complete verse (John 17:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 17:7:

  • Lalana Chinantec: “They have learned that you have given me everything which is mine.”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “And now they know that it is your power by which I do all things.”
  • Huehuetla Tepehua: “Now they know that everything is yours, all the things that you gave me.”
  • Asháninka: “Now they all know that you are the author of all that you have taught me.”
  • Yatzachi Zapotec: “And they already know that all these things that I do and all that I say come from yourself.” (Source for this and above: M. Larson / B. Moore in Notes on Translation February 1970, p. 1-125.)
  • Uma: “Now, they know: all that you (sing.) gave to me, is definitely from you (sing.), Father.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “and they are sure that all you have given to me is truly from you.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “They now know that all that I am able to do comes only from you,” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “and now they have come-to-know that you (sing.) are the source of all I have done and said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Now they know that as for everything you entrusted to me, there’s no other place it came from but on the contrary it all came from you.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now they know that all I speak is what you told me.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 17:7

Good News Translation does not have a full stop at the end of verse 6, as some translations do, but there is no shift in focus.

In Greek the adverb now is emphatic. The meaning is, “now, at the end of my ministry.”

The verb know is in the perfect tense in the Greek, as is have obeyed in verse 6.

Everything you gave me comes from you sounds redundant to the English reader, but the Greek structure emphasizes the Son’s dependence upon the Father. To avoid some of the redundancy of this expression, it may be possible to translate “everything you gave me comes really from you.”

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 .