约翰福音 16
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
16 “我把這些事告訴了你們，使你們不致後退。 2 人要把你們趕出會堂；並且時候要到，所有要殺害你們的人，以為這樣就是事奉 神。 3 他們要作這些事，因為他們不認識父，也不認識我。 4 我把這些事告訴了你們，讓你們到了那個時候，可以想起我告訴過你們了。
聖靈的工作
“我起初沒有把這些事告訴你們，因為我跟你們在一起。 5 現在我要到那差我來的那裡去，你們中間並沒有人問：‘你到哪裡去？’ 6 然而因為我把這些事告訴了你們，你們心裡就充滿憂愁。 7 但我要把實情告訴你們，我去是對你們有益的。如果我不去，保惠師就不會到你們這裡來；我若去了，就會差他到你們這裡來。 8 他來了，就要在罪、在義、在審判各方面指證世人的罪。 9 在罪方面，是因為他們不信我； 10 在義方面，是因為我到父那裡去，你們就再看不見我； 11 在審判方面，是因為這世界的統治者已經受了審判。
12 “我還有許多事要告訴你們，可是你們現在擔當不了； 13 只等真理的靈來了，他要引導你們進入一切真理。他不是憑著自己說話，而是把他聽見的都說出來，並且要把將來的事告訴你們。 14 他要榮耀我，因為他要把從我那裡所領受的告訴你們。 15 父所有的一切，都是我的；所以我說，他要把從我那裡所領受的告訴你們。
你們的憂愁要變為喜樂
16 “不久，你們不會再看見我；再過不久，你們還要看見我。” 17 於是他的門徒中有幾個彼此說：“他對我們說：‘不久，你們不會看見我；再過不久，你們還要看見我。’又說：‘因為我到父那裡去。’這是甚麼意思呢？” 18 他們又說：“他所說的‘不久’，是甚麼意思呢？我們不曉得他在講甚麼。” 19 耶穌知道他們想問他，就說：“我所說的‘不久，你們不會看見我；再過不久，你們還要看見我’，你們為了這話彼此議論嗎？ 20 我實實在在告訴你們，你們要痛哭哀號，世人卻要歡喜；你們要憂愁，但你們的憂愁要變為喜樂。 21 婦人生產的時候會有憂愁，因為她的時候到了；但生了孩子以後，就不再記住那痛苦了，因為歡喜有一個人生到世上來。 22 現在你們也有憂愁；但我要再見你們，你們的心就會喜樂，你們的喜樂是沒有人能夠奪去的。 23 到了那天，你們甚麼也不會問我了。我實實在在告訴你們，你們奉我的名無論向父求甚麼，他必定賜給你們。 24 你們向來沒有奉我的名求甚麼；現在你們祈求，就必定得著，讓你們的喜樂滿溢。
耶穌已經勝過世界
25 “我用譬喻對你們說了這些事，時候要到，我不再用譬喻對你們說了，而是把關於父的事明明白白告訴你們。 26 到了那天，你們要奉我的名祈求，我不是說我要為你們請求父； 27 父自己愛你們，因為你們已經愛我，並且信我是從 神那裡來的。 28 我從父那裡來，到了這世界；我又離開這世界，到父那裡去。” 29 門徒說：“你看，現在你是明說，不是用譬喻說了。 30 現在我們知道你是無所不知的，不需要人向你發問。因此，我們信你是從 神那裡來的。” 31 耶穌對他們說：“現在你們信嗎？ 32 看哪，時候要到，而且已經到了，你們要分散，各人到自己的地方去，只留下我獨自一個人。其實我不是獨自一個人，因為有父與我同在。 33 我把這些事告訴你們，是要使你們在我裡面有平安。在世上你們有患難，但你們放心，我已經勝了這世界。”
John 16
The Voice
As Jesus warns of the mistreatment His followers can expect, He disarms fears by noting the most important things. If the Spirit is within, there is no reason to fear. In fact, the church will thrive under persecution. Yet humans are obsessed with power and political prominence as a means to influence the culture. Christian citizens have an obligation to strive for justice and freedom through the transforming power of the Spirit in people’s lives. Rather than exerting temporal power, the real work of the Kingdom often thrives under fierce attack and opposition. Jesus announces this coming persecution to His followers, believing this will lead to their finest hour.
