⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.^{(A) 6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[a] gives birth to spirit.^(B)

²⁶ But the Advocate,^(A) the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,^(B) will teach you all things^(C) and will remind you of everything I have said to you.^(D)

The Work of the Holy Spirit

²⁶ “When the Advocate^(A) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father^(B)—the Spirit of truth^(C) who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.^(D)

⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate^(A) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.^{(B) 8} When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin,^(C) because people do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness,^(D) because I am going to the Father,^(E) where you can see me no longer; ¹¹ and about judgment, because the prince of this world^(F) now stands condemned.

¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth,^(A) comes, he will guide you into all the truth.^(B) 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.^(C) 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^(D) you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”^(E)

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,’^(F) and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”^{(G) 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^(H) while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.^{(I) 21} A woman giving birth to a child has pain^(J) 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,^(K) but I will see you again^(L) and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.^{(M) 23} In that day^(N) you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.^{(O) 24} Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive,^(P) and your joy will be complete.^(Q)

²⁵ “Though I have been speaking figuratively,^(R) a time is coming^(S) 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.^(T) 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^(U) and have believed that I came from God.^{(V) 28} I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”^(W)

²⁹ Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech.^{(X) 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^(Y) that you came from God.”^(Z)

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

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