John 8:20

(Jesus ¹  spoke these words near the offering box ²  while he was teaching in the temple courts. ³  No one seized him because his time ⁴  had not yet come.) ⁵ 

He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no-one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

Jesus made these statements while he was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But he was not arrested, because his time had not yet come.

He gave this speech in the Treasury while teaching in the Temple. No one arrested him because his time wasn't yet up.

Jesus said these words in the place where the offerings were stored, while he was teaching in the Temple: but no man took him because his time was still to come.

He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.

(Jesus ¹  spoke these words near the offering box ²  while he was teaching in the temple courts. ³  No one seized him because his time ⁴  had not yet come.) ⁵ 

¹ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn The term γαζοφυλάκιον (gazofulakion) can be translated “treasury” or “treasure room” in this context. BDAG 186 s.v. 1 notes, “It can be taken in this sense J 8:20 (sing.) in (or at) the treasury.” BDAG 186 s.v. 2 argues that the occurrences of this word in the synoptic gospels also refer to the treasury: “For Mk 12:41, 43; Lk 21:1 the mng. contribution box or receptacle is attractive. Acc. to Mishnah, Shekalim 6, 5 there were in the temple 13 such receptacles in the form of trumpets. But even in these passages the general sense of ‘treasury’ is prob., for the contributions would go [into] the treasury via the receptacles.” Based upon the extra-biblical evidence (see sn following), however, the translation opts to refer to the actual receptacles and not the treasury itself.

sn The offering box probably refers to the receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court of Women used to collect freewill offerings. These are mentioned by Josephus, J. W. 5.5.2 (5.200), 6.5.2 (6.282); Ant. 19.6.1 (19.294); and in 1 Macc 14:49 and 2 Macc 3:6, 24, 28, 40 (see also Mark 12:41; Luke 21:1).

³ tn Grk “the temple.”

⁴ tn Grk “his hour.”

⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.