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16 “I have told you all this so that you will not turn away from the truth. You will be thrown out of the synagogue. In fact, the time is coming when someone may kill you. And they will think they are doing God a favor. They will do things like that because they do not know the Father or me. Why have I told you this? So that when their time comes, you will remember that I warned you about them. I didn’t tell you this from the beginning because I was with you. But now I am going to the one who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Instead, you are filled with sadness because I have said these things. But what I’m about to tell you is true. It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Friend will not come to help you. But if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove that the world’s people are guilty. He will prove their guilt concerning sin and godliness and judgment. The world is guilty as far as sin is concerned. That’s because people do not believe in me. 10 The world is guilty as far as godliness is concerned. That’s because I am going to the Father, where you can’t see me anymore. 11 The world is guilty as far as judgment is concerned. That’s because the devil, the prince of this world, has already been judged.

12 “I have much more to say to you. It is more than you can handle right now. 13 But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears. And he will tell you what is still going to happen. 14 He will bring me glory. That’s because what he receives from me he will show to you. 15 Everything that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said what the Holy Spirit receives from me he will show to you.”

The Disciples’ Sadness Will Turn Into Joy

16 Jesus continued, “In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me.”

17 After they heard this, some of his disciples spoke to one another. They said, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me’? And what does he mean by saying, ‘I am going to the Father’?” 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 these things. So he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant? Didn’t you understand when I said, ‘In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me’? 20 What I’m about to tell you is true. You will weep and mourn while the world is full of joy. You will be sad, but your sadness will turn into joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a baby has pain. That’s because her time to give birth has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a baby has been born into the world. 22 That’s the way it is with you. Now it’s your time to be sad. But I will see you again. Then you will be full of joy. And no one will take away your joy. 23 When that day comes, you will no longer ask me for anything. What I’m about to tell you is true. My Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask, and you will receive what you ask for. Then your joy will be complete.

25 “I have not been speaking to you plainly. But a time is coming when I will speak clearly. Then I will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 When that day comes, you will ask for things in my name. I am not saying I will ask the Father instead of you asking him. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me. He also loves you because you have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking plainly. You are using examples that are clear. 30 Now we can see that you know everything. You don’t even need anyone to ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

31 “Do you believe now?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming when you will be scattered and go to your own homes. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me all alone. But I am not really alone. My Father is with me.

33 “I have told you these things, so that you can have peace because of me. In this world you will have trouble. But be encouraged! I have won the battle over the world.”

Jesus Warns and Comforts His Disciples

16 “These things I have spoken to you, that you (A)should not be made to stumble. (B)They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming (C)that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And (D)these things they will do [a]to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when [b]the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.

“And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

“But now I (E)go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, (F)sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but (G)if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has (H)come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: (I)of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 (J)of righteousness, (K)because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 (L)of judgment, because (M)the ruler of this world is judged.

12 “I still have many things to say to you, (N)but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, (O)the Spirit of truth, has come, (P)He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 (Q)He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 (R)All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He [c]will take of Mine and declare it to you.

Sorrow Will Turn to Joy

16 “A (S)little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, (T)because I go to the Father.”

17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” 18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not [d]know what He is saying.”

19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and (U)lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into (V)joy. 21 (W)A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and (X)your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. (Y)Most assuredly, 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, (Z)that your joy may be (AA)full.

Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World

25 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you (AB)plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; 27 (AC)for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and (AD)have believed that I came forth from God. 28 (AE)I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”

29 His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech! 30 Now we are sure that (AF)You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this (AG)we believe that You came forth from God.”

31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 (AH)Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, (AI)each to his [e]own, and will leave Me alone. And (AJ)yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that (AK)in Me you may have peace. (AL)In the world you [f]will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, (AM)I have overcome the world.”

Footnotes

  1. John 16:3 NU, M omit to you
  2. John 16:4 NU their
  3. John 16:15 NU, M takes of Mine and will declare
  4. John 16:18 understand
  5. John 16:32 own things or place
  6. John 16:33 NU, M omit will

16 I have told you all these things, so that you should not be offended (taken unawares and falter, or be caused to stumble and fall away). [I told you to keep you from being scandalized and repelled.]

They will put you out of (expel you from) the synagogues; but an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think and claim that he has offered service to God.

And they will do this because they have not known the Father or Me.

But I have told you these things now, so that when they occur you will remember that I told you of them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

But now I am going to Him Who sent Me, yet none of you asks Me, Where are You going?

But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts [taken complete possession of them].

However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].

And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment:

About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust in, rely on, and adhere to Me];

10 About righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer;

11 About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him.

12 I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now.

13 But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future].

14 He will honor and glorify Me, because He will take of (receive, draw upon) what is Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.

15 Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you.

16 In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me.

17 So some of His disciples questioned among themselves, What does He mean when He tells us, In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me, and, Because I go to My Father?

18 What does He mean by a little while? We do not know or understand what He is talking about.

19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him, so He said to them, Are you wondering and inquiring among yourselves what I meant when I said, In a little while you will no longer see Me, and again after a short while you will see Me?

20 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that you shall weep and grieve, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

21 A woman, when she gives birth to a child, has grief (anguish, agony) because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she no longer remembers her pain (trouble, anguish) because she is so glad that a man (a child, a human being) has been born into the world.

22 So for the present you are also in sorrow (in distress and depressed); but I will see you again and [then] your hearts will rejoice, and no one can take from you your joy (gladness, delight).

23 And when that time comes, you will ask nothing of Me [you will need to ask Me no questions]. I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, that My Father will grant you whatever you ask in My Name [as [a]presenting all that I Am].(A)

24 Up to this time you have not asked a [single] thing in My Name [as [b]presenting all that I Am]; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy (gladness, delight) may be full and complete.

25 I have told you these things in parables (veiled language, allegories, dark sayings); the hour is now coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I shall tell you about the Father in plain words and openly (without reserve).

26 At that time you will ask (pray) in My Name; and I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf [for it will be unnecessary].

27 For the Father Himself [tenderly] loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came out from the Father.

28 I came out from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.

29 His disciples said, Ah, now You are speaking plainly to us and not in parables (veiled language and figures of speech)!

30 Now we know that You are acquainted with everything and have no need to be asked questions. Because of this we believe that you [really] came from God.

31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? [Do you believe it at last?]

32 But take notice, the hour is coming, and it has arrived, when you will all be dispersed and scattered, every man to his own home, leaving Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

Footnotes

  1. John 16:23 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.
  2. John 16:24 Hermann Cremer, Biblico-Theological Lexicon.