< John 16 >
1 [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]).
“I have told you these things so that you may be kept from stumbling.
2 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].
They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that they are serving God.
3 They will do such things because they have never known who I [really am], nor who [my] Father [is].
They will do these things to you because they haven’t known the Father nor me.
4 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].”
I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 “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?’
“Now I am going to Him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
6 Instead, because I have told you these things, you are very sad.
Instead, because I have told you these things, sorrow has filled your heart.
7 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.
Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it’s to your advantage that I go away; because if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
8 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].
When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 [He will tell people that their greatest] sin is that they do not believe in me.
of sin, because they don’t believe in me;
10 [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.
of righteousness, because I go to my Father and you see me no more;
11 [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].
and of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 I have many more things that [I would like] to tell you, but you are not able to accept them now.
“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now.
13 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].
However, when the Spirit of truth has come, He will guide you into all truth. He won’t speak on His own, but whatever He hears He will speak. He will announce things to come.
14 He will honor me by revealing my [truth] to you.
He will glorify me, because He will take from what is mine and reveal it to you.
15 Everything that [my] Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit is able to reveal my truth to you.”
Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that He will take from what is mine and reveal it to you.
16 “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].”
“In a little while, you won’t see me; and in a little while longer, you will see me again, because I go to the Father.”
17 [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’?”
Then some of Jesus’ disciples said among themselves, “What does He mean by, ‘In a little while, and you won’t see me; and in a little while longer, you will see me, again;’ and, ‘because I go to the Father’?”
18 We kept asking each other, “What [does he mean by] saying ‘After a little while’? We do not understand what he is saying.”
They kept asking, “What does He mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what He is saying.”
19 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].’
Now Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you asking yourselves about what I said, ‘In a little while, and you won’t see me; and in a little while longer, you will see me, again’?
20 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.
Most assuredly, I tell you that you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will be sad, but your sadness will be turned into joy.
21 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.
A woman in labor is in pain because her time has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the baby, she forgets the agony, for joy that a child has been born into the world.
22 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.
Therefore you have sorrow now, too, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and nobody will take your joy away from you.
23 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].
“In that day you will ask me nothing. Most assuredly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
24 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.
Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
25 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]).
“I’ve told you these things in figures of speech, but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.
26 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.
In that day you will ask in my name. I don’t tell you that I’ll ask the Father for you,
27 [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])
because the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came forth from God.
28 I came from [my] Father into this world. Very soon I will be leaving this world and going [back] to my Father.”
I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
29 Then [we], his disciples, said, “Now you are speaking plainly, without using figurative language.
His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and not in figures of speech!
30 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.”
Now we are sure that You know everything, and don’t need anyone to question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”
31 Jesus replied, “Now you [RHQ] say that you believe [that I came from God].
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
32 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.
The time is coming, and indeed, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own home, and you will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33 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]!”
I have told you these things so that you may have peace in me. You will have trouble in the world, but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”