complete verse (John 16:3)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 16:3:

  • Uma: “They do all that to you, because they do not know my Father, and I also, they do not know me.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They will do this to you because they do not know my Father nor me.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The reason they will do this to you is because I and my Father, they do not know us.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “They will do these-things because they don’t know my Father and me.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “They really will do this because they don’t recognize/know me, or the Father either.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “This will happen to you because they have never come to know my Father nor me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff.), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

Translation commentary on John 16:3

People will do these things to you may be expressed in some languages as “people will make you suffer in this way.” It must be clear, of course, that the reference is to what is described in verse 2.

The phrase to you (found in some Greek manuscripts) was perhaps added by some scribe on the basis of 15.21. However, whether or not these words are considered an original part of the Greek text, they are essential in translation, and so it is legitimate to include them.

Some translations render have … known as Good News Translation does, while others have “knew” and still others “know.” The verb is in the aorist tense, which is best taken here as expressing a constant truth, that is, “they have (never) known.” As in many similar contexts, it is important to use a verb for know which indicates intimate acquaintance with, or knowledge based upon close association. The verb must convey something more than the mere possession of information about someone.

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 .