¹ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. Here the author refers to the authorities or leaders in Jerusalem. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.)

² tn Grk “answered and said to him.”

³ sn The request “What sign can you show us” by Jesus’ adversaries was a request for a defense of his actions – a mark of divine authentication. Whether this was a request for a miracle is not entirely clear. Jesus never obliged such a request. Yet, ironically, the only sign the Jewish leadership will get is that predicted by Jesus in 2:19 – his crucifixion and resurrection. Cf. the “sign of Jonah” in the synoptics (Matt 12:39, 40; Luke 11:29-32).

⁴ tn Or “Study the scriptures thoroughly” (an imperative). For the meaning of the verb see G. Delling, TDNT 2:655-57.

⁵ sn In them you possess eternal life. Note the following examples from the rabbinic tractate Pirqe Avot (“The Sayings of the Fathers”): Pirqe Avot 2:8, “He who has acquired the words of the law has acquired for himself the life of the world to come”; Pirqe Avot 6:7, “Great is the law for it gives to those who practice it life in this world and in the world to come.”

⁶ tn The words “same scriptures” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify the referent (“these”).

⁷ tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).

⁸ tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).

⁹ tc Several early and important witnesses (Ì^66,75 B W a b sa) lack θεοῦ (qeou, “God”) here, thus reading “the only one,” while most of the rest of the tradition, including some important mss, has the name ({א A D L Θ Ψ 33 Ï}). Internally, it could be argued that the name of God was not used here, in keeping with the NT practice of suppressing the name of God at times for rhetorical effect, drawing the reader inexorably to the conclusion that the one being spoken of is God himself. On the other hand, never is ὁ μόνος (Jo mono") used absolutely in the NT (i.e., without a noun or substantive with it), and always the subject of the adjunct is God (cf. Matt 24:36; John 17:3; 1 Tim 6:16). What then is to explain the shorter reading? In uncial script, with θεοῦ written as a nomen sacrum, envisioning accidental omission of the name by way of homoioteleuton requires little imagination, largely because of the succession of words ending in -ου: toumonouqMuou. It is thus preferable to retain the word in the text.

¹⁰ tn Grk “And he said to them.”

¹¹ tn The word “people” is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.

¹² tn Grk “seed” (an idiom).

¹³ tn Grk “you are seeking.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “my word.”

¹⁵ tn Or “finds no place in you.” The basic idea seems to be something (in this case Jesus’ teaching) making headway or progress where resistance is involved. See BDAG 1094 s.v. χωρέω 2.

¹⁶ tn Grk “you cannot hear,” but this is not a reference to deafness, but rather hearing in the sense of listening to something and responding to it.

¹⁷ tn Grk “my word.”

¹⁸ tn Grk “this one.”

¹⁹ tn Grk “but so that.” There is an ellipsis that must be supplied: “but [he was born blind] so that” or “but [it happened to him] so that.”

²⁰ tn Or “deeds”; Grk “works.”

²¹ tn Or “manifested,” “brought to light.”

²² tn Grk “in him.”

²³ tn Grk “that you always hear me.”

²⁴ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.

²⁵ tn Grk “Yet a little while, and.”

²⁶ tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”

²⁷ tn Grk “to stay” or “to remain”; but since longevity is the issue in the context, “to live” conveys the idea more clearly.

²⁸ tn The word “back” is supplied to clarify the meaning.