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16 Jesus then said, ‘I have told you all these things, so that you will not turn away from God. ² People will send you away from their meeting places. There will be a time when people will want to kill you. When they do this, they will even think that they are doing what God wants. ³ They will do these things to you because they have never known either the Father or me. ⁴ But I have told you this so that you will remember. When they begin to do these things, you will remember that I told you about them already.’

The work of God's Spirit

‘I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you. ⁵ But now I will go to the Father who sent me. But none of you asks me, “Where will you go?” ⁶ And now you are very sad, because I have told you these things. ⁷ But what I tell you is true. It will be better for you if I go away. Because, if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I do go away, I will send him to you. ⁸ When he comes, he will show the people of this world what they are like. He will show clearly that they are wrong. They are wrong about what sin really is. They are wrong about who is right with God. They are wrong about how God judges people. ⁹ They are wrong about sin, because they do not believe in me. ¹⁰ They are wrong about who is right with God, because I will go to the Father. Then you will not see me again. ¹¹ They are wrong about how God judges people, because God has already judged Satan, the ruler of this world.

¹² I have many more things to tell you. But you are not strong enough to know them now. ¹³ But the Spirit will come. He is the one who shows people true things about God. When he comes, he will be a guide to you. He will help you to understand everything that is true. He will not speak on his own authority. He will tell you only what he hears from the Father. He will tell you about things that will happen after this time. ¹⁴ He will take my message and he will tell it to you. In that way, he will give me honour. ¹⁵ Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I said, “The Spirit will take what is mine and then he will tell it to you.” ’

The disciples will be sad first but after that they will be happy

¹⁶ Jesus then said, ‘After a short time, you will not see me any more. But soon after that, you will see me again.’ ¹⁷ Some of his disciples said to each other, ‘What does he mean? He says, “After a short time, you will not see me any more, but soon after that you will see me.” He also says, “It is because I go to the Father.” ¹⁸ What does he mean when he says, “a short time”? We do not know what he is talking about!’

¹⁹ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him about this. So he said to them, ‘I said, “After a short time, you will not see me. But soon after that, you will see me again.” Perhaps you are asking each other about that. ²⁰ I tell you this: You will be sad and you will cry. But the people who belong to this world will be happy. Yes, you will be sad. But soon after that, you will become happy instead. ²¹ It will be like this. When a woman is soon to give birth to a baby, she is sad. She knows that it will be painful. But after the baby is born, she is happy. She forgets her pain, because now she is so happy. She is happy because her child has been born into the world. ²² It is like that for you. You are sad now. But I will see you again, and then you will be happy. You will be really happy. Nobody will be able to take away your joy.

²³ When that day arrives, you will not ask me for anything. I tell you this: The Father will help you with anything that you ask him for in my name. ²⁴ Until now, you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask God, and you will receive what you ask for. Then you will be completely happy.

²⁵ I have spoken to you with words and stories that are like pictures. But there will be a time when I will not speak like that any more. Instead, I will speak clearly to you about the Father. ²⁶ When that day arrives, you yourselves will ask the Father in my name. ^{[ a ]} I do not say that I will ask the Father on your behalf. ²⁷ I will not need to do that, because the Father himself loves you. He loves you because you love me, and you have believed that I came from God. ²⁸ Yes, I came from the Father, and I came into this world. Now I will leave this world and I will return to the Father.’

²⁹ Jesus' disciples said to him, ‘Now you are speaking clearly. You are not speaking with words that are like pictures! ³⁰ Now we are sure that you know everything. You do not even need to ask people what they are thinking. Because of this, we believe that you came from God.’ ³¹ Jesus answered them, ‘You say that you believe in me now. ³² But it will happen very soon that all of you will run away to your own homes. Yes, that time has already arrived. You will run away and leave me alone. But I will not really be alone, because the Father is always with me. ³³ I have told you these things so that you will have peace. You will be like that because you live together with me. In this world, you will have trouble. But be brave! I have destroyed the power of this world.’

Footnotes

16:26 ‘In my name’ means ‘because you belong to me’. The disciples will be united with Jesus. They will ask for things that God is happy to give to them.

16 “I have told you all this so that you won’t lose your faith when you face troubles. ² People will tell you to leave their synagogues and never come back. In fact, the time will come when they will think that killing you would be doing service for God. ³ They will do this because they have not known the Father, and they have not known me. ⁴ I have told you all this now to prepare you. So when the time comes for these things to happen, you will remember that I warned you.

The Work of the Holy Spirit

“I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you then. ⁵ Now I am going back to the one who sent me. And none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ⁶ But you are filled with sadness because I have told you all this. ⁷ Let me assure you, it is better for you that I go away. I say this because when I go away I will send the Helper to you. But if I did not go, the Helper would not come.

⁸ “When the Helper comes, he will show the people of the world how wrong they are about sin, about being right with God, and about judgment. ⁹ He will prove that they are guilty of sin, because they don’t believe in me. ¹⁰ He will show them how wrong they are about how to be right with God. The Helper will do this, because I am going to the Father. You will not see me then. ¹¹ And he will show them how wrong their judgment is, because their leader ^{[ a ]} has already been condemned.

