is not con the Pesch. ch.v.32; and the Greek in this verse, and also in ch. v. 32. —θεωροῦντες σημεῖα ἐποίει.-DEWGOŨYTES AUTOŨ тà σnμеîα à Tole.-" when they saw the miracles which He did," A. V.; "beholding His miracles which He did," R. V. Jesus," A. V.; "The same came to Him," R. V.- 2 1 It found in Mill's ed. 1710. 3 ch. iii. 4. The Revisers discard τὸν ̓Ιησοῦν, which appears to 'Beholding' is better for bewgouvres than when have been introduced by Stephen.1 S. Chrysostom, in his fo. of they saw;' but the Greek autou τà onμeia à étoísi, 1.c. reads autóv; so do Cod. Vat. and several other 1549. 1 This idiom appears to be a Shemitism,1 which occurs in other MSS.,2 together with Armen., Slav., Eth., and A. Mentioned stant. Comp. languages, such as Syr., Eth., Georg., &c., in which Sax.: but Syr., Vulg., Memph., Arab., and Pers. fol. Rot. with Hrkt.in double pronouns cannot be rendered in the same read τὸν ̓Ιησοῦν. Nonnus also writes, Χριστῷ the Syr. with manner into English. 'His miracles which He did' vUxTòs Ixave. is a tautology in English; His miracles were done This addition of τὸν ̓Ιησοῦν was probably brought by Him; and the miracles which He did were His. in by the division of the text into paragraphs, and Aurou therefore should be left out in the translation. later into chapters, to be read in churches, not conThis is what the Syr., Armen., A. Sax., Memph., secutively, as originally written, but separately and Arab., have done; the Georg. and Slav., consistently disjointly. If this third chapter were always read with their own idiom render the Greek literally; as part of the second, and in connexion with it, then while the Eth. has 'the sign which He had done.' τὸν ̓Ιησοῦν would not be necessary, because αὐτόν in Theophylact2 omits autou, which S. Cyril retains ;3 Greek, and Him' in English, would of course refer and S. Chrysostom1 has πíσтevσav eis autóv-for eis to 'Him' in ver. 24 of the preceding chapter. But τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. with the present division into chapters, our SAVIOUR'S name must necessarily be brought in for the better understanding of the people, who may hear this read for the second Lesson, and cannot read it themselves. 'JESUS' should be inserted into the English text, and 'Him' added in the margin. 2 Comm. p. 591, C. 3 Comm. p. 143, E. 4 Hom. χχίν. 5 Hom. xxiv. Ver. 24. -OUX ÉTÍOTEUσEY EQUτóv-" did not commit Himself unto," A. V.; "did not trust Himself to," R. V.-better. -dia Tó-" because," A. V.; " for that," R. V.— better. —γινώσκειν πάντας—S. Chrysostoms has πάντα. Some MSS. of him read návτas. Ver. 25. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ χρείαν είχεν— And needed not,” The Revisers seem more correct in this place, as -avròs yág-" for He," A. V.; "for of Himself," R. V. The A. V. renders the Greek, which might also be translated here, for Himself;' but the authority for of Himself' does not appear. CHAP. III. —yevvnôã Nicodemus, however, did not understand ävwbev "Avwley is from above,' and all other meanings derive from that; e.g. Euripides,+ Ζεύς—ὅταν ἄνωθεν ὄμβρον ἐκχέῃ. * Cycl. 323. 5 Phil. 28. 