The good shepherd (image)

Hand colored stencil print on washi by Sadao Watanabe (1975).

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe.

For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

complete verse (John 10:17)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 10:17:

  • Aguaruna: “I will die on behalf of my sheep saying, ‘I will arise from the dead again.’ Therefore my Father loves me.”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “My Father loves me because I give my life and I take it again.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “I give up myself for people to kill me, but afterwards I will come to life again. And my Father loves me more because I am pleased to do that.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “‘My Father loves me, because I give my life in order to find my life again.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘I am really loved by my Father God because I submit to dying so that I will be made alive again.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason that my father’s breath is very big toward me is because I will allow myself to be killed in the stead of those people who belong to me and he will raise me up again from the dead.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘My Father, he loves me, because I will give my life so that I will then come-alive again.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I am really held dear by my Father because of this, that I will give my life/breath so that I may reclaim it again.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “My Father loves me because I give up my life for my sheep. And then I can again be alive.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 10:17

In Greek the first part of this verse reads literally “because of this the Father loves me because I give up my life.” Good News Translation combines the two “because” constructions and introduces the English sentence with the Father, the subject of the Greek sentence. New English Bible and Jerusalem Bible do exactly the same. Here again, as in verses 11 and 14, Good News Translation takes the Greek expression as indicating Christ’s willingness to die.

It is best to take the Greek conjunction (hina) with its full force, indicating purpose (Good News Translation in order that). According to the teaching of the Gospel of John, the death, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus are looked upon as one event, not as single isolated actions. Jerusalem Bible makes clear the notion of purpose (“in order to take it up again”), while New American Bible translates “to take it up again,” and Revised Standard Version “that I may take it again.”

In some languages it is impossible to say give up my life. The only equivalent would be “voluntarily die” or “die, not being forced by someone else to do so.” Similarly it may be impossible to say “receive life back again.” One can normally receive material things, but not a state of being, such as life. Therefore it may be necessary to translate the purpose clause “in order that I may live again” or “… become alive again.”

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 .