16 Jesus: I am telling you all of this so that you may avoid the offenses that are coming. 2 The time will come when they will kick you out of the synagogue because some believe God desires them to execute you as an act of faithful service. 3 They will do this because they don’t know the Father, or else they would know Me. 4 I’m telling you all this so that when it comes to pass you will remember what you have heard. It was not important for Me to give you this information in the beginning when I was with you. 5 But now, I am going to the One who has sent Me, and none of you ask Me, “Where are You going?”
6 I know that hearing news like this is overwhelming and sad. 7 But the truth is that My departure will be a gift that will serve you well, because if I don’t leave, the great Helper will not come to your aid. When I leave, I will send Him to you. 8-9 When He arrives, He will uncover the sins of the world, expose unbelief as sin, and allow all to see their sins in the light of righteousness for the first time. 10 This new awareness of righteousness is important because I am going to the Father and will no longer be present with you. 11 The Spirit will also carry My judgment because the one who rules in this world has already been defeated.
12 I have so much more to say, but you cannot absorb it right now. 13-15 The Spirit of truth will come and guide you in all truth. He will not speak His own words to you; He will speak what He hears, revealing to you the things to come and bringing glory to Me. The Spirit has unlimited access to Me, to all that I possess and know, just as everything the Father has is Mine. That is the reason I am confident He will care for My own and reveal the path to you. 16 For a little while you will not see Me; but after that, a time will come when you will see Me again.
Some of His Disciples: 17 What does He mean? “I’ll be here, and then I won’t be here, because I’ll be with the Father”?
Other Disciples: 18 What is He saying? “A little while”? We don’t understand.
The promise of eternity is a reminder that God’s children are made for a renewed world. There is great comfort amid fear, knowing believers will be reunited with Jesus and joined with the Father. As believers labor together in this world—enduring pain, loss, and unfulfilled desires—they should be encouraged that in eternity all needs will be fulfilled in the presence of God.
19 Jesus knew they had questions to ask of Him, so He approached them.
Jesus: Are you trying to figure out what I mean when I say you will see Me in a little while? 20 I tell you the truth, a time is approaching when you will weep and mourn while the world is celebrating. You will grieve, but that grief will give birth to great joy. 21-22 In the same way that a woman labors in great pain during childbirth only to forget the intensity of the pain when she holds her child, when I return, your labored grief will also change into a joy that cannot be stolen.
23 When all this transpires, you will finally have the answers you have been seeking. I tell you the truth, anything you ask of the Father in My name, He will give to you. 24 Until this moment, you have not sought after anything in My name. Ask and you will receive so that you will be filled with joy.
25 I have been teaching you all of these truths through stories and metaphors, but the time is coming for Me to speak openly and directly of the Father.
26 The day is coming when you will make a request in My name, but I will not represent you before the Father. 27 You will be heard directly by the Father. The Father loves you because you love Me and know that I come from the Father. 28 I came from the Father into the cosmos, but soon I will leave it and return to the Father.
All His disciples mourn Jesus’ refusal to take His rightful place as a king and lead a revolution. Jesus knows political might, brute force, and earthly governments are not helpful tools in a battle for hearts. Spiritual revolutions are subversive. They are led by defiant acts of love (for example, healing, foot washing, and martyrdom). Laws do not change hearts, and violence induces hatred and fear. But a sincere community of faith in which love and hope are demonstrated even in the darkest hours will lead a spiritual revolution. It is time to go forward with open eyes and continue to labor as Christian citizens, placing hope only in the redemptive work of the gospel.
Disciples: 29 We hear You speaking clearly and not in metaphors. How could we misunderstand? 30 We see now that You are aware of everything and You reveal things at the proper time. So we do not need to question You, because we believe You have come from God.
Jesus: 31 So you believe now? 32 Be aware that a time is coming when you will be scattered like seeds. You will return to your own way, and I will be left alone. But I will not be alone, because the Father will be with Me. 33 I have told you these things so that you will be whole and at peace. In this world, you will be plagued with times of trouble, but you need not fear; I have triumphed over this corrupt world order.
John 16
King James Version
16 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?
32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.