6 id. v. 1001. Μειδ. p. 602, πέτρα πέτρας ἄνωθεν αἱμάξω πεσών, &c. Hence figuratively, 'from the beginning,' as in Demosthenes,7 βούλομαι δὴ καὶ περὶ ταύτης ὑμῖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς 7 κατὰ εἰπεῖν καὶ διηγήσασθαι—κἂν ἄνωθεν ἄρχεσθαι δοκῶ; ea. Oxf and thus 'over again,' 'anew.' All these meanings are applicable to avalev in this verse; for it is both from above,' ' again,' and 'anew.' Hence the different ways in which it has been rendered in the Old Versions: τὸ ἄνωθεν ἐνταῦθα, οἱ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ aow, oi de άexñs, says S. Chrysostom, l.c. and S. Cyril, ἄνωθεν λέγει τὴν διὰ πνεύματος ἀναγέννησιν, Ex Tys ovσlas To EOD.8 Thus the Armen. has 'from above; Memph. another time;' Pers. 'anew ;' B. OUTOS λle #gos Tòv 'Incouv-"The same came to Arab. 'another time;' Syr. 'from the beginning;' *Hy dé-"There was," A. V.; "Now there was," R. V.-better. Now, at the beginning of a narrative and of another chapter, is a good rendering for dé, left out by A. V. Ver. 2. 8 Comm. in Joh. p.146, m 1 iii. 16. Hom.in Circ. Eth. again;' Vulg. 'denuò;' Slav. 'from above;' seems to be тò τνеŬμа ÉαUTOũ, i.e. he that soweth Ver. 5. Spirit, shall of (the or of) his spirit, thus renewed 3 1 Eph.iv.23. i. 18, 20. ib. 16. — ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ πνεύματος — of water and of the Spirit," A. V.; "of water and the Spirit," R. V. This might be the reason for which is prefixed As both A. V. and R. V. understand Tveux of only to aros. If our SAVIOUR wished to have speci'the Spirit,' i.e. the HOLY GHOST, A. V. is right in fied the agent, the HOLY GHOST, rather than His inserting of before 'the Spirit,' according to the rule work avayevvnois dià тoû пveúμatos, He probably would which requires that of' as mark of the gen. should have said daтos xaì èx тоυ яνeúμaтos. In aтos, be repeated before every word in the sentence to ex is taken in the same modified sense as in èx Tou which it belongs. It is not always necessary in καρποῦ γινώσκεται,—ἐκ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἐσθίειν,—ἐκ τοῦ εὐαγ Greek, because the Greek has distinctive endings yexiou v,-and, indeed, in èx Tоû Оeoũ yeyevvnμévov, for every case, so that in Greek two words in the all of which, and many more, cannot be taken in genitive may be governed by one preposition, without the strict and literal sense of ex in ex Toù σTóμATOS, any ambiguity. Not so, however, in English. But-Tv μμlwv, -ex Tйs yns, &c. ; but like x in Tò the R. V. of water and the Spirits implies that γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ γεννηθὲν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου,2 and 15 Matt 'water and Spirit' are one thing, or compound, since not as in Maplas-s éyevvýin 'Ingous,3-for in these 'water' alone is in the gen. ; whereas they are dis- verses we take ex once in its strictly literal, and once tinct, and should both in English be put in the gen. in its modified sense, though it relates to the same by prefixing of' to each, as in A. Saxon: buton Person. Moreover, we must bear in mind, that if zehpa beo ge-edcenned of pærene and of pam we take aros in a literal sense of 'out of water,' Elfric. Dalgum Larte.2 no baptism but by immersion can be scriptural or Nevertheless, the fact deserves some notice, that valid. But we do not think so, because we take ex here veμ has no article; xai veúμaтos, not xaì in this place in a modified sense, which seems to be τοῦ πνεύματος. It is, therefore, like ὕδωρ, stated in an applicable both to ὕδως and to πνεῦμα -so as to indefinite