聖靈的工作

16 「我把這些事告訴你們,以免你們失去信心。 人們將把你們趕出會堂;時候將到,殺害你們的人還以為是在事奉上帝。 他們這樣做,是因為他們根本不認識父,也不認識我。 我把這些事提前告訴你們,是要叫你們到時候可以想起我曾跟你們講過這些事。我以前沒有告訴你們,那是因為我還跟你們在一起。

「現在我要去差我來的父那裡,你們沒有人問我去哪裡。 因為我把這些事告訴了你們,你們心裡充滿了憂愁。 然而,我把實情告訴你們,我去對你們是有益的,因為如果我不去,護慰者就不會來,我去了就會派祂到你們這裡來。 祂來了,就要在罪、義、審判方面責備世人。 在罪方面責備他們,是因為他們不信我; 10 在義方面責備他們,是因為我要去父那裡,你們再也看不到我了; 11 在審判方面責備他們,是因為這世界的王受了審判。

12 「我還有許多事情要告訴你們,可是你們現在不能明白。 13 等到真理之靈來了,祂會引導你們,讓你們明白一切的真理。祂不憑自己說話,而是把祂所聽見的和有關將來的事告訴你們。 14 祂也要把從我那裡領受的指示你們,使我得榮耀。 15 因為父的一切都是我的,所以我才說祂要把從我那裡領受的指示你們。

轉憂為喜

16 「不久,你們就見不到我了,再過不久,你們還會看見我。」

17 幾個門徒彼此議論說:「祂說,『不久,你們就見不到我了,再過不久,你們還會看見我』,祂又說,『因為我要去父那裡』,這到底是什麼意思呢? 18 祂說『不久』是什麼意思呢?我們真不明白!」

19 耶穌知道他們想問祂,就說:「你們在議論我剛才說的話是什麼意思嗎? 20 我實實在在地告訴你們,你們將痛哭、哀號,世人卻要歡喜;你們將憂愁,然而你們的憂愁將變為喜樂。 21 婦人分娩時都會痛苦不已,但孩子生下來後,她就會因為這世界添了一個新生命而充滿歡樂,忘掉了生產的痛苦。 22 同樣,現在你們有憂愁,但到我再見你們的時候,你們的心必歡喜,而且這份喜樂是誰也奪不去的。

23 「到那一天,你們就什麼也不用問我了。我實實在在地告訴你們,你們奉我的名無論向父求什麼,祂都會賜給你們。 24 你們從來沒有奉我的名求過什麼,你們現在求,就必得到,好使你們的喜樂滿溢。

勝過世界

25 「我一直用比喻跟你們講這些事,不久,我就不再用比喻了,而是清楚地把父的事告訴你們。 26 到那天,你們將要奉我的名祈求,我不是說我要為你們向父祈求。 27 父愛你們,因為你們一直愛我,並且相信我來自上帝。 28 我從父那裡來到這個世界,現在我要離開這個世界回到父那裡。」

29 門徒說:「如今你直截了當地告訴我們,不再用比喻了。 30 現在我們知道你無所不知,無需人向你發問,因此我們相信你來自上帝。」

31 耶穌說:「你們現在相信嗎? 32 看啊!時候快到了,現在就是,你們將要分散,各自回家,只留下我一人。不過,我並非一人,因為父與我在一起。 33 我把這些事告訴你們,是要叫你們在我裡面有平安。你們在世上會有苦難,但你們要放心,我已經勝過這個世界。」

16 »Todo esto les he dicho para que no flaquee su fe. Los expulsarán de las sinagogas; y llegará el día en que cualquiera que los mate pensará que está prestando un servicio a Dios. Actuarán de este modo porque no nos han conocido ni al Padre ni a mí. Y digo esto para que cuando llegue ese día se acuerden de que ya se lo había advertido. Sin embargo, no les dije esto al principio porque yo estaba con ustedes.

La obra del Espíritu Santo

»Ahora vuelvo al que me envió, pero ninguno de ustedes me pregunta: “¿A dónde vas?”. Al contrario, como les he dicho estas cosas, se han entristecido mucho. Pero digo la verdad: les conviene que me vaya porque, si no lo hago, el Consolador no vendrá a ustedes; en cambio, si me voy, se lo enviaré. Y cuando él venga, convencerá al mundo de su error[a] en cuanto al pecado, a la justicia y al juicio; en cuanto al pecado, porque no creen en mí; 10 en cuanto a la justicia, porque voy al Padre y ustedes ya no podrán verme; 11 y en cuanto al juicio, porque el príncipe de este mundo ya ha sido juzgado.

12 »Muchas cosas me quedan aún por decirles, que por ahora no podrían soportar. 13 Pero cuando venga el Espíritu de la verdad, él los guiará a toda la verdad, porque no hablará por su propia cuenta, sino que dirá solo lo que oiga y les anunciará las cosas por venir. 14 Él me glorificará porque tomará de lo mío y se lo dará a conocer a ustedes. 15 Todo cuanto tiene el Padre es mío. Por eso les dije que el Espíritu tomará de lo mío y se lo dará a conocer a ustedes.

16 »Dentro de poco ya no me verán; pero un poco después volverán a verme».

La despedida de Jesús

17 Algunos de sus discípulos comentaban entre sí:

«¿Qué quiere decir con eso de que “dentro de poco ya no me verán”, y “un poco después volverán a verme”, y “porque voy al Padre”?». 18 Luego insistían: «¿Qué quiere decir con eso de “dentro de poco”? No sabemos de qué habla».

19 Jesús se dio cuenta de que querían hacerle preguntas acerca de esto, entonces les dijo:

—¿Se están preguntando qué quise decir cuando dije: “Dentro de poco ya no me verán”, y “un poco después volverán a verme”? 20 Les aseguro que ustedes llorarán de dolor, mientras que el mundo se alegrará. Se pondrán tristes, pero su tristeza se convertirá en alegría. 21 La mujer que está por dar a luz siente dolores porque ha llegado su momento, pero en cuanto nace la criatura se olvida de su angustia por la alegría de haber traído al mundo un nuevo ser. 22 Lo mismo les pasa a ustedes; ahora están tristes, pero cuando vuelva a verlos se alegrarán y nadie les va a quitar esa alegría. 23 En aquel día ya no me pedirán nada. Les aseguro que mi Padre les dará todo lo que pidan en mi nombre. 24 Hasta ahora no han pedido nada en mi nombre. Pidan y recibirán para que su alegría sea completa.

25 »Les he dicho todo esto por medio de comparaciones, pero viene la hora en que ya no les hablaré así, sino que les hablaré claramente acerca del Padre. 26 En aquel día pedirán en mi nombre. Y no digo que voy a rogar por ustedes al Padre, 27 ya que el Padre mismo los ama porque me han amado y han creído que yo he venido de parte de Dios. 28 Salí del Padre y vine al mundo; ahora dejo de nuevo el mundo y vuelvo al Padre.

29 —Ahora sí estás hablando directamente, sin vueltas ni rodeos —dijeron sus discípulos—. 30 Ya podemos ver que sabes todas las cosas; ni siquiera necesitas que nadie te haga preguntas. Por esto creemos que saliste de Dios.

31 —¿Ahora creen? —contestó Jesús—. 32 Miren que viene la hora, y ya es la hora, en que ustedes serán dispersados; cada uno se irá a su propia casa y a mí me dejarán solo. Sin embargo, solo no estoy, porque el Padre está conmigo. 33 Yo les he dicho estas cosas para que en mí hallen paz. En este mundo afrontarán aflicciones, pero ¡anímense! Yo he vencido al mundo.

Footnotes

  1. 16:8 convencerá … error. Alt. pondrá en evidencia la culpa del mundo.

Persecution of Disciples Predicted

16 “I have said these things to you so that you will not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogue,[a] but an hour is coming that everyone who kills you will think they are offering service to God. And they will do these things because they do not know the Father or me. But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you about them.

Jesus’ Departure and the Coming of the Holy Spirit

“And I have not said these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and none of you is asking me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he[b] comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me, 10 and concerning righteousness, because I am going away to the Father and you will see me no more, 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

12 I still have many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them[c] now. 13 But when he—the Spirit of truth—comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak from himself, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will proclaim to you the things to come. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and will proclaim it[d] to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he takes from what is mine and will proclaim it[e] to you.

Jesus Predicts His Return to the Disciples

16 “A little while and you will see me no more, and again a little while and you will see me. 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going away to the Father’?” 18 So they kept on saying, “What is this that he is saying, ‘A little while’? We do not understand what he is speaking about!”

19 Jesus knew that they were wanting to ask him, and he said to them, “Are you deliberating with one another about this—that I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will change to joy. 21 A woman, when she gives birth, experiences pain because her hour has come. But when her[f] child is born, she no longer remembers the affliction, on account of the joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So you also are experiencing sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you. 23 And on that day you will ask me nothing. Truly, truly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Jesus’ Victory Over the World

25 “I have said these things to you in figurative sayings. An hour is coming when I will speak to you in figurative sayings no longer, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I have gone out from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.”

29 His disciples said, “Behold, now you are speaking plainly[g] and are telling us[h] no figurative saying! 30 Now we know that you know everything and do not need for[i] anyone to ask you questions.[j] By this we believe that you have come from God.”

31 Jesus replied to them, “Now do you believe? 32 Behold, an hour is coming—and has come—that you will be scattered each one to his own home,[k] and you will leave me alone. And I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.”

Footnotes

  1. John 16:2 Literally “they will make you expelled from the synagogue”
  2. John 16:8 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“comes”) which is understood as temporal
  3. John 16:12 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  4. John 16:14 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  5. John 16:15 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  6. John 16:21 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
  7. John 16:29 Literally “with plainness”
  8. John 16:29 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  9. John 16:30 Literally “have need that”
  10. John 16:30 *Here the word “questions” is not in the Greek text but is implied
  11. John 16:32 Or “to his own things”; or “to his own people” (i.e., family); the Greek text is somewhat ambiguous here

16 “All this(A) I have told you so that you will not fall away.(B) They will put you out of the synagogue;(C) in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.(D) They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.(E) I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember(F) that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you,(G) but now I am going to him who sent me.(H) None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’(I) Rather, you are filled with grief(J) because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate(K) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.(L) When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin,(M) because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness,(N) because I am going to the Father,(O) where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world(P) now stands condemned.

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.(Q) 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth,(R) comes, he will guide you into all the truth.(S) He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine.(T) That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while(U) you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”(V)

17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’(W) and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”(X) 18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? 20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn(Y) while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.(Z) 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain(AA) because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief,(AB) but I will see you again(AC) and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.(AD) 23 In that day(AE) you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.(AF) 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive,(AG) and your joy will be complete.(AH)

25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively,(AI) a time is coming(AJ) when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name.(AK) I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me(AL) and have believed that I came from God.(AM) 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”(AN)

29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.(AO) 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe(AP) that you came from God.”(AQ)

31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming(AR) and in fact has come when you will be scattered,(AS) each to your own home. You will leave me all alone.(AT) Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.(AU)

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.(AV) In this world you will have trouble.(AW) But take heart! I have overcome(AX) the world.”