After Jesus finished saying this (Jerusalem Bible “After saying this”; New English Bible “After these words”; New American Bible “After he had spoken these words”) is more literally “Jesus said these things.” In Greek the first two clauses are coordinate (“Jesus said these things and lifting his eyes to heaven said…”), but Good News Translation and most other modern translations make the first a subordinate clause (After Jesus finished saying this) and the second an independent clause (he looked up to heaven and said). Although some translations maintain the literalism “he lifted up his eyes to heaven,” Good News Translation, New English Bible, and New American Bible all translate he looked up to heaven. A similar expression is used in 11.41 (literally, “he lifted his eyes up”). This of Good News Translation (“these things” of the Greek) refers to the discourses of Chapters 13–16.
In some languages After Jesus finished saying this may be rendered “After Jesus finished saying these words” or “After Jesus finished talking to his disciples.”
In rendering he looked up to heaven, it is important to avoid the impression that Jesus looked into heaven in a literal sense. In some languages, one must use such an expression as “he looked up toward heaven.” Heaven, in this context, may be rendered “where God dwells” or “God’s abode.”
In 11.41 and 12.27, both of which introduce prayers, Jesus also addresses God as Father. It is important in rendering Father to employ a term applicable to an individual addressing his own father. In some instances the expression is simply “my Father,” but in others special forms of direct address are used when an individual speaks to his own father.
The hour has come is used in 12.23 (see 13.1). Jesus “hour” is first referred to in 2.4 (Good News Translation my time). The reference is to the hour in which the Son of Man will reveal his true glory, and this glory will be accomplished by means of his death on the cross. In some languages the hour has come may be rendered “the time has come,” but more often an equivalent expression is “this is the occasion” or “now is the time.”
Where most translations have “glorify,” Good News Translation has give glory to (so also New American Bible; Goodspeed “Do honor to”). However, the focus of “to glorify” is, not on giving honor to the Son and the Father, but on revealing their true glory. Note Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch: “show the glory of your Son in order that the Son can show your glory.” In place of the Son, some Greek manuscripts read “Your Son.” The UBS Committee on the Greek text had a difficult time deciding between the two readings. Some scribe may have omitted “your” because he thought it was superfluous in the light of your Son earlier in the verse, or it may have been inserted for the sake of adding solemnity to the style. The weight of the manuscript evidence is in favor of omitting “your,” and so the UBS committee decided in favor of the reading the Son. However, a number of translations render it as “your Son,” which may be necessary on translational grounds. Phillips translates “he,” referring to “your Son” in the earlier part of the verse.
In some languages it is difficult to translate such an expression as Give glory to your Son or the Son may give glory to you. How can the Son actually give glory to God who already possesses an absolute degree of glory? It may therefore be essential to translate give glory to your Son as “reveal your Son’s glory,” “show to people how glorious your Son is,” or “how wonderful your Son is.” It may also be necessary to introduce a first person reference, since in many languages one cannot use a third person in speaking of oneself. Therefore it may be necessary to translate “reveal to people how glorious I, your Son, am.”
After a first person reference to your Son, it may be necessary to employ a first person singular pronoun as the subject of the final clause, for example, “so that I may show people how wonderful you are.”
There is a problem in choosing words for “glory,” “glorious,” or “wonderful,” because in this type of context such terms may be understood as egotistical. That is, readers may assume that Jesus is requesting God to “show him off.” The possibility of such misinterpretation is greatly reduced by the purpose expressed, namely, that Jesus himself may reveal to people how wonderful God is. Nevertheless, the terms must be selected carefully to minimize the possibility of misunderstanding.
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 .