sense in this verse, because it is explained justify the rendering of this passage by "except a in vv. 6 and 8. It seems as if our SAVIOUR's words man be born of water and of spirit." This renmeant simply that 'except a man be renewed' or dering of the original, which is as literal as it can 'born' again in body and spirit, he cannot enter be made in a language that has no cases, might into the kingdom of GOD;' having in view the ava- remove many a stumbling-block in the way of weak Vévηow did TOU TVEμаTOS,-the spiritual and moral brethren; as it only states two facts which, none of part of man renewed, and as it were recreated by the them denies; the difference among them being 3 Tit.ii.5. ἀνακαίνωσις τοῦ Πνεύματος ἁγίου,3—but not the Holy only as to the time at which the second of these GHOST Himself, whom He mentions, also explain- births takes place. ing πνεῦμα, when He says, ver. 6, τὸ γεγεννημένον But these remarks are hints only, for the consiἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος πνεῦμά ἐστι· ‘that which is born of deration of better scholars than myself. It would the Spirit, is spirit,' i.e. is spiritual and holy, meet be presumptuous in me to speak positively on so partaker of the kingdom of GOD. When in the grave a matter. The Armen. reads, 'of water and New Testament Пveua is applied to the HOLY of Spirit;' Memph., Syr., Arab., Slav., 'of water GHOST, it almost invariably takes either the article and Spirit;' the Eth. and A. Sax., 'of water and To Пveμa, 'the Spirit,' or it is qualified by either HOLY GHOST;' Georg., 'of water and Spirit;' and ayov or eo, &c. In very many instances in which Vulg., 'ex aqua et Spiritu Sancto.' TVEμa is said of the spirit of man, it either does not take the article, or if it has it, there can be no room Gal.vi.s. for misinterpretation. Thus,1 ó σTeigwv eis Tǹv σágxa Ver. 7. -ve-See Ver. 3. Ver. 8. ἑαυτοῦ ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς θερίσει φθοράν· ὁ δὲ σπείρων εἰς τὸ -oux oldas-" canst not tell," A. V.; "knowest 4 See Note on ch. i. 19 i. 1, 3. 3 S. Dan. xi. 36. Ver. 10. —ỏ didáσxaλos Toũ 'Iopanλ-" a master of Israel," It does not appear how Nicodemus was the only Ver. 11. of as the necessary consequence of 'believing in the - odaμer daλouμev-"we speak that we do though depending on our own efforts to win it at xviii. 28. 2 S. John xvii. 20. 3 ch.iii.30. 'Should' is the past of A. S. rceal, p. sceolde, That' of the A. V. may be an original misprint subj. rcyle, 'to owe, to be obliged.' Azyr þær þu me for what;' or 'which' was left out by mistake. rcealt, "pay what thou owest me;" him rceolde s. Matt. The A. V. seldom has the relat. that' without ten þyrand punda, "owed him ten thousand pounds." 18. John which,' e.g.2 that which was,' 'that which we have Ver. 24, rceal is also a sign of the fut. with an inseen.' 'That which' occurs about sixty times in finitive, e.g. þe zyt scealon gelyfan "that shall yet the A. V., whereas 'that' alone, in the sense of that believe."2 In Goth. GAINS SKAA VAHSwhich,' is found but rarely. We also find that GAN, "he must increase."3 ATEI SKNAs in that,'-'for that that is determined shall be done,' AANS SIGAIMA-SKNAAM NNSA&c. This seems to show that equal care was not KAIM, "what we may owe," or "be in debt"— bestowed on all parts of the Bible by King James's translators; and that