Focused Passage

John 16:16-24

The Spirit’s Convicting Witness, the Disciples’ Sorrow Turned to Joy, and Christ’s Victory over the World

Jesus warns his disciples about coming persecution, explains the necessity of his departure for the Spirit’s coming, describes the Spirit’s convicting and truth-guiding ministry, promises sorrow turned to joy, teaches prayer in his name, exposes the disciples’ coming scattering, and closes with peace in his victory over the world.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

16In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”

17Then some of His disciples asked one another, “Why is He telling us, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”

18They kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”

19Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?

20Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

21A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.

22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

23In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

24Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

In a little [while]ΜικρὸνG3398Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular. . .καὶG2532Conjunctionyou will seeθεωρεῖτέG2334Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralMeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singularno moreοὐκέτιG3765AdverbandκαὶG2532ConjunctionthenπάλινG3825Adverbafter a little [while]μικρὸνG3398Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular. . .καὶG2532Conjunctionyou will seeὄψεσθέG3708Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person PluralMeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular

BSB notes

  • BYZ and TR include because I go away to the Father.
Verse 17

Original words

ThenοὖνG3767Conjunction[some] ofἐκG1537PrepositionHisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-τῶνG3588Article - Genitive Masculine PluraldisciplesμαθητῶνG3101Noun - Genitive Masculine PluralaskedΕἶπανG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural. . .πρὸςG4314Prepositionone anotherἀλλήλουςG240Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine PluralWhyΤίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter SingularisἐστινG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-τοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular-G3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularHe tellingλέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularusἡμῖνG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person PluralIn a little [while]ΜικρὸνG3398Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular. . .καὶG2532ConjunctionvvvοὐG3756Adverbyou will not seeθεωρεῖτέG2334Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralMeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionthenπάλινG3825Adverbafter a little [while]μικρὸνG3398Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular. . .καὶG2532Conjunctionyou will seeὄψεσθέG3708Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person PluralMeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person SingularandκαίG2532ConjunctionBecauseὍτιG3754ConjunctionI am goingὑπάγωG5217Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingulartoπρὸςG4314PrepositiontheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularFatherΠατέραG3962Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 18

Original words

-οὖνG3767ConjunctionThey kept askingἔλεγονG2036Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluralWhy«τίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singularisἐστιν»G1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-ΤοῦτοG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular-G3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularHe sayingλέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularaΤὸG3588Article - Nominative Neuter Singularlittle [while]μικρόνG3398Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularvvvοὐκG3756AdverbWe do not understandοἴδαμενG1492Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person PluralwhatτίG5101Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter SingularHe is sayingλαλεῖG2980Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 19

Original words

-ἸησοῦςG2424Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularAwareἜγνωG1097Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularthatὅτιG3754Conjunctionthey wantedἤθελονG2309Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Pluralto questionἐρωτᾶνG2065Verb - Present Infinitive ActiveHimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular-καὶG2532Conjunction[Jesus] saidεἶπενG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularto themαὐτοῖςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person PluralAre you askingζητεῖτεG2212Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Pluralvvvμετ’G3326Prepositionone anotherἀλλήλωνG240Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Genitive Masculine PluralwhyΠερὶG4012Preposition. . .τούτουG3778Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Neuter Singular-ὅτιG3754ConjunctionI saidεἶπονG2036Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularIn a little [while]ΜικρὸνG3398Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular. . .καὶG2532ConjunctionvvvοὐG3756Adverbyou will not seeθεωρεῖτέG2334Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralMeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person SingularandκαὶG2532ConjunctionthenπάλινG3825Adverbafter a little [while]μικρὸνG3398Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular. . .καὶG2532Conjunctionyou will seeὄψεσθέG3708Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person PluralMeμεG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person Singular
Verse 20

