The you of this verse refers back to the Jews of verse 18. In Greek the same verb form may be either an indicative (you study) or an imperative (“study!”). Only the context can indicate the difference, and most commentators and modern translators believe that the indicative better suits the context. Jesus earlier made a statement concerning the ways in which the Jews had accepted other witnesses; now he makes a statement concerning the way in which they study the Scriptures: they believe that in them they will find eternal life. He first makes the statement and then makes a contrast, indicating that the Jews had missed the true point of the Scriptures. They had missed the true point because they had sought to find eternal life in them, when the Scriptures had actually testified about Jesus, the one who brings eternal life. In Jewish thought the Law was the means by which God had ordained that men should find eternal life, and this explains the importance of the appeal that is made here to the Scriptures.

Since in many languages eternal life must be expressed by a verbal form, in them you will find eternal life may be translated “in them you will find how to live forever” or “… to live without ceasing.” What is to be found in the Scriptures is not actually eternal life, but rather the secret of eternal life, that is, the way in which this kind of life may be obtained.

The phrase these very Scriptures represents a demonstrative pronoun (“those”) in the Greek text. In many languages it is not possible to speak of “Scriptures speaking,” since “writings” are not able to “talk.” One can, however, often say “these writings have words about me” or “in these very writings there are statements about who I really am.”

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 .