some of them had not so good "to our debtors." IK SKAA YANKKGAN, "I must work."5 ATEI SKNAAEANM an ear as others. -μaptuρíav-Here, 'testimony' is introduced in TANGAN, "what we must, i.e. are bound to do." It renders the Greek peixe and μéλλew; S. Luke ὀφείλειν μέλλειν and this obligation implied in 'shall' and 'should,' explains why, in English, this verb can be construed only with the first pers. in the fut. and condit. or subj., because the speaker alone can bind himself to R. V. in preference to witness,' probably on account of 'testify,' which is well said in the same verse See Note in connexion with 'what we have seen.'4 on ch. i. 19. Ver. 12. —τà éπougávia—“ of heavenly things," A. V.; anything, but must leave it to the option of the Ver. 13. -ávaßéßnxev eis Tòv oúpavov-" hath ascended up to heaven," A. V.; "hath ascended into heaven," R. V.-better. Gone up' would be preferable. Vv. 15 and 16. —μὴ ἀπόληται—ἀλλ ̓ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. should not perish, but have eternal life," A. V.; "may not perish, but may have eternal life," R. V. And v. 16, "might not perish, but might have eternal life," R. V. Αΐδα του λάθεται ἄρμενα πράξαις ἀνήρ.5 On the other hand, 'may' and 'might, A. S. magan, perf. mihte, is 'to be able,' or 'can.' It expresses power and might from strength only; for power from authority is rendered by anpeald.77 As in S. When strength fails, might goes; but strength is uncertain with man, and so is might. This explains the uncertainty implied in e.g. I may, or I might;' and in this place it seems to take away from the unconditional nature on GOD's part, of GOD'S free gift of life to us in His Son; whereas 'should' expresses it fully. Ver. 17. -Tva xgivy-" to condemn," A. V.; "to judge," Should' seems a better rendering than 'may' or σε R. V. is a better rendering of κρίνειν ; but it does Ver. 18. —οὐ κρίνεται—“is not condemned,” A. V.; “ cometh not into judgment;” i.e. as in the marg. reading, "is not being judged," R. V. —ἦν γὰρ πονηρὰ αὐτῶν τὰ ἔργα— because their deeds were evil,” A. V. ; " for their works were evil,” R. V.-right. 'Work,' and not 'deed,' is the English for egyov; since a 'deed' may be evil, yet not liable to judgment, not so, however, with a 'work,' which when evil always deserves punishment. 1 1. 70, 190 'To work,' which has probably one common origin with ἔργον, is the A. S. pyncan, Goth. γληκκ GAN, and implies 'making,' 'putting together;' and not 'doing,' which is expressed in A. S. by do. Εργον is the action of will, purpose, and intelligence ; οἱ μέν γε, νεωτεροποιοὶ, καὶ ἐπινοῆσαι ἐξεῖς, καὶ ἐπιτελέσαι ἔργῳ ἳ ἂν γνῶσιν,—ἐνθυμεῖται γὰρ οὐδεὶς ὁμοῖα τῇ πίστει καὶ ἔργῳ, says Thucydides; whereas Κρίνω, both from its probable Sanscrit etymology, doing expresses simple action. As regards ἔργον, and from its original use in Homer, means simply Aristotle says: τέλος ἑκάστου τὸ ἔργον.—Τῶν Erb Fud to discern,” to set apart, either good fruit from δὲ ἐν ψυχῇ τὰ μὲν ἕξεις ἢ δυνάμεις εἰσί—τὰ δ ̓ ἐνέργειαι bad, or right from wrong. Hence to judge, i.e. καὶ κινήσεις. καὶ ὡς ἔχουσιν αἱ ἕξεις πρὸς to form a judgment, τὸ κυρίως δοκιμάζειν—but inde- ἀλλήλας, οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἔργα τὰ ἀπὸ τούτων πρὸς pendently of praise or censure, either of which is a ἄλληλα ἐχέτω.