89 JEWISH LAW AND JOHANNINE VOCABULARY: ἀληθής at Jn 5,31-32; 7,18; 8,13. 17 J. DUNCAN M. DERRETT The backgrounds of Jn 6 and 7-8 having been missed, ἀληθής is still rendered “true”, whereas it means “legitimate” both in ‘ēdût (testimony) and in šelîhût (agency). 1. Preamble Our dictionaries1 fail to notice John’s special meaning of a very common word. Ashton2 hopes that even when the correct meaning for 5,31 has been perceived, a little of the usual meaning will survive. But we should not be sentimental about ἀληθής. The problem starts with Jn 5,31 ἐὰν ἐγὼ μαρτυρῶ περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, ἡ μαρτυρία μου οὐκ ἔστιν ἀληθής / “If I testify about myself my testimony is not true”, nonsense - so Ashton after Beutler and Harvey3. Brave hearts4 rendered 5,31 “Is my testimony not true?”. The solution was found by Beza (1565, etc.), Lucas Brugensis (l606), and Ludovicus de Dieu (1631). Beza found the Peshitta (printed 1555, later Geneva and Antwerp, 1569) at Jn 5,31; 7,18; 8,13.14. 17; l8,38 gave šarîra’ (for šārîrût, “certainty” see Col 2,5), reminiscent of šārīr û qayyām, “fit and established” at the end of Jewish documents (Bab. Amongst which G. Kittel’s Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Neuen Testament and 1 Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament are prominent. J. Ashton, Understanding the Fourth Gospel (Oxford 1991) 176 n. 287-8. 2 Ashton, Understanding, 176 n. 28. J. Beutler, Martyria (Frankfurt 1972) 256; A,E. 3 Harvey, Jesus on Trial (London 1976) 20-21, 56-7. B. Wilson, Emphatic Diaglott (New York 1865 to 1942) 331; A.E. Knock, Concordant 4 Version (Los Angeles 1930) annotation ad loc. Filología Neotestamentaria - Vol. XVII - 2004, pp. 89-97 Facultad de Filosofía y Letras - Universidad de Córdoba (España)