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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Yhn C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21
Yhn 5 V1 V3 V5 V7 V9 V11 V13 V15 V17 V19 V21 V23 V25 V27 V29 V31 V33 V35 V37 V39 V41 V43 V45 V47
OET (OET-LV) Truly, truly, I_am_saying to_you_all that the one hearing the message of_me, and believing in_the one having_sent me, is_having eternal life, and is_ not _coming into judgement, but has_departed out_of the death into the life.
OET (OET-RV) “I assure you that anyone who hears my message and believes that I was sent by God, will live forever and will not be condemned, but has moved from death into life.
Jesus told the Pharisees that he had authority from God the Father. He only did what he saw the Father doing. He declared that God had given him the right to raise people from the dead and to judge them.
Here are some other possible section headings:
Jesus proclaimed his authority/right to heal the man on the Sabbath/rest day.
Jesus explained to the Jewish leaders his authority for breaking their rules.
Jesus’ authority
In this paragraph Jesus spoke of his authority to give life. He first referred to himself in the first person (using “I” and “me” in 5:24). He said that he is the one who will cause righteous people to live again. He then referred to himself in the third person, as “the Son of Man,” in 5:25–29. God the Father gave him the right to judge all people.
In your translation, make sure that readers will understand that Jesus was speaking of himself through this whole passage. You may need to use first person pronouns to make it explicit that Jesus was talking about himself. For example:
24“I tell you the truth. Whoever believes what I say and also believes the one who sent me, he has life that will not end. He will not be condemned to be punished, because his being separated from God is already finished and he has life forever. 25This that I say is also the truth. All people, it is like they are dead, because they are separated from God. But the time has already arrived when even those who are spiritually dead will hear me, the Child of God, speak. And those who believe what they have heard, they will truly live. 26Because my Father is the one who gives life. And it is the same with me, because he has given me the authority to give life. 27He has also given to me his Child the authority to judge, because I am the Child of a Person. 28Do not be surprised at what I said, because one day, all the dead will hear my words 29and leave their graves. Those who have done good things will come to life so that they will receive eternal life. But those who have done evil things, they will come to life so they will be condemned to be punished.
Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever hears My word
¶ I seriously assure you that the person who hears what I say
¶ Pay attention(plur) to my words! When people hear what I say
Truly, truly, I tell you: See note in 5:19a. See how you translated it there and in 1:51. This phrase appears many times in the Gospel of John. Consider whether in your language it is more natural to translate it the same way each time, or use different ways. Here is another way to translate this phrase:
I tell you for certain (CEV)
you: The pronoun you is plural and refers to the Jewish leaders who were questioning Jesus.
whoever hears My word: This refers to any person who hears Jesus’ message. In some languages it is more natural to put this general idea in the plural instead of the singular. For example:
everyone who hears my message (CEV)
those who listen to my message (NLT)
hears My word: The word hears means “listens to.” Here it implies that the person listens carefully and believes what Jesus said.
and believes Him who sent Me
and believes the one who sent me here
and believe God, who sent me here,
believes Him who sent Me: Many times in John we see the phrase “believes in Jesus.” However, here there is no word translated “in” and God is the one whom people believe. Jesus was saying that anyone who believes God (believes what he says) will receive eternal life. It is implied that if someone believes God, then he will also accept Jesus, his son.
The phrase Him who sent Me refers to God. Make sure the reference is clear. For example:
believes God who sent me
has eternal life and will not come under judgment.
possesses/receives eternal life. He will not endure/suffer judgment.
they already live the spiritual life that never ends. God will not judge them guilty.
has eternal life and will not come under judgment: Both of the verbs has and will not come are in the present tense in the Greek. The present tense in Greek has a continuous quality. That means here that both ideas are true now, but they also will continue to be true in the future. In some languages it may be best to use two sentences. For example:
has eternal life. That person will not be judged guilty now or ever.
has eternal life: The word eternal refers to something that does not end. The phrase eternal life refers to the new spiritual life that God gives us when we believe in Jesus. This life has already begun and it will never end. See the note at 3:15 and how you translated this phrase there. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
possesses forever life from God
has already begun to live the spiritual life that never ends
has already started living forever with God
will not come under judgment: This clause means that this person is not judged guilty nor will he ever be. He is not condemned now and he will never be condemned. Because this person has already passed from death to life (see 5:24d), he can no longer be condemned. The text does not say whether God or Jesus is the judge here, so it is best not to identify the judge. For example:
He is not condemned, now or forever
that person is not judged as guilty
he does not experience/suffer judgment/condemnation
Indeed, he has crossed over from death to life.