—ἔτι ἔστω ψυχῆς ἔργον τὸ ζῆν ποιεῖν, 1 Ant. 399. separate act. Thus Sophocles, 3 κατὰ καὶ νῦν, ἄναξ, τήνδ' αὐτὸς, ὡς θέλεις, λαβὼν τοῦ δὲ χρῆσις καὶ ἐγρήγορσις.—ὥστ ̓ ἐπεὶ τὸ ἔργον ἀνάγκη ἓν καὶ ταὐτὸ εἶναι τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἔργον ἂν εἴη τῆς ἀρετῆς ζωὴ σπουδαία. The ἔργον, The M. κρίνομαι is ‘to be the object of that judg- then, is according to the ἕξις, and this is in the ment; to be judged, but not necessarily condemned; ψυχῇ. It is beautifully set forth in Happiness for κρίσις is the whole procedure in court, from the and all the Virtues crowning τὸν νενικηκότα τοὺς accusation to the sentence, whether this be an acquittal μεγίστους ἀγῶνας—καὶ τὰ μέγιστα θηρία-τὴν ἄγε or a condemnation ; κρίνεσθαι, ' to be accused, to be νοιαν— τὴν πλάνην τὴν λύπην—τὸν ὀδυρμόν-τὴν φιλαρα called to judgment; and περὶ θανάτου, for a capital γυρίαν καὶ τὴν ἀκρασίαν, καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν ἅπασαν offence and death. When this is understood from κακίαν. Πάντων τούτων κρατεῖ, καὶ οὐ κρατεῖται, the subject matter, then κρίνομαι may mean to re- ὥσπερ τὸ πρότερον. Ὦ καλῶν ἔργων, ἔφην ἐγώ, ceive a verdict of condemnation, as in Demosthenes, καὶ καλλίστης νίκης.33 2 νοιαν—τὴν * Eth. End. ii. 2, 54. 3 Tab. Cebet. p. 213, φιλ. 1. p. 60. κακούργου μὲν γάρ ἐστι κριθέντ ̓ ἀποθανεῖν; or when a Πονηρὰ ἔργα, therefore, are sentenced because of ed. Anst Since κρίνομαι means to condemn' only by impli- Θεοῦ, μωρία γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐστι·—and it further shows Ver. 19. Ver. 20. —καὶ οὐκ ἔρχεται —“ neither cometh,” A. V.; "and cometh not," R. V.—right. The A. V. had, perhaps, in view the 'not' implied -xpios" condemnation," A. V.; "judg- in 'hateth,' i.e. loveth not;' for 'neither,' conj. ment," R. V.-better. For if κρίσις is rendered condemnation' in this place, where it means rather 'judgment,' 'a cause for judgment,' it ought the more to be rendered so in ch. xvi. 11, where, however, the A. V. has 'judgment,' and 'judged,' correctly. —τὸ φῶς, τὸ σκότος—See ch. i. 7. requires 'not' before it, or 'nor' after; like the A. S. nájon—ne. But the pronom. adj. neither, napon, may stand alone. See note on ch. v. 22, vii. 5. 14. 11. 207. 21. 125. 3 Hom. xxix. —better; although neither expression renders the well to insert into the text the marginal reading The A. S. has, re be pinch otherre, he λαμβάνειν in this place; as in ch. x. 17, 18, τίθημι 1 ὃς δὲ θεουδείῃσιν ἐτήτυμα πάντα φυλάσσει, Ver. 23. τὴν ψυχήν μου ἵνα πάλιν λάβω αὐτήν;—ἐξουσίαν ἔχω πάλιν λαβεῖν • to take αὐτήν;-ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν ἔλαβον ‘I received παρὰ τοῦ πατρός In English to receive,' implies necessarily that a thing should be given.' It is, therefore, a pleonasm to say that a man can receive nothing except it be given him ; not so, however, that a man μου. *Ην δὲ καὶ ̓Ιωάννης—" And John also was,” A. V.; cannot take a thing unto himself, but that it must "But John also was," R. V.