complete verse (John 6:44)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 6:44:

  • Uma: “No-one can come to me if they are not carried/led by my Father who sent me. And I raise them all on Kiama Day.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Nobody is able to follow me if God who sent me here does not give him a desire to follow me. And the ones who follow me I will certainly make alive in the last day.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There is no one who is able to follow me if he is not inspired by my Father who sent me. And if there is a person who follows me, I will raise him up in the future on the last day.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “No one can-come to me to believe if my Father who sent me doesn’t persuade him, and they are the ones whom I will make-alive at the last day.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Because there’s no-one who can submit to me except he has it put in his mind/inner-being by the Father, he being the one who sent me. And that one who will submit to me, I will raise him to life again at the end of the world.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “No one can follow me unless the Father who sent me causes that the people follow me. And I cause that he will be resurrected on the last day.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 6:44

Jesus does not attempt to resolve the Jews’ doubts about his true origin by means of human argumentation. Rather, he affirms that no one can come to him unless the Father draws that person to him (compare verse 65). Jesus is stating the basic biblical affirmation that salvation is always due to God’s initiative. The words to me are not explicit in the Greek text, but they are implicit, as Good News Translation makes clear. In 12.32 Jesus states that he will draw all men to himself. Draws him resembles the expression “to bring someone near the Law,” which the Rabbis used to describe conversion to Judaism.

However, draws may suggest that God uses violent means to force a person against his will to come to Jesus. A more satisfactory expression, meaning “brings him to me” or “leads him to me,” may be found in some languages.

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 .