This verse, which in Greek is introduced in the same way as 18.9 (Greek “so that”; Good News Translation He said this so that) is a comment of the Gospel writer. In Greek the conjunction hina introduces a subordinate clause of purpose (Moffatt “that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled”), but most modern translations restructure this verse as a complete sentence: “by saying this they made it certain that…” (Barclay); “Thus they ensured the fulfillment of the words…” (New English Bible); “This was to fulfill what Jesus had said” (New American Bible). The reference is to 12.32 (see also 12.33). In some languages This happened in order to make come true may be rendered “Their words caused it to happen that” or “What they said showed that what Jesus had said was coming true” or “… would happen.”

The kind of death he would die is a reference to crucifixion. Since the Jews did not have the power to put Jesus to death, he would suffer the Roman form of execution. The kind of death he would die may be rendered simply “how he would die.”

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 .