John 13:25

lying on Jesus" breast Our version does well in using different words from those used in John 13:23, but the distinction used is inadequate. Moreover the same preposition, -on," is used in both cases; in the Greek the prepositions differ also. In John 13:23 we have the permanent posture; here a change, the same verb being used as in John 13:12 (see note). The meaning is leaning back on to Jesus" breast. Comp John 21:20, where our translators give a similarly inadequate rendering. "This is among the most striking of those vivid descriptive traits which distinguish the narrative of the Fourth Gospel generally, and which are especially remarkable in these last scenes of Jesus" life, where the beloved disciple was himself an eye-witness and an actor. It is therefore to be regretted that these fine touches of the picture should be blurred in our English Bibles." Lightfoot, On Revision, p. 73.

Some good MSS. insert -thus" before -on to Jesus" breast" (comp. John 4:6).