the Jews (the authorities in Jerusalem)

In the English Good News Bible (2nd edition of 1992), this occurrence of the Greek hoi Ioudaioi, traditionally “the Jews” in English, is translated with “the authorities (in Jerusalem)” in contexts that imply that the referred groups are hostile to Jesus For an explanation of the differentiated translation in English as well as translation choices in a number of languages, see the Jews.

complete verse (John 7:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of John 7:15:

  • Uma: “The Yahudi rulers were surprised to hear his teaching, they said: ‘How does he know the contents of the Holy Book, since he is not even educated?'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The leaders of the Yahudi marveled very much at the teaching of Isa. They said, ‘This person, surprise, has not studied. Where did he get this his knowledge from?'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The Jewish leaders were very surprised at him, and they said, ‘Where do you suppose this person’s wisdom comes from, because he hasn’t studied a lot.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And that’s when/how the leaders of the Jews were surprised saying, ‘Where did this-one get his intelligence/wisdom, because he is definitely not an educated person?'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “The Judio were amazed. They were saying, ‘Where does the knowledge of this fellow come from since he hasn’t had schooling?'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The Jews were amazed at the word Jesus taught. They said, ‘Where did he get all that which he speaks? We haven’t seen him going to school.'” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on John 7:15

Once again John begins a verse with the Greek oun (see 2.18). Most translations omit it from the explicit rendering.

Greatly surprised is translated “marvelled” in Revised Standard Version and “astonished” in New English Bible. Elsewhere in John’s Gospel this verb is used in 3.7; 4.27; 5.20,28; and 7.21. It may be important to indicate the reason for the surprise of the Jewish authorities, for example, “The Jewish officials were very much surprised at the way in which he taught” or even “… at what he said.”

How does this man know so much when he has never been to school? is translated in New English Bible “How is it … that this untrained man has such learning?” “Learning” is specifically knowledge about the Jewish Law, and school or “training” is a reference to studying under one of the noted Jewish teachers of the times. In another context the words would more naturally mean “How did he learn to read? He has not been taught” (Jerusalem Bible) or “How can this uneducated fellow manage to read?” (Moffatt). However, in the present context the reference is to Jesus’ lack of formal rabbinical training, not to an inability to read, since every Jewish boy was taught to read. Before a Jew became a rabbi, he normally studied with another rabbi, who taught him what the former rabbis had said. Much of the rabbinical training consisted in memorizing what former Jewish teachers had taught concerning the Law. Phillips comes close to expressing the meaning, “How does this man know all this—he has never been taught?” This passage may also be translated, “How does this man know so much, since he has never been taught to be an expert in our Law?” The Revised Standard Version rendering may give the impression that, while Jesus might have been an intelligent student, he was a lazy one: “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?” A useful equivalent of the Greek text is “This man has never had a teacher. How, then, can he know so much?” In some languages one may say “How can he know so much when he has never been trained?”

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 .