(193) Sadness and Gladness
John 16:16-33
[16]“A little while you will not see me, and you will see me again a little while, because I am going to the Father.”[1]
[17]Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What does He mean when He says, ‘A little while you will not see me, and you will see me again a little while,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” [18]So they kept saying, “What does He mean, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what He’s talking about.”
[19]Now Jesus knew that they wanted very much to ask Him about this, so He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while you will not see me, and you will see me again a little while’?
[20]“Truly, I tell you this: you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. [21]When a woman is in labor she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but as soon as she has been delivered of the child, she remembers the anguish no more, for she has joy that a child has been born into the world. [22]And so you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice, and no one can take your joy from you. [23]And in that day you will not ask me anything. Truly, I tell you this: whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give it to you. [24]Until now you have asked for nothing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.
[25]“I have spoken these things to you in proverbs. But the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will show you plainly about the Father. [26]In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father for you, [27]for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God. [28]I came forth from the Father and entered the world; now I will leave the world and go back to the Father.”
[29]Then His disciples said to Him, “See, now you are speaking plainly and not in proverbs. [30]Now we are sure that you know everything and do not need anyone to tell you anything.[2] By this we believe that you came from God.”
[31]“Do you now believe?” Jesus answered them. [32]“Look, the hour is coming--yes, it has now come, when you will be scattered, every man to his own home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. [33]I have spoken these things to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but cheer up, I have overcome the world.”
(193) Sadness and Gladness
John 16:16-33, KJV
16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
(1) With hindsight, we could paraphrase this to read, "In a little while you will not see me for a little while. Then you will see me again, but only for a little while; because I am going to the Father." (2) KJV, "and needest not that any man should ask thee."