complete verse (John 4:41)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 4:41:

  • Uma: “From there, even more townspeople believed in Yesus, because they heard his words for themselves.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “While he was still there many more people believed in Isa because of his teaching to them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “There were many more who believed in Jesus because of his preaching to them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Many more believed in him on-account-of what he was saying.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Those who believed increased-in-number because they now heard his teaching.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Many more believed when they heard Jesus speak.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

He deliberately took time to draw near to social outcasts (image)

“Jesus is dressed in a different style of clothing than the style of the woman who is shown as a Lanna Thai northerner. It is unusual for him to talk to a person from a different region, especially a woman. The clothes, the roof of the house in the background, and the dipper for water all indicate that this is in northern Thailand.”

Drawing by Sawai Chinnawong who employs northern and central Thailand’s popular distinctive artistic style originally used to depict Buddhist moral principles and other religious themes; explanation by Paul DeNeui. From That Man Who Came to Save Us by Sawai Chinnawong and Paul H. DeNeui, William Carey Library, 2010. . For more images by Sawai Chinnawong in TIPs see here.

See also The woman at the well (image).

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Woman at the Well .

Translation commentary on John 4:41

In Greek this verse actually begins with “and,” but the conjunction marks the continuation of the discourse, and it is unnecessary to translate it.

It may be necessary in some languages to state specifically the nature of the contrast expressed in the comparative more. It may be made explicit by saying “Many believed because of what the woman had said, but many more believed because of what Jesus said” or “In comparison with the many who believed because of what the woman said, many more believed because of what Jesus said.”

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 .