OET interlinear YHN (JHN) 4:1

4:1

When Jesus realized that the Pharisees were aware: The Pharisees heard some news, and then Jesus learned that they had heard it. What the Pharisees heard and what Jesus learned were both correct.

Here are other ways to translate this clause:

when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard (NET)

Jesus found out that the Pharisees had learned

This is a complicated idea and it may be necessary to break it up into two sentences. For example:

Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard some news. They had heard that…

Jesus realized: There is a textual issue in this verse:

1. Some Greek manuscripts say Jesus realized. For example:

   Jesus heard (NJB) (BSB, NJB, ESV, NRSV, CEV, GW, NET, NLT, GNT, NCV, REB, NIV11)

2. Some Greek manuscripts say the Lord realized. For example:

   the Lord (RSV) (KJV, NASB, RSV, NIV84)

The UBS Greek NT has “Jesus,” giving it a C rating, which indicates a high degree of doubt. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), but either option is acceptable. Both options refer to the Lord Jesus. You may want to follow the national or major translation used in your area.

Pharisees: The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group or party. It was very important to them to obey all of the Jewish religious laws carefully and exactly. See the note at 1:24 for examples of how to translate the word. Also see how you translated the word there and in 3:1.

He was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John: This quotation indicates that more people were beginning to follow Jesus than were beginning to follow John. It is a comparison. Consider how it is a natural to make such a comparison in your language.

Here are other ways to translate this quotation:

Jesus gathered more learners/disciples and he baptized more of them than John did

There were now many people following Jesus. However, not as many people followed John. And many people were receiving baptism from Jesus. Not as many people were receiving baptism from John.

He: The pronoun here refers to Jesus. In some languages it may be natural to use “Jesus” here. The subject is the same as in the first clause in 4:1. For example:

he (CEV)

gaining and baptizing more disciples: The direct object disciples belongs with both verbs, gaining and baptizing. Jesus was gaining…disciples, that is, persuading people to follow him. People wanted to follow him when they heard him teach and saw him do miracles. Jesus did not force them to become his disciples. These people who wanted to become his disciples were then baptized.

baptizing: The verb “baptize” means to use water in a special ceremony to show that God makes his people pure. In this context the ritual represented purification from sin. It did not mean that the person was cleaned to remove dirt. Baptism was a ceremony that marked the beginning of a person’s life as one of God’s pure people.

See the note at 1:25a for more explanation and ways to translate the word “baptize.” See also how you translated the word there. See baptize, baptism A.2 in KBT.

more disciples than John: This is a short way of saying “more disciples than John was gaining and baptizing.”

disciples: The Greek word that the BSB translates as disciples refers to someone who has committed himself to a teacher. He does that in order to learn from him and follow his teaching and example. In the New Testament a disciple referred specifically to a person who was learning from a religious teacher. A disciple often lived with his teacher and followed him wherever he went.

See the note at 1:35 for ways to translate the word disciples. See also how you translated this word in 1:35 and 2:2.

John: This refers to John the Baptist. He is first mentioned in 1:6.