After this and the similar phrase “after these things” are simple formulas denoting an indefinite but brief time sequence. These formulas are used synonymously throughout the Gospel and are translated in various ways in Good News Translation: after this, afterwards, and then. It is not possible to determine the precise length of time indicated by these phrases. In a number of languages after this is rendered “the next thing that happened” or “after that had happened.”

Jesus (so also Goodspeed, Phillips) is literally “he” in Greek, but in introducing a new paragraph it is better in English to use the noun. In this verse John uses a structure similar to the one discussed in verse 2, where a singular verb is used with a singular subject, with a plural subject appended. In English it is natural to make these into a compound subject, as Good News Translation and many other translations do.

In languages which make a distinction between older and younger brothers, one must in this context say “his younger brothers.” Some scholars insist (largely for theological reasons) that these “brothers” must be interpreted as “cousins” or “male relatives,” but there is no direct biblical evidence for this interpretation.

For disciples see note at 1.35 and 2.2.

Went to is literally “went down to.” This verb expresses a geographical situation: Cana is in the hill country, while Capernaum is below sea level, on the shore of Lake Galilee. The same phrase is again used in 4.47 for the journey from Cana to Capernaum. For languages which employ specific indications of direction and level of movement, it may be entirely appropriate to say “went down to Capernaum.” However, the term chosen must clearly indicate that the meaning is not like that of “going down into a mine,” but simply going down from hill country toward the shore of a lake.

A few days is literally “not many days,” a frequently used Semitic Greek expression: Jerusalem Bible has “only a few days”; Goodspeed and Moffatt “for a few days.” In some languages it is difficult to be indefinite about temporal relations or periods of time, for example, one must often choose between terms which would specify about one week’s duration, one month’s duration, or a considerably longer period of time. Possibly the most satisfactory solution in this instance would be an expression equivalent to “a week or so,” for the Gospel of John seems to emphasize a rapid pace of developments. Note, for example, the expressions of temporal setting in 1.29,35,43 and 2.1. This same emphasis on temporal sequence is to be found in 2.13.

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 .