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 said these things to you so that you will not fall away.

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, an hour is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to 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 because they have not known the Father or 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].”

But I have said these things to you so that when the hour comes you will remember that I said them to you. I did not say these things to you from 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?’

“But now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are yoʋ going?’

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

Rather, sorrow has filled your hearts because I have said these things to you.

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.

But 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 do 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].

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment:

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

concerning sin, because they do not 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.

concerning righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you will no longer see me;

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 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

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 say to you, but you cannot 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].

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you what is to come.

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

He will glorify me, for he will receive from me what is mine and declare 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.”

All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will receive from me what is mine and declare 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 will not see me; and again after a little while, you will see me, for I am going 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 his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘In a little while you will not see me; and again after a little while, you will see me,’ and, ‘for I am going 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.”

So they kept saying, “What does he mean by saying, ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”

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].’

Jesus knew 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 not see me; and again after a little while, you will see me’?

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.

Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to 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.

When a woman is giving birth, she has pain because her hour has come. But when her baby is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of her 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.

So you also have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one 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 nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of 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 not asked for anything in my name. Ask, and you will receive, so 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 have told you these things in figures of speech, but an hour is coming when I will no longer use figures of speech but 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, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf,

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])

for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came 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 from the Father and have come into the world, and now 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, “Behold, now yoʋ are speaking plainly and not using any figure 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 know that yoʋ know all things and have no need for anyone to question yoʋ; because of this we believe that yoʋ came from God.”

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

Jesus answered them, “Now do you 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.

Behold, an hour is coming, and has now come, when you will be scattered, each to yoʋr own home, and will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for 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 said these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world.”