He breathed on them and said is literally “he breathed on and said to them.” It is possible for “them” to be at the same time the object of “breathed on” and the indirect object of “said.” Therefore, in restructuring into English, it is necessary either to express “them” twice (Revised Standard Version “he breathed on them, and said to them”), or to introduce “them” as the object of “breathed on” and leave it implicit after “said,” as in Good News Translation.

The verb translated breathed on (emphusaō) appears only here in the New Testament. In the Septuagint it is used in Genesis 2.7 of God’s breathing the breath of life into man; it is also used in Ezekiel 37.9. John expects his readers to see a parallel between God’s creative breath in Genesis 2.7 and Jesus’ act of breathing here. In a number of languages breathed on must be rendered “blew upon.” A term literally meaning “breathe” may refer only to normal inhaling and exhaling of the breath, while anything as striking as this action of Jesus would be expressed as “blowing upon.”

In Greek the definite article “the” does not appear in the phrase the Holy Spirit. However, it is also missing in other passages that clearly refer to the Holy Spirit (note Acts 2.4). Most modern translators render as the Holy Spirit (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “God’s Holy Spirit”); but Phillips translates “receive holy spirit,” with a footnote indicating that “Historically the Holy Spirit was not given until Pentecost.” However, it is impossible to fit John and Acts together in a chronological arrangement. This is John’s interpretation of the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Christian community, as Pentecost is Luke’s interpretation of the same experience.

It may be difficult to find the most appropriate expression to translate the verb receive as it is used here. A literal rendering would sometimes imply “taking in one’s hands,” which is obviously not meant. A fuller expression may be required in some languages, for example, “accept the Holy Spirit in your lives.” “Welcome the Holy Spirit in your hearts,” or “make room for the Holy Spirit within you.”

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 .