inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (John 1:22)

Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)

The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).

For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding John).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (John 1:22)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 1:22:

  • Uma: “From there, they said again: ‘If thus, tell us (excl.) who you (sing.) really are, so that there is an answer we (excl.) take to those who sent us (excl.). What is your (sing.) answer who you (sing.) really are?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then they said to him, ‘Tell us (excl.) as to who you really are. You have to tell us (excl.) so that we can inform the ones who commanded us (excl.) to come here. What do you say about yourself?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And they said again then, ‘Tell us who you are because we need to have an answer for those who sent us. What can you say about this?'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘And who are you (sing.) then? Please tell because we (excl.) must have something-to-answer to those who sent us (excl.). What is your (sing.) spoken-opinion about yourself (sing.)?’ they said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Don’t hide it like that. You must tell us (excl.) what you really are, so that we will have what we can tell those who sent us.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Again they asked, ‘Perhaps you are the prophet who must come?’ He said, ‘No.’ Then he was asked, ‘But who are you? Tell us so that we can take the word back to those who sent us. Tell who you are.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 1:22

Although there are no difficult exegetical problems in this verse, there are some translational problems, particularly in the command Then tell us who you are. As we have noted, this is not a demand for John the Baptist’s name, but rather an insistence that he explain his role or function. It is almost equivalent to the colloquial expression in English “Then tell us who you think you are.” The focus in such a statement is not upon the name of the individual but upon his role and the justification for his activities.

We have to take an answer back may be rendered in some languages “We must give an answer to” or “We must reply to.”

The final question, What do you say about yourself?, indicates clearly that the questions posed by these representatives of the Jewish authorities were designed to find out how John viewed his ministry, equivalent to “Who do you really claim to be?”

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 .