John 16

1 These thingis Y haue spokun to you, that ye be not sclaundrid.

[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 Thei schulen make you with outen the synagogis, but the our cometh, that ech man that sleeth you, deme that he doith seruyce 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 thei schulen do to you these thingis, for thei han not knowun the fadir, nether me.

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

4 But these thingis Y spak to you, that whanne the our `of hem schal come, ye haue mynde, that Y seide to 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 Y seide not to you these thingis fro the bigynnyng, for Y was with you. And now Y go to hym that sente me, and no man of you axith me, Whidur `thou goist?

“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 for Y haue spokun to you these thingis, heuynesse hath fulfillid youre herte.

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

7 But Y seie to you treuthe, it spedith to you, that Y go; for if Y go not forth, the coumfortour schal not come to you; but if Y go forth, Y schal sende hym 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 whanne he cometh, he schal repreue the world of synne, and of riytwisnesse, and of doom.

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 Of synne, for thei han not bileued in me;

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

10 and of riytwisnesse, for Y go to the fadir, and now ye schulen not se me;

[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 but of doom, for the prince of this world is now demed.

[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 Yit Y haue many thingis for to seie to you, but ye moun not bere hem now.

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

13 But whanne thilke spirit of treuthe cometh, he schal teche you al trewthe; for he schal not speke of hym silf, but what euer thinges he schal here, he schal speke; and he schal telle to you tho thingis that ben to come.

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 schal clarifie me, for of myne he schal take, and schal telle to you.

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

15 Alle thingis `whiche euer the fadir hath, ben myne; therfor Y seide to you, for of myne he schal take, and schal telle 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 litil, and thanne ye schulen not se me; and eftsoone a litil, and ye schulen se me, for Y go to the fadir.

“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 Therfor summe of hise disciplis seiden togidere, What is this thing that he seith to vs, A litil, and ye schulen not se me; and eftsoone a litil, and ye schulen se me, for Y go to the fadir?

[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 Therfor thei seiden, What is this that he seith to vs, A litil? we witen not what he spekith.

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

19 And Jhesus knew, that thei wolden axe hym, and he seide to hem, Of this thing ye seken among you, for Y seide, A litil, and ye schulen not se me; and eftsoone a litil, and ye schulen se 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 Treuli, treuli, Y seie to you, that ye schulen mourne and wepe, but the world schal haue ioye; and ye schulen be soreuful, but youre sorewe schal turne in to ioye.

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 A womman whanne sche berith child, hath heuynesse, for hir tyme is comun; but whanne sche hath borun a sone, now sche thenkith not on the peyne, for ioye, for a man is borun in to 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 therfor ye han now sorew, but eftsoone Y schal se you, and youre herte schal haue ioie, and no man schal take fro you youre ioie.

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 ye schulen not axe me ony thing; treuli, treuli, `Y seie to you, if ye axen the fadir ony thing in my name, he schal yyue to 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 `Til now ye axiden no thing in my name; `axe ye, `and ye schulen take, that youre ioie be ful.

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 Y haue spokun to you these thingis in prouerbis; the our cometh, whanne now Y schal not speke to you in prouerbis, but opynli of my fadir Y schal telle to you.

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 dai ye schulen axe in my name; and Y seie not to you, that Y schal preye the fadir of 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 fadir hym silf loueth you, for ye han loued me, and han bileued, that Y wente out fro 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 Y wente out fro the fadir, and Y cam in to the world; eftsoone Y leeue the world, and Y go to the fadir.

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

29 Hise disciplis seiden to hym, Lo! now thou spekist opynli, and thou seist no prouerbe.

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

30 Now we witen, that thou wost alle thingis; and it is not nede to thee, that ony man axe thee. In this thing we bileuen, that thou wentist out fro 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 Jhesus answeride to hem, Now ye bileuen.

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

32 Lo! the our cometh, and now it cometh, that ye be disparplid, ech in to hise owne thingis, and that ye leeue me aloone; and Y am not aloone, for the fadir 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 thingis Y haue spokun to you, that ye haue pees in me; in the world ye schulen haue disese, but trust ye, Y haue ouercomun 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]!”