YHN 3:25 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. ἐγένετο
2. ginomai
3. became
4. -
5. 10960
6. VIAM3··S
7. became
8. became
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64363
1. Οὖν
2. oun
3. Therefore
4. -
5. 37670
6. C·······
7. therefore
8. therefore
9. PS
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64364
1. Δέ
2. de
3. -
4. -
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. PS
10. -
11. 64365
1. ζήτησις
2. zētēsis
3. +a debate
4. debate
5. 22140
6. N····NFS
7. ˓a˒ debate
8. ˓a˒ debate
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64366
1. συζήτησις
2. suzētēsis
3. -
4. -
5. 48030
6. N····NFS
7. ˓a˒ discussion
8. ˓a˒ discussion
9. -
10. -
11. 64367
1. ἐκ
2. ek
3. of
4. -
5. 15370
6. P·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64368
1. τῶν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64369
1. μαθητῶν
2. mathētēs
3. apprentices/followers
4. -
5. 31010
6. N····GMP
7. apprentices/followers
8. disciples
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; F64380; F64385; F64432
11. 64370
1. τῶν
2. ho
3. -
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMP
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. -
11. 64371
1. Ἰωάννου
2. iōannēs
3. of Yōannaʸs
4. -
5. 24910
6. N····GMS
7. ˱of˲ Yōannaʸs
8. ˱of˲ John
9. U
10. Person=John; Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64372
1. μετά
2. meta
3. with
4. -
5. 33260
6. P·······
7. with
8. with
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64373
1. Ἰουδαίου
2. ioudaios
3. +a Youdaios
4. -
5. 24530
6. S····GMS
7. ˓a˒ Youdaios
8. ˓a˒ Jew
9. U
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64374
1. Ἰουδαίων
2. ioudaios
3. -
4. -
5. 24530
6. S····GMP
7. Youdaiōns
8. Jews
9. U
10. -
11. 64375
1. περί
2. peri
3. about
4. about
5. 40120
6. P·······
7. about
8. about
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64376
1. καθαρισμοῦ
2. katharismos
3. purification
4. purification
5. 25120
6. N····GMS
7. purification
8. purification
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64377

3:25 https://www.billmounce.com/monday-with-mounce/what-does-the-word-%E2%80%9Cjew%E2%80%9D-mean-you-john-3-25

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 3:22–30: John the Baptist told his disciples that Jesus was greater than him

John’s disciples had an argument with another Jew. They argued about whether John’s baptism or Jesus’ baptism was better. John told his disciples that he was just there to tell people that Jesus was the Savior. So Jesus should get more followers. Jesus was superior to him.

Here are some other possible section headings:

Jesus was more important than John the Baptist

John the Baptist told the truth that he knew about Jesus

Paragraph 3:22–26

John’s disciples began to discuss ceremonial washing. They told John that Jesus was baptizing more people than he was. John said that Jesus was superior to him and should get more disciples.

3:25

Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing.

Some of John’s disciples and a Jew began to discuss how to make a person pure/clean.
John’s followers argued/disagreed with another Jew about how to make a person pure.

Then: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Then here introduces a new event in the story. Some English translations, such as the NCV, do not translate it explicitly. Introduce this next event in a way that is natural in your language.

a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the issue of ceremonial washing: This clause indicates that John’s disciples and another Jew discussed or argued about purification. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

Some of John’s disciples began arguing with a Jew about the matter of ritual washing. (GNT)

There was a disagreement between John’s disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing.

John’s followers got into an argument with a Jewish man about ceremonial washing. (CEV)

dispute: The Greek word that the BSB translates as dispute here refers to a conversation in which people held different opinions. See the translations of dispute in the examples in the note above.

John’s disciples: A disciple is a follower or learner. See the note on 3:22a. You should probably translate disciples using the same word in both verses.

a certain Jew: John’s disciples were also Jews. So it may be clearer to translate the phrase in this way:

another Jew

There is a textual issue in this verse:

Some Greek manuscripts have the singular noun Jew. This is followed by nearly every major English translation. For example:
with a Jewish man (CEV) (BSB, NIV, GNT, CEV, GW, NASB, NET, NCV, NJB, NLT, RSV, NRSV, ESV).
Some Greek manuscripts have the plural noun “Jews.” For example:
with some Jews (REB) (REB, KJV)

It is recommended that you follow option (1) because it has better manuscript support. Also, most English translations follow this option. However, if the major language translation in your area follows option (2), you may choose to follow it.

ceremonial washing: The Greek word that the BSB translates as ceremonial washing refers to the purification ritual that the Jewish people did. They did it to make something pure to use in worship. Here it could refer to washing one’s body or clothes, or it could refer to baptism. Because they asked John the Baptist about Jesus baptizing in verse 26, many think that ceremonial washing here refers to baptism. However, it is an unusual way to refer to baptism. It is the same word that is used in 2:6b, where the BSB translates it as “rites of purification.” See the note there.

Here is another way to translate this word:

cleansing rituals

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

ἐγένετο οὖν ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου

became (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐγένετο Οὖν ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου μετά Ἰουδαίου περί καθαρισμοῦ)

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of dispute, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [Then the disciples of John began arguing]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐγένετο οὖν ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου μετὰ Ἰουδαίου

became (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐγένετο Οὖν ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου μετά Ἰουδαίου περί καθαρισμοῦ)

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: [Then John’s disciples and a Jew began to dispute]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

Ἰωάννου

˱of˲_John

The name John refers to Jesus’ cousin, often referred to as “John the Baptist.” (See: johnthebaptist) It does not refer to the apostle John, who wrote this Gospel. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning explicitly. Alternate translation: [of John the Baptist] or [of John the Immerser]

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

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Therefore
2. -
3. 37670
4. PS
5. oun
6. C-·······
7. therefore
8. therefore
9. PS
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64364
1. became
2. -
3. 10960
5. ginomai
6. V-IAM3··S
7. became
8. became
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64363
1. +a debate
2. debate
3. 22140
5. zētēsis
6. N-····NFS
7. ˓a˒ debate
8. ˓a˒ debate
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64366
1. of
2. -
3. 15370
5. ek
6. P-·······
7. of
8. of
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64368
1. the
2. -
3. 35880
5. ho
6. E-····GMP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64369
1. apprentices/followers
2. -
3. 31010
5. mathētēs
6. N-····GMP
7. apprentices/followers
8. disciples
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses; F64380; F64385; F64432
11. 64370
1. of Yōannaʸs
2. -
3. 24910
4. U
5. iōannēs
6. N-····GMS
7. ˱of˲ Yōannaʸs
8. ˱of˲ John
9. U
10. Person=John; Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64372
1. with
2. -
3. 33260
5. meta
6. P-·······
7. with
8. with
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64373
1. +a Youdaios
2. -
3. 24530
4. U
5. ioudaios
6. S-····GMS
7. ˓a˒ Youdaios
8. ˓a˒ Jew
9. U
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64374
1. about
2. about
3. 40120
5. peri
6. P-·······
7. about
8. about
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64376
1. purification
2. purification
3. 25120
5. katharismos
6. N-····GMS
7. purification
8. purification
9. -
10. Y30; TJohn_the_Baptist_Witnesses
11. 64377

3:25 https://www.billmounce.com/monday-with-mounce/what-does-the-word-%E2%80%9Cjew%E2%80%9D-mean-you-john-3-25

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) 3:25

SR Greek word order (including unused variant words in grey)

Section 3:22–30: John the Baptist told his disciples that Jesus was greater than him

Paragraph 3:22–26

3:25

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