John 16
Worldwide English (New Testament)
16 I have told you these things so that you will not turn back.
2 The people will put you out of the meeting place. Yes, the time is coming when someone will kill you and think he is working for God.
3 They will do these things because they do not know my Father nor me.
4 I have told you all these things now. Then when that time comes, you will remember that I told you about them. `I did not tell you these things in the beginning because I myself was with you.
5 But now I am going back to him who sent me here. Yet not one of you is asking me, "Where are you going?"
6 Your hearts are very sad because I have told you these things.
7 Anyway, I am telling you the truth. It is better for you if I go away. If I do not go away, the one who is to help you will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send him to you.
8 `When the Helper comes, he will prove this to the people of the world that they are wrong. They are wrong about what they call bad and about what they call good. He will show them how to be right with God. He will show them about God's judgement.
9 He will prove it is a bad thing that they do not believe in me.
10 He will show what really is right, because I am going to my Father and you will not see me any more.
11 He will show them how to judge right, because the ruler of this world himself will be judged.
12 `I have many other things to tell you, but you cannot understand them now.
13 When the truth-giving Spirit comes, he will show you everything that is true. He will not speak his own message, but he will tell you the things that he has been told to tell you. He will tell you what is going to happen.
14 He will make my name great. He will take what is mine and tell it to you.
15 Everything that belongs to my Father belongs to me also. That is why I said, "He will take what is mine and tell it to you."
16 `Very soon now, you will not see me. A little while after that, you will see me again, because I go to my Father.'
17 Some of the disciples talked among themselves and said, `He says, "Very soon now, you will not see me. A little while after that, you will see me." And he says, "Because I go to my Father." What does he mean by "a little while"?
18 We do not know what he means.'
19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him this question. So he said to them, `Are you asking each other what I mean by saying, "Very soon you will not see me. Then in a little while after that you will see me"?
20 I tell you the truth. You people will cry and be very sad, but the people in the world will be very glad. At first you will be sad, but after that you will not be sad. You will be glad.
21 `Any woman is sad just before her baby is born. She has much pain because the time has come for the baby to be born. But as soon as the baby is born, she forgets the pain she had. She is very glad because a person has been born into the world.
22 So you also are very sad now. But I will see you again. Then you will be very glad. And no one can take your joy from you.
23 When that time comes, you will not ask me for anything. I tell you the truth. My Father will do for you anything you ask in my name.
24 You have not asked for anything in my name yet. Ask my Father and he will give it to you. That is what will make you very glad always.
25 `I have told you these things by a story. The time will come when I will not talk by stories. I will tell you about my Father plainly.
26 When that day comes, you will ask in my name. I do not say that I will ask my Father for you.
27 My Father himself loves you. He loves you because you have loved me. And he loves you because you have believed that God sent me.
28 My Father sent me into the world. And now I will leave the world and go back to my Father.'
29 The disciples said to him, `Yes, now you are telling us plainly. You are not telling us with words we do not understand.
30 We know now that you know everything. No one needs to ask you questions. This makes us believe that God sent you.'
31 Jesus answered them, `Do you really believe now?
32 Listen, the time is coming. No, the time is here when you will run away. Every man will go to his own home. You will leave me on my own. And yet I am not alone, because my Father is with me.
33 I have told you these things so that you may have peace. I give you peace. The world will trouble you much. But be glad. I have power over the world.'
John 16
English Standard Version
16 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 (A)They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, (B)the hour is coming when (C)whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things (D)because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But (E)I have said these things to you, that when (F)their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, (G)because I was with you. 5 But now (H)I am going to him who sent me, and (I)none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, (J)sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for (K)if I do not go away, (L)the Helper will not come to you. But (M)if (N)I go, (O)I will send him to you. 8 (P)And when he comes, he will (Q)convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, (R)because they do not believe in me; 10 (S)concerning righteousness, (T)because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 (U)concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world (V)is judged.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When (W)the Spirit of truth comes, (X)he will (Y)guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but (Z)whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will (AA)glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 (AB)All that the Father has is mine; (AC)therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
16 (AD)“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and (AE)again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So (AF)some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, (AG)‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, (AH)‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? (AI)We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 (AJ)Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, (AK)you will weep and lament, but (AL)the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but (AM)your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 (AN)When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 (AO)So also you have sorrow now, but (AP)I will see you again, and (AQ)your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 (AR)In that day you will (AS)ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, (AT)whatever you ask of the Father in my name, (AU)he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. (AV)Ask, and you will receive, (AW)that your joy may be full.
I Have Overcome the World
25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. (AX)The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 (AY)for the Father himself loves you, because (AZ)you have loved me and (BA)have believed that I came from God.[a] 28 (BB)I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now (BC)I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not (BD)using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that (BE)you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that (BF)you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, (BG)the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when (BH)you will be scattered, each to his own home, and (BI)will leave me alone. (BJ)Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that (BK)in me you may have peace. (BL)In the world you will have (BM)tribulation. But (BN)take heart; (BO)I have overcome the world.”
Footnotes
- John 16:27 Some manuscripts from the Father
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The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
