What does the text really mean?

One step in the translation process One of the major steps in translation is working out what the original text meant to the original audience. I won't pretend that we always know, and I'm sure we don't always get it right, but I enjoy digging into language, culture and context to try and figure it out.  For example in John 9:29 the Pharisees say: "We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from." Why does it matter where Jesus is from? Earlier in the chapter the Pharisees were arguing about whether or not Jesus is from God. They now point out that they know that Moses was speaking God's words. They're not really concerned about what town Jesus was from, but whether he is from God.  To make this clear, the Plain English Version says: "We know that Moses talked with God, but we don’t think this man comes from God. We don’t know where he comes from.” Even the man that had been blind could see it clearly: “How can that be? He just made my eyes better. How come you don’t know where he comes from? Everyone knows that God does not listen to people that go against him and do bad things. But he does listen to people that give him the right respect and do what he says. From the time God made everything, nobody has ever heard of anything like this happening to a person that was born blind. Nobody ever made them see. I reckon God sent this man, otherwise he couldn’t do anything like this.” (PEV) Please pray that the Plain English Version will be clear and accurate, and that it will help Indigenous Australians to know God.