-better. Ver. 25. be given him, as in this parallel passage, Heb. v. 4, καὶ οὐχ ἑαυτῷ τὶς λαμβάνει τὴν τιμὴν, ἀλλὰ ὁ καλούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καθάπερ καὶ ὁ Εγένετο οὖν ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου μετὰ ̓Ααρών. " And no man taketh this honour unto Ιουδαίων— Then there arose a question between himself, but he that is called of Gop, as was Aaron.” some of John's disciples and the Jews,” A. V.; A. V. S. Chrysostom understood λαμβάνειν here in “Then there arose a question on the part of John's the sense of ἑλεῖν ' to take, when he said l.c. τὸ γὰρ disciples with a Jew," R. V. εἰπεῖν, οὐδεὶς δύναται λαμβάνειν, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ δεδομένον αὐτῷ On the part is a far more correct rendering ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἐντεῦθεν οὐδὲν ἄλλο δηλοῦντός ἐστιν, ἢ ὅτι of ἐκ in this place, than 4 between, inasmuch as it καὶ ἀδυνάτοις ἐπιχειροῦσι, καὶ ὅτι θεομάχοι ἐντεῦθεν πάλιν shows that the question arose on the side of John's εὑρίσκονται. This is also the sense Nonnusl gives it,— 11. 138 disciples, whereas 'between' leaves it undecided. οὐδὲν ἑλεῖν δύναταί τις ἐπουρανίων ἀπὸ κόλπων, 'With a Jew' is supported by Cod. Vat. and several other MSS., together with the Ethiopic, Syriac, and Persian Versions. The others have with Jews.' Nonnus2 paraphrases it thus: — ἔρις δέ τις ἀμφὶ καθαρμού ἔπλετο μυστιπόλοισιν Ιωάννας μαθηταῖς ̔Εβραίου μετὰ φωτός.— εἰ μὴ τοῦτο γέρας θεόθεν κεχαρισμένον εἴη. The Armen. has 'take unto' or 'for himself;' Memph., 'take aught from' or 'of himself alone;' Syr., a man cannot take aught from' or of the impulse, or wish of his soul,' i.e. of himself;' Eth., 'take for himself,' or 'unto himself;' A. S., ne maz mann nanping undeɲron, 'man cannot undertake, and S. Chrysostom, who also read μετὰ Ἰουδαίου receive, or take; Slav., take, to which the Russian explains it in these words: οἱ μαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου Version adds, unto himself, or for himself;" λαβόντες ἕνα τῶν βαπτισθέντων ἐπεχείρουν, τοῦτον πεί- Georg., take of' or ' for himself, &c. θειν, ἀλλ ̓ οὐκ ἔπειθον. "Οτι γὰρ αὐτοὶ οἱ ἐπιδραμόντες εἰσὶν, ἀλλ ̓ οὐκ ἐκεῖνος ἐζήτησεν, ἄκουσον πῶς τοῦτο ὁ Εὐαγγελιστὴς ηνίξατο. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἰουδαῖός τις μετ ̓ αὐτῶν ἐζήτησεν, ἀλλ ̓ ὅτι ζήτησις ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν Ἰωάννου ἐγένετο μετὰ ̓Ιουδαίου τινὸς περὶ καθαρισμοῦ. Ver. 26. ῷ σὺ μεμαρτύρηκας -“ to whom thou barest witness," A. V.; "to whom thou hast borne witness," R. V.-unquestionably right. Ver. 27. Ver. 29. χαρᾷ χαίρει" rejoiceth greatly,” A. V.; “ rejoiceth with joy,” R. V. The Greek, and also Eastern, idiom χαρᾷ χαίρειν, &c., cannot well be rendered literally into English. In translating one has to take into consideration the ideas, the habits of thought, and the customs of the people, who spoke and wrote the language ; hence the difficulty, the responsibility, and often the impossibility of the task. In English, 'rejoiceth with joy' is a pleonasm, since one cannot rejoice with grief. But as the sense of the expression is simply intensi οὐ δύναται ἄνθρωπος λαμβάνειν οὐδὲν, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ tive, rejoiceth greatly, A. V., appears to be a better δεδομένον αὐτῷ.—“ a man can receive nothing except rendering of the Greek than R. V. it be given him," A. V.; "a man can receive nothing The A. V. is the better rendering of the two; for Ver. 31. —ὁ ὢν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐστί— he that is of the the past, have been given,' of R. V. is not easily earth, is earthly," A. V.; "he that is of the earth, accounted for; the A. V. however, would have done is of the earth," R. V. |
