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Sorrow Turned to Joy

16 (A)A little while, and (B)you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and (C)you will see Me.” 17 Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this He is telling us, (D)A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because (E)I go 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 (F)Jesus knew that they were wishing to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘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, that (G)you will cry and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but (H)your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 (I)Whenever a woman is in labor she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a [a]child has been born into the world. 22 Therefore (J)you too have sorrow now; but (K)I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

I Have Overcome the World

23 (L)And on that day (M)you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, (N)if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 (O)Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your (P)joy may be made complete.

25 “These things I have spoken to you in (Q)figures of speech; (R)an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you openly of the Father. 26 (S)On that day (T)you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for (U)the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and (V)have believed that (W)I came forth from the Father. 28 (X)I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and (Y)going to the Father.”

29 His disciples *said, “Behold, now You are speaking openly and are not [b]using (Z)a figure of speech. 30 Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we (AA)believe that You (AB)came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, (AC)an hour is coming, and has already come, for (AD)you to be scattered, each to (AE)his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet (AF)I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, so that (AG)in Me you may have peace. (AH)In the world you have tribulation, but (AI)take courage; (AJ)I have overcome the world.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 16:21 Lit human being
  2. John 16:29 Lit saying a proverb

Sorrow Turned to Joy

16 “A little while(A) and you will no longer see Me;(B) again a little while and you will see Me.”[a]

17 Therefore some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this He tells us: ‘A little while and you will not see Me; again a little while and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’(C)?” 18 They said, “What is this He is saying,[b] ‘A little while’? We don’t know what He’s talking about!”

19 Jesus knew they wanted to question Him, so He said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see Me; again a little while and you will see Me’?

20 “I assure you: You will weep and wail,(D) but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful,(E) but your sorrow will turn to joy. 21 When a woman is in labor she has pain(F) because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child,(G) she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. 22 So you also have sorrow[c] now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice,(H) and no one will rob you of your joy.(I) 23 In that day you will not ask Me anything.

“I assure you: Anything you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.(J) 24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name.(K) Ask and you will receive,(L) so that your joy may be complete.(M)

Jesus the Victor

25 “I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. A time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask(N) in My name.(O) I am not telling you that I will make requests to the Father on your behalf. 27 For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved(P) Me and have believed that I came from God.[d](Q) 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”(R)

29 “Ah!” His disciples said. “Now You’re speaking plainly and not using any figurative language. 30 Now we know that You know everything(S) and don’t need anyone to question You. By this we believe that You came from God.”(T)

31 Jesus responded to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Look: An hour is coming, and has come,(U) when each of you will be scattered to his own home, and you will leave Me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.(V) 33 I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 16:16 Other mss add because I am going to the Father
  2. John 16:18 Other mss omit He is saying
  3. John 16:22 Other mss read will have sorrow
  4. John 16:27 Other mss read from the Father