The first two words of verse 22 are literally “because of this.” Most modern translations connect these words with the last part of this verse. Good News Translation does so by implication, not by translating the words explicitly. In most translations these words appear as “at it” (note Revised Standard Version, “I did one deed, and you all marvel at it”). “Marvel at it” or “are surprised at it” may be expressed in terms of cause for an emotional response, for example, “because of it you marvelled” or “this miracle caused you to be very surprised.”

Moses ordered you to circumcise your sons is literally “Moses gave you circumcision” (Revised Standard Version, Phillips, New American Bible). New English Bible translates “Moses gave you the law of circumcision”; Moffatt “Moses gave you the rite of circumcision”; and Jerusalem Bible “Moses ordered you to practice circumcision.” It is obvious that the expression “gave you circumcision” is equivalent to ordered you to circumcise. Since sons were the only ones who were circumcised, Good News Translation makes this information explicit.

Although it was not Moses but your ancestors who started it is literally “not that it is from Moses but from the fathers.” Good News Translation makes the verb “is” transitive (started), thus shifting the subject of “is” (it) into the objective place and making Moses and your ancestors subjects of the transitive verb. As indicated earlier, your ancestors is literally “the fathers,” rendered in a number of translations as “the patriarchs.” Good News Translation attempts to avoid the more difficult term “patriarchs” whenever possible. The patriarchs were a specialized group of ancestors, that is, the noted founders of the Jewish nation. In the present context, ancestors is sufficient to carry the force of Jesus’ argument, and there is no need to use the more technical term “patriarchs.”

And so you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath is literally “on the Sabbath you circumcise a man.” The word “man” in the Greek text obviously means boy in the present context; it was customary for the Jews to circumcise a baby boy on the eighth day after birth. To use the word “man” in translation would suggest something untrue in the Jewish setting. Adult males (for example, proselytes) were circumcised, but probably not on the Sabbath day. Only for infants did the law indicate a specific day for the rite. On the Sabbath is in the emphatic position in this clause. According to Jewish teaching, the law of circumcision had priority over the law of the Sabbath day. That is, if the eighth day, the day of circumcision, fell on a Sabbath day, the child was circumcised on that day.

Because of the complex relations among some of the clauses in verse 22, it may be useful to change the order of presentation in some languages. For example, one may begin with the final clause “you will circumcise a boy on the Sabbath day” or “… rest day” and follow with the statement concerning Moses’ having ordered the circumcision. Finally, one may introduce the concessive clause in parentheses. This order reduces what is called the “temporary memory” for the reader and may make it easier for him to understand. The entire verse may then read: “You circumcise a boy on the Sabbath, just a Moses ordered you to do (although it was not Moses who initiated circumcision but it was your ancestors who started the process of circumcising).”

There are also several lexical problems in this verse. First the term circumcise may present difficulties, especially in cultures where circumcision is not practiced and the language does not have a specific term for it. If one has to use some descriptive equivalent (for example, “cutting off the foreskin of the penis”), such a phrase may appear too vulgar to include in Scripture. Translators sometimes use such expressions as “to cut” or “to cut around” or “to cut off the skin,” leaving a precise explanation for a glossary. In some languages a borrowed term is employed for circumcision, thus reducing the possibility of vulgar connotations.

It is important to make certain that the term used for circumcision is specifically applicable to the operation performed on boys and does not include excision, an operation performed on girls. In order to make clear what is involved, it may be necessary to add such expressions as “boys” or “your sons.”

The expression you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath indicates habitual action. It is therefore often translated “you have the custom” or “it is your practice to do so.”

Moses ordered you to circumcise your sons may be translated “Moses gave you the Law saying, you must circumcise your sons.” The clause enclosed in parentheses in Good News Translation may be expressed as an adversative, for example, “but it was not Moses who started the process of circumcision” or “Moses was not the first who said you should circumcise.” This clause may then be followed by a positive one, for example, “rather it was your ancestors who first began to circumcise” or “… who circumcised their sons.”

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 .