1‘I have told you all this so that you will not turn away from the truth.2You 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 favour.3They will do things like that because they do not know the Father or me.4Why 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.5But now I am going to the one who sent me. None of you asks me, “Where are you going?”6Instead, you are filled with sadness because I have said these things.7But 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.8When he comes, he will prove that the world’s people are guilty. He will prove their guilt concerning sin and godliness and judgment.9The world is guilty as far as sin is concerned. That’s because people do not believe in me.10The 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.11The 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.13But 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.14He will bring me glory. That’s because what he receives from me he will show to you.15Everything 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
16Jesus continued, ‘In a little while, you will no longer see me. Then after a little while, you will see me.’17After 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”?’18They kept asking, ‘What does he mean by “a little while”? We don’t understand what he is saying.’19Jesus 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”?20What 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.21A 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.22That’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.23When 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.24Until 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.26When 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.27No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me. He also loves you because you have believed that I came from God.28I came from the Father and entered the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.’29Then Jesus’ disciples said, ‘Now you are speaking plainly. You are using examples that are clear.30Now 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.’
John 16
English Standard Version
1“I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away.2They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. (Joh 4:21; Joh 9:22; Joh 12:42; Ac 8:1; Ac 9:1; Ac 26:9)3And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. (Joh 8:19; Joh 8:55; Joh 15:21; Joh 17:25)
The Work of the Holy Spirit
4But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. (Mt 9:15; Lu 22:53; Joh 13:19; Joh 14:29)5But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ (Joh 13:36; Joh 14:5; Joh 14:12)6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. (Joh 14:1; Joh 16:22)7Nevertheless, 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 if I go, I will send him to you. (Joh 7:39; Joh 14:2; Joh 14:16; Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26; Ac 2:33)8And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: (Joh 8:28; Joh 8:46)9concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; (Joh 8:24; Ac 2:36; 1Co 12:3)10concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; (Joh 16:16; Joh 16:19; Ac 17:31)11concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (Joh 12:31; Col 2:15; Heb 2:14)12“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. (Ps 25:5; Joh 1:17; Joh 14:6; Joh 14:17; Joh 14:26; Joh 15:15; Ac 8:31)14He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (Joh 7:39)15All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. (Joh 16:14; Joh 17:10)
Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy
16“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” (Joh 7:33; Joh 16:22)17So some of his disciples said to one another, “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 am going to the Father’?” (Mr 9:10; Mr 9:32; Joh 16:10; Joh 16:16)18So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” (Joh 14:5)19Jesus 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’? (Joh 2:24; Joh 16:30)20Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. (Jer 31:13; Mt 5:4; Mt 9:15; Mr 16:10; Lu 23:27; Re 11:10)21When 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. (Ps 48:6; Isa 13:8; Isa 26:17; 1Th 5:3; Re 12:2)22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. (Ps 33:21; Isa 66:14; Lu 24:52; Joh 16:6; Joh 16:16; Ac 2:46; Ac 8:8; Ac 8:39; Ac 13:52; 2Co 6:10)23In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. (Joh 14:13; Joh 14:20; Joh 15:16; Joh 16:19; Joh 16:26; Joh 16:30; Eph 1:3)24Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (Mt 7:7; Joh 15:11)
I Have Overcome the World
25“I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. (Joh 16:2)26In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf;27for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.[1] (Joh 14:21; Joh 14:23; Joh 16:30; Joh 17:8; Joh 17:23; Joh 21:15; 1Co 16:22)28I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” (Joh 8:14; Joh 13:3; Joh 14:12)29His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! (Joh 16:25)30Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” (Joh 2:24; Joh 3:2; Joh 16:27; Joh 21:17)31Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?32Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. (Isa 63:5; Mt 26:31; Mr 14:27; Joh 4:21; Joh 4:23; Joh 8:16; Joh 8:29)33I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (Joh 14:1; Joh 14:27; Joh 15:18; Ac 14:22; Ro 8:37; Col 3:15; 1Jo 4:4; 1Jo 5:4; Re 1:9; Re 3:21; Re 12:11)