And after appears as “and if” in most translations. However, in such a context the Greek particle (ean) translated “if” actually carries the meaning “when,” and Good News Translation expresses this by translating and after. In some languages the idea may be expressed more satisfactorily as cause or reason in some languages, for example, “Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will come back….”

In Greek the verb will come is a present tense which carries a future force. John has chosen the present (literally “I am coming”) to emphasize the certainty of Jesus’ return for his disciples.

Take you to myself (New English Bible “receive you to myself”; New American Bible “take you with me”; Moffatt “take you to be with me”) is expressed in various ways, but with essentially the same meaning in all translations. Take you to myself may be expressed in some languages by means of a causative, for example, “I will cause you to remain with me.” This rendering fits well with the clause that follows.

In the statement so that you will be where I am, the pronouns you and I are emphatic. In some languages a general term of “being,” cannot be used. One must choose an expression which more specifically indicates existence, for example, “so that you will exist where I exist.” This meaning is often expressed in a more concrete form, for example, “so that you will live where I live” or even “so that you will sit where I sit.” (In some languages the verb “sit” is a general designation for existence in a place.)

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .