圣灵的工作

16 “我把这些事告诉你们,以免你们失去信心。 人们将把你们赶出会堂,时候将到,杀害你们的人还以为是在事奉上帝。 他们这样做,是因为他们根本不认识父,也不认识我。 我把这些事提前告诉你们,是要叫你们到时候可以想起我曾跟你们讲过这些事。我以前没有告诉你们,那是因为我还跟你们在一起。

“现在我要去差我来的父那里,你们没有人问我去哪里。 因为我把这些事告诉了你们,你们心里充满了忧愁。 然而,我把实情告诉你们,我去对你们是有益的,因为如果我不去,护慰者就不会来,我去了就会派祂到你们这里来。 祂来了,就要在罪、义、审判方面责备世人。 在罪方面责备他们,是因为他们不信我; 10 在义方面责备他们,是因为我要去父那里,你们再也看不到我了; 11 在审判方面责备他们,是因为这世界的王受了审判。

12 “我还有许多事情要告诉你们,可是你们现在不能明白。 13 等到真理之灵来了,祂会引导你们,让你们明白一切的真理。祂不凭自己说话,而是把祂所听见的和有关将来的事告诉你们。 14 祂也要把从我那里领受的指示你们,使我得荣耀。 15 因为父的一切都是我的,所以我才说祂要把从我那里领受的指示你们。

转忧为喜

16 “不久,你们就见不到我了,再过不久,你们还会看见我。”

17 几个门徒彼此议论说:“祂说,‘不久,你们就见不到我了,再过不久,你们还会看见我’,祂又说,‘因为我要去父那里’,这到底是什么意思呢? 18 祂说‘不久’是什么意思呢?我们真不明白!”

19 耶稣知道他们想问祂,就说:“你们在议论我刚才说的话是什么意思吗? 20 我实实在在地告诉你们,你们将痛哭、哀号,世人却要欢喜;你们将忧愁,然而你们的忧愁将变为喜乐。 21 妇人分娩时都会痛苦不已,但孩子生下来后,她就会因为这世界添了一个新生命而充满欢乐,忘掉了生产的痛苦。 22 同样,现在你们有忧愁,但到我再见你们的时候,你们的心必欢喜,而且这份喜乐是谁也夺不去的。

23 “到那一天,你们就什么也不用问我了。我实实在在地告诉你们,你们奉我的名无论向父求什么,祂都会赐给你们。 24 你们从来没有奉我的名求过什么,你们现在求,就必得到,好使你们的喜乐满溢。

胜过世界

25 “我一直用比喻跟你们讲这些事,不久,我就不再用比喻了,而是清楚地把父的事告诉你们。 26 到那天,你们将要奉我的名祈求,我不是说我要为你们向父祈求。 27 父爱你们,因为你们一直爱我,并且相信我来自上帝。 28 我从父那里来到这个世界,现在我要离开这个世界回到父那里。”

29 门徒说:“如今你直截了当地告诉我们,不再用比喻了。 30 现在我们知道你无所不知,无需人向你发问,因此我们相信你来自上帝。”

31 耶稣说:“你们现在相信吗? 32 看啊!时候快到了,现在就是,你们将要分散,各自回家,只留下我一人。不过,我并非一人,因为父与我在一起。 33 我把这些事告诉你们,是要叫你们在我里面有平安。你们在世上会有苦难,但你们要放心,我已经胜过这个世界。”

Chapter 16

“I have told you this
to prevent you from falling away.
They will expel you from the synagogues.
Indeed the hour is coming
when anyone who kills you
will believe that by doing so
he is serving God.
And people will do such things
because they have not known the Father or me.
But I have told you this
so that when the hour arrives
you may remember that I forewarned you about them.

The Spirit of Truth, Our Guide to All Truth[a]

“I did not tell you all this previously
because I was with you.
But now I am going away
to the one who sent me.
Not one of you asks me,
‘Where are you going?’
However, because I have told you this,
you are overcome with grief.
“Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth:
it is better for you that I depart.
For if I do not go away,
the Advocate will not come to you,
whereas if I go,
I will send him to you.
“And when he comes,
he will prove the world wrong
about sin and righteousness and judgment:
about sin,
because they do not believe in me;
10 about righteousness,
because I am going to the Father
and you will see me no longer;
11 about judgment,
because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
12 “I have much more to tell you,
but you would not be able to bear it now.
13 But when the Spirit of truth comes,
he will guide you into all the truth.
He will not speak on his own authority,
but he will speak what he hears,
and he will declare to you
the things that are coming.
14 He will glorify me,
for he will take what is mine
and communicate it to you.
15 Everything that the Father has is mine.
That is why I said
that he will take what is mine
and communicate it to you.

Triumph of Jesus and the Joy of the Witnesses[b]

16 “In a little while
you will no longer see me,
and then a short time later
you will see me again.”

17 Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘In a little while you will no longer see me, and then a short time later you will see me again,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’? 18 What is this ‘little while’? We do not know what he means.”

19 Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said to them,

“You are asking one another
what I meant by saying,
‘In a little while
you will no longer see me,
and then a short time later
you will see me again.’
20 Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will weep and mourn
while the world rejoices.
You will be sorrowful,
but your grief will turn into joy.
21 “A woman in labor suffers anguish
because her hour has come.
But when her baby is born,
she no longer recalls the suffering
because of her joy
that she has brought a child into the world.
22 In the same way,
you are now in anguish,
but I will see you again,
and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one shall deprive you of your joy.
23 “On that day,
you will not ask me anything further.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
if you ask the Father for anything in my name,
he will give it to you.
24 Until now, in my name,
you have not asked for anything.
Ask and you will receive,
so that your joy may be complete.
25 “I have used figures of speech
to explain these things to you.
The hour is coming
when I will no longer use figures,
but I will tell you about the Father in plain words.
26 When that day comes,
you will make requests in my name.
I do not say
that I will entreat the Father on your behalf.
27 For the Father himself loves you
because you have loved me
and have come to believe
that I came from God.
28 I came from the Father
and have come into the world.
Now I am leaving the world
and returning to the Father.”

29 “At last you are speaking plainly,” his disciples said, “and not using figures of speech. 30 Now we realize that you know everything and do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this, we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus responded,

“Have you finally come to believe?
32 I tell you, the hour is coming,
indeed it has already come,
when you will be scattered,
each one going to his own home,
and you will leave me alone.
And yet I am not alone
because the Father is with me.
33 “I have told you this
so that in me you may be in peace.
In the world
you will endure suffering.
But take courage!
I have overcome the world.”

Footnotes

  1. John 16:4 The disciples have to overcome sadness at the departure and absence of Jesus so that they may understand the meaning of the event: passage to glory, gift of the Spirit, and the beginning of a new era in the world. But until the end of history the trial of Jesus will not stop, and the disciples will have to testify to him in a world where unbelief appears unceasingly.
    The testimony of Christians can never stop; such testimony does not depend on the intelligence and the strength of people but on the action of the Spirit, who unveils to Christians, in faith, the glory of Christ and the view that history takes of this light (Christ). It is not a matter of a new revelation but of a discovery of what the words, actions, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus mean for each era: the truth of God that denounces the falsehood of sin, the goodness of God that denounces evil, and the condemnation of the forces that enslave people. The Spirit is the Paraclete: defender of Jesus in the heart of believers, defender of believers facing unbelief and refusal of the light—that is, the world in the sense the world is taken here (Jn 15:5-15). The Spirit is strength, support, light (see Jn 14:16).
  2. John 16:16 The departure of Jesus will be a moment of disarray for the disciples; his absence will more than once be a moment of disarray for believers. But that is not the last word. The sufferings, like the pains of giving birth, make a testimony fruitful. Let us rather look at the Death and Resurrection of Christ; they are the definitive events in history. From the cross and Easter a new light is given to believers; a new confidence with God is offered to them. Christ will be the mediator; with him believers will be one with God. This intimacy will be a time of endless joy and peace for people who have believed they are children of God.
    What is the return of Christ? Is it the glorious coming at the end of time or the Resurrection manifested in the appearances? The two things go together. The Resurrection will inaugurate a new era, the last times; and the end of time will manifest the glory of the Risen One.

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.”

16 Това ви казах, за да се не съблазните.

Ще ви отлъчат от синагогите; даже настава час, когато всеки, който ви убие, ще мисли, че принася служба на Бога.

И това ще сторят защото не са познали нито Отца, нито Мене.

Но Аз ви казах тия неща, та, кога дойде часът им, да помните, че съм ви ги казал. Отначало не ви ги казах, защото бях с вас;

а сега отивам при Онзи, Който Ме е пратил; и никой от вас не Ме пита: Къде отиваш?

Но понеже ви казах това, скръб изпълни сърцата ви.

Обаче Аз ви казвам истината, за вас е по-добре да отида Аз, защото, ако не отида, Утешителят няма да дойде на вас; но ако отида, ще ви го изпратя.

И той, когато дойде, ще обвини света за грях, за правда и за съдба;

за грях, защото не вярвате в Мене;

10 за правда, защото отивам при Отца, и няма вече да Ме виждате;

11 а за съдба, защото князът на тоя свят е осъден.

12 Имам още много неща да ви кажа; но не можете да ги понесете сега.

13 А когато дойде онзи, Духът на истината, ще ви упътва на всяка истина; защото няма да говори от себе си, но каквото чуе, това ще говори, и ще ви извести за идните неща.

14 Той Мене ще прослави, защото от Моето ще взема и ще ви известява.

15 Всичко, що има Отец, е Мое; затова казах, че от Моето като взема, ще ви известява.

16 Още малко, и няма да Ме виждате; и пак малко, и ще Ме видите.

17 Затова някои от учениците Му продумаха помежду си: Какво е това що ни казва: Още малко, и няма да Ме виждате; и пак малко, и ще Ме видите; и това, защото отивам при Отца.

18 И рекоха: Какво е това, което казва: Още малко? Не знаем какво иска да каже.

19 Исус, като разбра, че желаят да Го питат, рече им: Затова ли се запитвате помежду си дето рекох: Още малко, и няма да Ме виждате; и пак малко, и ще Ме видите?

20 Истина, истина ви казвам, че вие ще заплачете и ще заридаете, а светът ще се радва; вие ще скърбите, но скръбта ви ще се обърне в радост.

21 Жена, когато ражда, е в скръб, защото е дошъл часът й; а кога роди детенцето, не помни вече тъгата си поради радостта, че се е родил човек на света.

22 И вие, прочее, сега сте на скръб; но Аз пак ще ви видя, и сърцето ви ще се зарадва, и радостта ви никой няма да ви отнеме.

23 И в онзи ден няма да Ме питате за нищо. Истина, истина ви казвам, ако поискате нещо от Отца, Той ще ви го даде в Мое име.

24 До сега нищо не сте искали в Мое име; искайте и ще получите, за да бъде радостта ви пълна.

25 Това съм ви говорил с притчи. Настава час, когато няма вече да ви говоря с притчи, а ясно ще ви известя за Отца.

26 В оня ден ще искате в Мое име; и не ви казвам, че Аз ще поискам от Отца за вас;

27 защото сам Отец ви люби, понеже вие възлюбихте Мене и повярвахте, че Аз от Отца излязох.

28 Излязох от Отца и дойдох на света; и пак напускам света и отивам при Отца.

29 Казват учениците Му: Ето, сега ясно говориш, и никаква притча не казваш.

30 Сега сме уверени, че Ти всичко знаеш, и няма нужда да Те пита някой, за да му отговаряш. По това вярваме, че си излязъл от Бога.

31 Исус им отговори: Сега ли вярвате?

32 Ето, настава час, даже дошъл е, да се разпръснете всеки при своите си, и Мене да оставите сам; обаче не съм сам, защото Отец е с Мене.

33 Това ви казах, за да имате в Мене мир. В света имате скръб; но дерзайте Аз победих света. ГЛАВА 17