John 7:48-50

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. John 7:48 tn Grk “the rulers,” used here to describe members of the Sanhedrin.sn The chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45) is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. Likewise the term member of the ruling council here denotes a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews. Note the same Greek word (“ruler”) is used to describe Nicodemus in John 3:1, and Nicodemus also speaks up in this episode (John 7:50).
2. John 7:48 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mē) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have they?”).
3. John 7:49 tn Grk “crowd.” “Rabble” is a good translation here because the remark by the Pharisees is so derogatory.
4. John 7:50 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5. John 7:50 tn Grk “who was one of them”; the referent (the rulers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6. John 7:50 tn Grk “said to them.”