That person has gone from death to life.
Instead they have changed from being dead to being alive.
Indeed: In Greek, 5:24d connects to 5:24c with a conjunction that the BSB translates as Indeed. This conjunction connects what does not happen to the believer (5:24c) and what does happen to him (5:24d). The believer is not condemned, but instead he has passed from death to life. This kind of sentence emphasizes the positive statement. Languages have different ways to indicate this type of emphasis. For example:
Use the conjunction “but” as in the NRSV.
That person will not be judged guilty but has already left death and entered life. (NCV)
Use a conjunction other than “but” as in the BSB. This is a common way in English to show this type of emphasis. For example:
He will not be judged. Instead, he will not be dead anymore and will live forever.
Do not use a conjunction. For example:
will never be condemned. They have already gone from death to life. (CEV)
Change the order of the clauses. For example:
He has already left death and been given eternal life, and he will not be condemned.
You should translate this emphasis in the way that is most natural in your language.
he has crossed over from death to life: The verb that the BSB translates as has crossed over means “has changed” or “has transferred.” This expression indicates that people who were in the condition of death are now in the condition of life. This refers to spiritual death and life: these people were not dead physically but spiritually, and now they live spiritually.
Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
has already left death and entered life (NCV)
They have already gone from death to life. (CEV)
from death to life: The noun death here refers to spiritual death, the state or condition of being separated from God. The noun life here refers to spiritual life, the state or condition of being united with God. In some languages it may be natural to use adjectives or verbs. For example:
this person is no longer dead and has begun to truly live
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet
ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν, λέγω ὑμῖν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τόν λόγον μού ἀκούων καί πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντι μέ ἔχει ζωήν αἰώνιον καί εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται ἀλλά μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τήν ζωήν)
Jesus uses this phrase to emphasize the truth of the statement that follows. See how you translated this phrase in [1:51](../01/51.md).
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / you
λέγω ὑμῖν
˱I˲_˓am˒_saying ˱to˲_you_all
Since Jesus is speaking to a group of Jewish leaders, you is plural here and through [5:47](../05/47.md). If your language does not have a different form for plural you, you can use another way to express it. Alternate translation: [I say to you Jews] or [I say to you all]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ὁ τὸν λόγον μου ἀκούων
the_‹one› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τόν λόγον μού ἀκούων καί πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντι μέ ἔχει ζωήν αἰώνιον καί εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται ἀλλά μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τήν ζωήν)
Here, hearing means listening to something with the intent to heed it and respond appropriately. It does not mean simply to hear what someone says. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the one heeding my word]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
τὸν λόγον μου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τόν λόγον μού ἀκούων καί πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντι μέ ἔχει ζωήν αἰώνιον καί εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται ἀλλά μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τήν ζωήν)
Here, word refers to the message or teachings of Jesus. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [my message]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
τῷ πέμψαντί με
˱in˲_the_‹one› (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τόν λόγον μού ἀκούων καί πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντι μέ ἔχει ζωήν αἰώνιον καί εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται ἀλλά μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τήν ζωήν)
Here, the one who sent me refers to God. See how you translated this phrase in [4:34](../04/34.md).
Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται
into judgment not ˓is˒_coming
Jesus speaks of judgment as if it were a place a person could enter. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [will not be judged]
μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν
˓has˒_departed out_of ¬the death into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀμήν ἀμήν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τόν λόγον μού ἀκούων καί πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντι μέ ἔχει ζωήν αἰώνιον καί εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται ἀλλά μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τήν ζωήν)
Here, passed means to move from one state to another. Alternate translation: [he has moved from death to life]
5:24 Jesus is the giver of life as well as the judge (see 5:21-22), but he never works independently of the Father.
OET (OET-LV) Truly, truly, I_am_saying to_you_all that the one hearing the message of_me, and believing in_the one having_sent me, is_having eternal life, and is_ not _coming into judgement, but has_departed out_of the death into the life.
OET (OET-RV) “I assure you that anyone who hears my message and believes that I was sent by God, will live forever and will not be condemned, but has moved from death into life.
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.
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