Original words

TrulyἀμὴνG281Hebrew WordtrulyἀμὴνG281Hebrew WordI tellλέγωG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural-ὅτιG3754ConjunctionyouὑμεῖςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Pluralwill weepκλαύσετεG2799Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralandκαὶG2532ConjunctionwailθρηνήσετεG2354Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural[while]δὲG1161ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularworldκόσμοςG2889Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularrejoicesχαρήσεταιG5463Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person SingularYouὑμεῖςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Pluralwill grieveλυπηθήσεσθεG3076Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 2nd Person Pluralbutἀλλ’G235ConjunctionyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingulargriefλύπηG3077Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularwill turnγενήσεταιG1096Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person SingulartoεἰςG1519PrepositionjoyχαρὰνG5479Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 21

Original words

-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularA womanγυνὴG1135Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularhasἔχειG2192Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularpainλύπηνG3077Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularvvvὅτανG3752Conjunctionin childbirthτίκτῃG5088Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularbecauseὅτιG3754ConjunctionherαὐτῆςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingulartimeὥραG5610Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularhas comeἦλθενG2064Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularbutδὲG1161ConjunctionwhenὅτανG3752Conjunctionshe brings forthγεννήσῃG1080Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular[her]τὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularchildπαιδίονG3813Noun - Accusative Neuter Singularshe forgetsμνημονεύειG3421Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .οὐκέτιG3765Adverb[her]τῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularanguishθλίψεωςG2347Noun - Genitive Feminine Singularbecause ofδιὰG1223Preposition[her]τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularjoyχαρὰνG5479Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularthatὅτιG3754Conjunctiona childἄνθρωποςG444Noun - Nominative Masculine Singularhas been bornἐγεννήθηG1080Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person SingularintoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularworldκόσμονG2889Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 22

Original words

SoοὖνG3767ConjunctionalsoκαὶG2532Conjunction-μὲνG3303ConjunctionyouὑμεῖςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person PluralhaveἔχετεG2192Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralsorrowλύπηνG3077Noun - Accusative Feminine SingularnowνῦνG3568AdverbbutδὲG1161ConjunctionI will seeὄψομαιG3708Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person SingularyouὑμᾶςG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person PluralagainπάλινG3825AdverbandκαὶG2532ConjunctionyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularheartsκαρδίαG2588Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularwill rejoiceχαρήσεταιG5463Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionno oneοὐδεὶςG3762Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singularwill takeαἴρειG142Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularawayἀφ’G575Preposition-ὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person PluralyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-τὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularjoyχαρὰνG5479Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 23

Original words

-ΚαὶG2532ConjunctionInἐνG1722PrepositionthatἐκείνῃG1565Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular-τῇG3588Article - Dative Feminine SingulardayἡμέρᾳG2250Noun - Dative Feminine Singularyou will {no longer} askἐρωτήσετεG2065Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralMeἐμὲG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 1st Person SingularvvvοὐκG3756Adverb[anything]οὐδένG3762Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularTrulyἀμὴνG281Hebrew WordtrulyἀμὴνG281Hebrew WordI tellλέγωG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularyouὑμῖνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person PluralvvvἄνG302ParticlewhateverτιG5100Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singularyou askαἰτήσητεG154Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person PluraltheτὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularFatherΠατέραG3962Noun - Accusative Masculine Singularin«ἐνG1722PrepositionMyμου»G1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter SingularnameὀνόματίG3686Noun - Dative Neuter SingularHe will give«δώσειG1325Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singularyouὑμῖν»G4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural
Verse 24

Original words

UntilἕωςG2193PrepositionnowἄρτιG737Adverbyou have not askedᾐτήσατεG154Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person PluralvvvοὐκG3756Adverb[for anything]οὐδὲνG3762Adjective - Accusative Neuter SingularinἐνG1722PrepositionMyμουG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular-τῷG3588Article - Dative Neuter SingularnameὀνόματίG3686Noun - Dative Neuter SingularAskαἰτεῖτεG154Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person PluralandκαὶG2532Conjunctionyou will receiveλήμψεσθεG2983Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 2nd Person Pluralso thatἵναG2443ConjunctionyourὑμῶνG4771Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural-G3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularjoyχαρὰG5479Noun - Nominative Feminine Singularmay beG1510Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person SingularcompleteπεπληρωμένηG4137Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Feminine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.