John 16
Expanded Bible
16 “I have told you these things to keep you from ·giving up [stumbling; falling away; going astray]. 2 People will ·put you out of [ban you from] their synagogues. Yes, ·the time [L an hour; C an indefinite reference to a future time but likely connected to the period after the death and resurrection of Christ] is coming when those who kill you will think they are offering ·service [worship] to God. 3 They will do this because they have not known the Father and they have not known me. 4 I have told you these things now so that when ·the time [L their hour; C the time of persecution] comes you will remember that I ·warned [told] you [about them].
The Work of the Holy Spirit
“I did not tell you ·these things [C that they would experience persecution] ·at [from] the beginning, because I was with you then. 5 Now I am going back to the One who sent me. But none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Your hearts are filled with ·sadness [grief; sorrow] because I have told you these things. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is ·better for you [for your advantage] that I go away. [L For] When I go away, I will send the ·Helper [Counselor; Advocate; C the Holy Spirit] to you. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come [to you]. 8 When the Helper comes, he will ·prove to the people of the world the truth about sin [L convict/expose/convince the world about sin], about ·being right with God [L righteousness], and about judgment [C the meaning of this sentence is uncertain, as are the explanatory phrases in vv. 9–11]. 9 ·He will prove to them that sin is not believing in me [L concerning sin, because they do not believe in me]. 10 ·He will prove to them that being right with God comes from my going to the Father and not being seen anymore [L concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you will no longer see me; C probably means the Spirit will convict the world of its empty righteousness because Jesus is no longer present to model true righteousness]. 11 ·And the Helper will prove to them that judgment happened when the ruler of this world was judged [L concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged; C probably means the Spirit will convict the world that its judgments are false because Satan—the one they follow—has been condemned by Christ’s victory on the cross].
12 “I [L still] have many more things to say to you, but ·they are too much for you [L you cannot bear them] now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth [C the Helper; see 16:7] comes, he will ·lead [guide] you into all truth. He will not speak ·his own words [from his own authority; L from himself], but he will speak only what he hears [C from the Father], and he will ·tell [announce/declare to] you what is to come. 14 The Spirit of truth will ·bring glory to [glorify; honor] me, because he will take what ·I have to say [L is mine] and ·tell [announce; declare] it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take what ·I have to say [L what is mine] and ·tell [announce; declare] it to you.
Sadness Will Become Happiness
16 “After a little while you will not see me [C after his crucifixion], and then after a little while you will see me again [C after his resurrection].”
17 [L Therefore] Some of the ·followers [disciples] ·said to each other [discussed among themselves], “What does Jesus mean when he says, ‘After a little while you will not see me, and then after a little while you will see me again’? And what does he mean when he says, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 They also asked, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
19 Jesus ·saw [knew; was aware] that the ·followers [disciples] wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you ·asking each other [discussing among yourselves] what I meant when I said, ‘After a little while you will not see me, and then after a little while you will see me again’? 20 ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly I say to you], you will ·cry and be sad [weep and mourn/lament], but the world will be happy. You will ·be sad [grieve; have pain], but your ·sadness [grief; pain] will become joy. 21 When a woman ·gives birth to a baby [goes into labor], she has pain, because her ·time [L hour] has come. But when her baby is born, she ·forgets the pain [does not remember the suffering/affliction], because ·she is so happy [L of the joy] that a ·child [L human being] has been born into the world. 22 It is the same with you. Now you are ·sad [sorrowful; in pain; grieving], but I will see you again and ·you [L your heart] will ·be happy [rejoice], and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day [C after his resurrection] you will not ask me for anything. ·I tell you the truth [L Truly, truly I say to you], my Father will give you anything you ask for in my name [see 14:13]. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be ·the fullest possible joy [complete; fulfilled].
Victory over the World
25 “I have told you these things ·indirectly in stories [in parables/figurative speech]. But ·the time [L the hour] will come when I will ·not [no longer] use ·stories like that [parables; figurative speech; 10:6] to tell you things; I will speak to you in plain words about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask the Father for things in my name. I mean, I will not need to ask the Father for you. 27 [L For] The Father himself loves you. He loves you because you loved me and believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
29 Then the ·followers [disciples] of Jesus said, “You are speaking ·clearly [plainly] to us now and are not using ·stories that are hard to understand [parables; figurative speech]. 30 We can see now that you know all things. ·You can answer a person’s question even before it is asked. [L You do not need anyone to question you.] This makes us believe you came from God.”
31 Jesus answered, “So now you believe? 32 Listen to me; ·a time [L an hour] is coming when you will be scattered, each to your own home [compare Zech. 13:7]. That time is now here. You will leave me alone, but I am ·never really [L not] alone, because the Father is with me.
33 “I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have ·trouble [persecution; suffering], but ·be brave [take courage/heart]! I have ·defeated [victory over; conquered; 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
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