¹² “I have so much more to tell you, but it is too much for you to accept now. ¹³ But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all truth. He will not speak his own words. He will speak only what he hears and will tell you what will happen in the future. ¹⁴ The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me by telling you what he receives from me. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will tell you what he receives from me.

Sadness Will Turn Into Happiness

¹⁶ “After a short time you won’t see me. Then after another short time you will see me again.”

¹⁷ Some of the followers said to each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘After a short time you won’t see me. Then after another short time 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 short time’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

¹⁹ Jesus saw that the followers wanted to ask him about this. So he said to them, “Are you asking each other what I meant when I said, ‘After a short time you won’t see me. Then after another short time you will see me again’? ²⁰ The truth is, you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but then your sadness will change to happiness.

²¹ “When a woman gives birth to a baby, she has pain, because her time has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a child has been born into the world. ²² It is the same with you. Now you are sad, but I will see you again, and you will be happy. You will have a joy that no one can take away. ²³ In that day you will not have to ask me about anything. And I assure you, my Father will give you anything you ask him for in my name. ²⁴ You have never asked for anything in this way before. But ask in my name, and you will receive. And you will have the fullest joy possible.

Victory Over the World

²⁵ “I have told you these things, using words that hide the meaning. But the time will come when I will not use words like that to tell you things. I will speak to you in plain words about the Father. ²⁶ Then you will be able to ask the Father for things in my name. I’m not saying that I will have to ask the Father for you. ²⁷ The Father himself loves you because you have loved me. And he loves you because you have 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 his followers said, “You are already speaking plainly to us. You are not using words that hide the meaning. ³⁰ We can see now that you know all things. You answer our questions even before we ask them. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

³¹ Jesus said, “So now you believe? ³² Listen to me. A time is coming when you will be scattered, each to his own home. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me, and I will be alone. But I am never really alone, because the Father is with me.

³³ “I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”

Footnotes

John 16:11 their leader Literally, “the ruler of this world,” meaning Satan. See “ Satan ” in the Word List.

16 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

² They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

³ And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

⁴ But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

⁵ But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

⁶ But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

⁸ And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

⁹ Of sin, because they believe not on me;

¹⁰ Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

¹¹ Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

¹² I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

¹⁴ He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

¹⁵ All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

¹⁶ A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

¹⁷ Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

¹⁸ They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

¹⁹ Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?

²⁰ Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

²¹ A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

²² And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

²³ And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

²⁴ Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

²⁵ These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

²⁶ At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

²⁷ For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

²⁸ I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

²⁹ His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

³⁰ Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

³¹ Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

³² Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

³³ These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

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

16 “All this ^{( A )} I have told you so that you will not fall away. ^{( B )} ² They will put you out of the synagogue; ^{( C )} in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. ^{( D )} ³ They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. ^{( E )} ⁴ I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember ^{( F )} that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, ^{( G )} ⁵ but now I am going to him who sent me. ^{( H )} None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ^{( I )} ⁶ Rather, you are filled with grief ^{( J )} because I have said these things. ⁷ But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate ^{( K )} will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. ^{( L )} ⁸ When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ about sin, ^{( M )} because people do not believe in me; ¹⁰ about righteousness, ^{( N )} because I am going to the Father, ^{( O )} where you can see me no longer; ¹¹ and about judgment, because the prince of this world ^{( P )} now stands condemned.

¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ^{( Q )} ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, ^{( R )} comes, he will guide you into all the truth. ^{( S )} 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. ^{( T )} 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 ^{( U )} you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” ^{( V )}

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,’ ^{( W )} and ‘Because I am going to the Father’ ?” ^{( X )} 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 ^{( Y )} while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. ^{( Z )} ²¹ A woman giving birth to a child has pain ^{( AA )} 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, ^{( AB )} but I will see you again ^{( AC )} and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. ^{( AD )} ²³ In that day ^{( AE )} you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. ^{( AF )} ²⁴ Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, ^{( AG )} and your joy will be complete. ^{( AH )}

²⁵ “Though I have been speaking figuratively, ^{( AI )} a time is coming ^{( AJ )} 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. ^{( AK )} 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 ^{( AL )} and have believed that I came from God. ^{( AM )} ²⁸ I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” ^{( AN )}

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

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

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. ^{( AV )} In this world you will have trouble. ^{( AW )} But take heart! I have overcome ^{( AX )} the world.”

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Table of Contents

The work of God's Spirit

The disciples will be sad first but after that they will be happy

Footnotes

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Sadness Will Turn Into Happiness

Victory Over the World

Footnotes

Jesus’ Warning

The Holy Spirit Promised

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold

Prayer Promises

Footnotes

Cross references

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

Cross references

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BibleStudyIt John 16

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The work of God's Spirit

The disciples will be sad first but after that they will be happy

Footnotes

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Sadness Will Turn Into Happiness

Victory Over the World

Footnotes

Jesus’ Warning

The Holy Spirit Promised

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold

Prayer Promises

Footnotes

Cross references

The Disciples’ Grief Will Turn to Joy

Cross references

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John 16's Chapter Tabs
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