John 16

1 “These things I have spoken to you, that you may not be stumbled.

[Jesus continued by saying to us], “I have told you these things in order that you will not stop trusting in me [when people] ([cause you to suffer/persecute you]).

2 They will put you out of the synagogues, but an hour comes that everyone who has killed you may think to offer service to God;

They will not allow you to worship in (synagogues/[their] meeting places). In fact, there will be a time when anyone who kills you will think that he is serving God [by doing that].

3 and these things they will do to you, because they did not know the Father, nor Me.

They will do such things because they have never known who I [really am], nor who [my] Father [is].

4 But these things I have spoken to you, that when the hour may come, you may remember them, that I said [them] to you, and I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you;

I have told you these things in order that when [they start] ([to cause you to suffer]/to [persecute you]) [MTY], you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you these things when you first started [to accompany me] [MTY] because I was with you, [and they were causing trouble for me, not for you].”

5 and now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, To where do you go?

“Now I am [about to] return to the one who sent me. But [I am disappointed that] none of you is asking me, ‘Where are you going?’

6 But because I have said to you these things, the sorrow has filled your heart.

Instead, because I have told you these things, you are very sad.

7 But I tell you the truth; it is better for you that I go away, for if I may not go away, the Comforter will not come to you, and if I go on, I will send Him to you;

But the truth is that it is good for you that I am going away, because if I do not go away, the [Holy Spirit], who will (encourage/be like a legal counsel for) you will not come to you. But when I go, I will send him to you.

8 and having come, He will convict the world concerning sin, and concerning righteousness, and concerning judgment;

When he comes, he will prove that those who do not belong to God [MTY] [are wrong about what is] sinful and about who is really righteous and about whom [God will] judge [and condemn for their sin].

9 concerning sin indeed, because they do not believe in Me;

[He will tell people that their greatest] sin is that they do not believe in me.

10 and concerning righteousness, because I go away to My Father, and you behold Me no more;

[He will tell people that] because I am going [back] to my Father, and you will no longer see me, [you will know that I am the one who was truly] righteous.

11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

[He will tell people that the fact] that [God] has already determined that [he] will punish [Satan], the one who rules this world, shows that [some day God] will also punish [those who do not belong to him].

12 I have yet many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear [them] now;

I have many more things that [I would like] to tell you, but you are not able to accept them now.

13 and when He may come—the Spirit of truth—He will guide you to all the truth, for He will not speak from Himself, but as many things as He will hear He will speak, and the coming things He will tell you;

But [God’s] Spirit is the one who will teach you [God’s] truth. When he comes, he will guide you so that you [understand] all [spiritual] truth. He will not speak from his own [authority]. Instead, it is the things that he hears [my Father say] that he will tell you. He will also tell you about things that will happen [later].

14 He will glorify Me, because He will take of Mine, and will tell to you.

He will honor me by revealing my [truth] to you.

15 All things, as many as the Father has, are Mine; because of this I said that He will take of Mine, and will tell to you;

Everything that [my] Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit is able to reveal my truth to you.”

16 a little while, and you do not behold Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go away to the Father.”

“After a short time [I will leave you, and] you will not see me. Then a short time [after that] you will see me [again].”

17 Therefore [some] of His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He says to us, A little while, and you do not behold Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me, and, Because I go away to the Father?”

[So] some of us said to each other, “What does he mean by saying ‘After a short time you will not see me,’ and ‘A short time after that you will see me again’? And [what does he mean by] ‘Because I am going back to [my] Father’?”

18 They said then, “What is this He says—the little while? We have not known what He says.”

We kept asking each other, “What [does he mean by] saying ‘After a little while’? We do not understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus, therefore, knew that they were wishing to ask Him, and He said to them, “Concerning this do you seek with one another, because I said, A little while, and you do not behold Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me?

Jesus realized that we wanted to ask him [about that]. So he said to us, “You are asking [RHQ] each other [what I meant] when I said, ‘After a short time you will not see me, and then a short time [after that] you will see me [again].’

20 Truly, truly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, and the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will become joy.

Listen to this carefully: [After I] ([leave you/die]), those who oppose God [MTY] will be happy, but you will be sad. But [later] you will stop being sad and you will become joyful.

21 The woman, when she may bear, has sorrow, because her hour came, and when she may bear the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, because of the joy that a man was born into the world.

A woman who is about to bear a child feels pain, because that is [what happens] [MTY] [at] that time. But after her baby is born, she forgets that pain, because she is very joyful that her child has been born.

22 And you, therefore, now indeed have sorrow; and again I will see you, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy from you,

It will be the same with you. [I will soon die and] you will be sad. But after that, I will see you again. Then you will be joyful, and no one will be able to stop you from being joyful.

23 and in that day you will question nothing of Me; truly, truly, I say to you, as many things as you may ask of the Father in My Name, He will give you;

When that happens, you will not ask me any questions [about anything]. Listen to this carefully: [After that happens, my] Father will do for you anything you ask, because of his relationship with me [MTY].

24 until now you asked nothing in My Name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Up to the present time, using my authority you have not asked [God to do] anything for you [MTY]. Now keep asking [him for things that you need. If you do that], you will receive them, and then you will be completely joyful.

25 I have spoken these things in allegories to you, but there comes an hour when I will no longer speak to you in allegories, but will tell you freely of the Father.

Although I have been speaking these things using figurative language, there will soon be a time when I will no longer use that kind of language. Instead, I will tell you plainly (about my Father/what my Father [wants]).

26 In that day you will make request in My Name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father for you,

At that time, you will ask [him for things] (because you belong to me/with my authority) [MTY]. I will not [need to] ask [my] Father to do what you ask.

27 for the Father Himself cherishes you, because you have cherished Me, and you have believed that I came forth from God;

[My] Father himself loves you because you have loved me and because you have believed that I came from God [my Father], [so he wants you to ask] him (OR, [so he does not need anyone to persuade] him [to help you])

28 I came forth from the Father, and have come into the world; again I leave the world, and go on to the Father.”

I came from [my] Father into this world. Very soon I will be leaving this world and going [back] to my Father.”

29 His disciples say to Him, “Behold, now You speak freely, and You do not speak allegory;

Then [we], his disciples, said, “Now you are speaking plainly, without using figurative language.

30 now we have known that You have known all things, and have no need that anyone questions You; in this we believe that You came forth from God.”

Now we understand that you know everything. You do not need anyone to ask you questions [about anything, because you know what we want to ask before we ask you]. That [also] leads us to believe that you came from God.”

31 Jesus answered them, “Now do you believe? Behold, there comes an hour,

Jesus replied, “Now you [RHQ] say that you believe [that I came from God].

32 and now it has come, that you may be scattered, each to his own things, and you may leave Me alone, and I am not alone, because the Father is with Me;

But listen! There will soon be a time, and that time is already here, when you will all run away! Each of you will run away to your own home. You will leave me, and I will be alone. But I will not [really] be alone [at that time], because [my] Father is always with me.

33 these things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation, but take courage—I have overcome the world.”

I have told you these things in order that you may have [inner] peace because of your relationship with me. In this world you will have trouble. But be courageous! I have defeated those who are opposed to me [MTY], and [you can defeat them, too]!”