John 16
New Living Translation
16 “I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. 2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3 This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4 Yes, I’m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn’t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
5 “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate[a] won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 9 The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. 10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. 11 Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’
Sadness Will Be Turned to Joy
16 “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”
17 Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? 18 And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”
19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. 20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. 22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. 23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
25 “I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26 Then you will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.[b] 28 Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”
29 Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. 30 Now we understand that you know everything, and there’s no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God.”
31 Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? 32 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16
New American Standard Bible
Jesus’ Warning
16 “(A)These things I have spoken to you so that you will not [a]be (B)led into sin. 2 They will [b](C)ban you from the synagogue, yet (D)an hour is coming for everyone (E)who kills you to think that he is offering a [c]service to God. 3 These things they will do (F)because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have spoken to you, (G)so that when their hour comes, you [d]may remember that I told you of them. However, I did not say these things to you (H)at the beginning, because I was with you.
The Holy Spirit Promised
5 “But now (I)I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘(J)Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, (K)grief has filled your heart. 7 But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the [e](L)Helper will not come to you; but if I go, (M)I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: 9 regarding sin, (N)because they do not believe in Me; 10 and regarding (O)righteousness, because (P)I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; 11 (Q)and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them at the present time. 13 But when He, (R)the Spirit of truth, comes, He will (S)guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will (T)glorify Me, for He will take from Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 (U)All things that the Father has are Mine; this is why I said that He takes from Mine and will disclose it to you.
Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold
16 “(V)A little while, and (W)you no longer are going to see Me; and again a little while, and (X)you will see Me.” 17 So some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He is telling us, ‘(Y)A little while, and you are not going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because (Z)I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” 19 (AA)Jesus knew that they wanted to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Truly, truly I say to you that (AB)you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but (AC)your grief will be turned into joy! 21 (AD)Whenever a woman is in labor she has [f]pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a [g]child has been born into the world. 22 Therefore (AE)you too have grief now; but (AF)I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one is going to take your joy away from you.
Prayer Promises
23 And (AG)on that day (AH)you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly I say to you, (AI)if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 (AJ)Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your (AK)joy may be made full.
25 “These things I have spoken to you in (AL)figures of speech; (AM)an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 (AN)On that day (AO)you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for (AP)the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and (AQ)have believed that (AR)I came forth from the Father. 28 (AS)I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and (AT)going to the Father.”
29 His disciples *said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and are not [h]using any (AU)figure of speech. 30 Now we know that You know all things, and that You have no need for anyone to question You; this is why we (AV)believe that You (AW)came forth from God.” 31 Jesus replied to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, (AX)an hour is coming, and has already come, for (AY)you to be scattered, each to (AZ)his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet (BA)I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you so that (BB)in Me you may have peace. (BC)In the world you have tribulation, but (BD)take courage; (BE)I have overcome the world.”
Footnotes
- John 16:1 Or let yourselves be led; or fall away (in apostasy)
- John 16:2 Or excommunicate
- John 16:2 I.e., as an act of worship
- John 16:4 Or will remember them, that I told you
- John 16:7 Or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor
- John 16:21 Lit grief
- John 16:21 Lit human being
- John 16:29 Lit saying
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
