually happened. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

so that the word of Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled (NET)

for the prophet Isaiah’s words had to be fulfilled (REB)

This happened so that what the prophet Isaiah had said would come true (CEV)

to fulfill: The verb fulfill in this context means “complete a prophecy” so that what was prophesied happens. The things that Isaiah said did actually take place. For example:

would come true (CEV)

In this way the words of the prophet Isaiah came true (GW)

the word of Isaiah the prophet: This phrase here introduces a quotation from the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 53:1. This quotation consists of many individual words, so in some languages it may be natural to make that clear. For example:

the words of the prophet Isaiah (GW)

what Isaiah the prophet had said (NCV)

Isaiah: The prophet Isaiah lived seven hundred years before Jesus was born. He wrote the book of the Old Testament that is called by his name. He is also mentioned in 1:23d.

prophet: A prophet was a man who spoke to the people as God’s representative. He told people what God revealed to him. Here are some ways to translate prophet:

God’s representative

a man who speaks God’s words

God’s message-speaker

It is good to use a general term that does not refer only to predicting the future. Although prophets did predict the future, they also gave people other messages from God. They especially told them to stop sinning and to obey God.

Try to choose a term for prophet that is different from other words which are similar in meaning. Those words include “angel,” “apostle,” and “preacher.”

See how you translated this word in 1:21d and 1:23d, and see KBT prophet 1a.

12:38b

“Lord, who has believed our message?

“Lord, who believed our^(incl) message
“Lord, not many believed our^(incl) message

12:38b consists of a quotation of Isaiah 53:1. This clause is also quoted in Romans 10:16. In both John and Romans, the word “Lord” introduces words spoken to God. The word “Lord” is not included in the original Hebrew text of the book of Isaiah. However, it is included in the Greek translation of Isaiah. John was quoting from the Greek translation of Isaiah, and you should translate his quotation as it is written. Do not try to make it match Isaiah 53:1 in your Bible.

Lord: The word that the BSB translates as Lord introduces words spoken to God. This Greek word is a form of address showing respect, meaning “master.” Translate this the same way as you translate other uses of Lord when used to address God (e.g., Acts 10:14, Psalm 115:1). For example:

All-Powerful God

Ruler

In some languages people may not naturally use a word that means “master” to refer to God. If speakers of your language do not understand that Lord here refers to God, here are other ways to translate it:

Use your word for God.
Use your word for God and indicate that he is the Lord. For example:
God the Lord

If you include the word for God in your translation of Lord, you may want to include a footnote to give the literal Greek meaning. For example:

Here the Greek text is more literally “Lord.”

who has believed our message: This question is a quotation from Isaiah 53:1. It is a rhetorical question. It is used to emphasize a negative statement: people in general had not believed God’s message. Isaiah was emphasizing how few people had accepted the message. Most people had rejected it.

There are at least two ways to translate this statement:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
who believed what we told them? (NCV)
Use a statement. For example:
So few people have believed our message!

Translate this emphasis in a way that is most natural in your language.

our message: This phrase refers to the message the prophets told. The pronoun our is probably inclusive, because Isaiah was speaking to God, who had given him the message. Here is another way to translate this phrase:

the message we told (GNT)

12:38c

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

and to whom has the Lord shown his saving power?”
and not many have understood your^(sing) mighty power/strength.”

And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed: This is a second rhetorical question. It continues the quotation from Isaiah 53:1. It is used to emphasize a negative statement that people in general had not seen the arm of the Lord. This is a figure of speech indicating that not many people believed that they were seeing God’s power at work.

There are two ways to translate this negative statement:

Use a rhetorical question. For example:
To whom has the Lord’s power been revealed? (GW)
Who saw the Lord’s power in this? (NCV)
Use a statement. For example:
Not many people has the arm of the Lord been revealed to.
Very few people have seen/understood how powerful the Lord is.

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

has the arm of the Lord been revealed: The verb has…been revealed is passive. It means that God has revealed his arm, meaning his power. There are at least two ways to translate this:

Use a passive verb. For example:
to whom has the power of the Lord been revealed? (REB)
Use an active verb. For example:
To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power? (NLT)
And who has seen your mighty strength? (CEV)
To whom will the Lord reveal how powerful he is?

Translate this verb using the verb form most natural in your language here. God did reveal his power, but only some could understand that Jesus’ miracles were evidence of God’s power. For example:

and who has seen in it a revelation of the Lord’s arm? (NJB)

Who saw the Lord’s power in this? (NCV)

the arm of the Lord: This phrase is a figurative way of saying “God’s power/strength.” In this context it refers to the miracles that Jesus did by God’s power. It is a figure of speech that emphasizes that God acts in strength and power. In some languages a literal translation may indicate that God has physical arms and that people can see them. In those languages it is necessary to speak explicitly of God’s power. For example:

the power of the Lord (REB)

Because Isaiah was addressing the Lord himself, in some languages it may be natural to use a second-person pronoun, “your.” For example:

your mighty strength (CEV)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἵνα ὁ λόγος Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πληρωθῇ

in_order_that the word ˱of˲_Isaiah the prophet ˓may_be˒_fulfilled

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [in order to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ὁ λόγος Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου

the word ˱of˲_Isaiah the prophet

Here, word refers to the specific prophecy written down by Isaiah that is quoted in the second half of this verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [this prophecy of Isaiah the prophet]

Note 3 topic: writing-quotations

ὃν εἶπεν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἵνα ὁ λόγος Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πληρωθῇ ὅν εἶπεν Κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν Καί ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη)

This phrase introduces a quotation that occurs in the rest of this verse. The quotation is from the Old Testament book written by Isaiah the prophet ([Isaiah 53:1](../../isa/53/01.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase that indicates that John is quoting from an important text. Alternate translation: [which Isaiah said in the Old Testament]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / quotemarks

Κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν? καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη?

Lord who believed ˱in˲_the report ˱of˲_us (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἵνα ὁ λόγος Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου πληρωθῇ ὅν εἶπεν Κύριε τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν Καί ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη)

This sentence is a quotation from [Isaiah 53:1](../../isa/53/01.md). It may be helpful to your readers to indicate this by setting off all of this material with quotation marks or with whatever other punctuation or convention your language uses to indicate a quotation.

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

Κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν? καὶ ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη?

This quotation from [Isaiah 53:1](../../isa/53/01.md) contains two rhetorical questions to express the prophet’s dismay that the people do not believe his report. If you would not use rhetorical questions for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as two statements or exclamations and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: [Lord, no one has believed our message! It seems like the arm of the Lord has been revealed to no one!]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη

the the arm ˱of˲_˓the˒_Lord ˱to˲_whom ˓was˒_revealed

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ βραχίων Κυρίου

the the arm ˱of˲_˓the˒_Lord

John quotes Isaiah using arm to refer to the Lord’s power. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the Lord’s power]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.

OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 12:38

SR Greek word order

Section 12:36c–43: The Unbelief of the People

12:38a

12:38b

12:38c

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)