John 16
16
1-4a “I’ve told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I’ve told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you’ll be well-warned and ready for them.
The Friend Will Come
4b-7 “I didn’t tell you this earlier because I was with you every day. But now I am on my way to the One who sent me. Not one of you has asked, ‘Where are you going?’ Instead, the longer I’ve talked, the sadder you’ve become. So let me say it again, this truth: It’s better for you that I leave. If I don’t leave, the Friend won’t come. But if I go, I’ll send him to you.
8-11“When he comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He’ll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted.
12-15“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I’ve said, ‘He takes from me and delivers to you.’
16“In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me.”
Joy Like a River Overflowing
17-18That stirred up a hornet’s nest of questions among the disciples: “What’s he talking about: ‘In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me’? And, ‘Because I’m on my way to the Father’? What is this ‘day or so’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”
19-20Jesus knew they were dying to ask him what he meant, so he said, “Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me’? Then fix this firmly in your minds: You’re going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You’ll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness.
21-23a “When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there’s no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you’ll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You’ll no longer be so full of questions.
23b-24 “This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I’ve revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he’ll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
25-28“I’ve used figures of speech in telling you these things. Soon I’ll drop the figures and tell you about the Father in plain language. Then you can make your requests directly to him in relation to this life I’ve revealed to you. I won’t continue making requests of the Father on your behalf. I won’t need to. Because you’ve gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly. First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father.”
29-30His disciples said, “Finally! You’re giving it to us straight, in plain talk—no more figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything—it all comes together in you. You won’t have to put up with our questions anymore. We’re convinced you came from God.”
31-33Jesus answered them, “Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”
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John 16: MSG
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
John 16
16
1 I have said these things to you so that you won’t fall away. 2They will expel you from the synagogue. The time is coming when those who kill you will think that they are doing a service to God. 3They will do these things because they don’t know the Father or me. 4But I have said these things to you so that when their time comes, you will remember that I told you about them.
I go away
“I didn’t say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I go away to the one who sent me. None of you ask me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Yet because I have said these things to you, you are filled with sorrow. 7I assure you that it is better for you that I go away. If I don’t go away, the Companion#16.7 Or Advocate won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will show the world it was wrong about sin, righteousness, and judgment. 9He will show the world it was wrong about sin because they don’t believe in me. 10He will show the world it was wrong about righteousness because I’m going to the Father and you won’t see me anymore. 11He will show the world it was wrong about judgment because this world’s ruler stands condemned.
I still have many things to say
12“I have much more to say to you, but you can’t handle it now. 13However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you in all truth. He won’t speak on his own, but will say whatever he hears and will proclaim to you what is to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and proclaim it to you. 15Everything that the Father has is mine. That’s why I said that the Spirit takes what is mine and will proclaim it to you. 16Soon you won’t be able to see me; soon after that, you will see me.”
I will see you again
17Some of Jesus’ disciples said to each other, “What does he mean: ‘Soon you won’t see me, and soon after that you will see me’ and ‘Because I’m going to the Father’? 18What does he mean by ‘soon’? We don’t understand what he’s talking about.”
19Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, so he said, “Are you trying to find out from each other what I meant when I said, ‘Soon you won’t see me, and soon after that you will see me’? 20I assure you that you will cry and lament, and the world will be happy. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21When a woman gives birth, she has pain because her time has come. But when the child is born, she no longer remembers her distress because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. 22In the same way, you have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and you will be overjoyed. No one takes away your joy. 23In that day, you won’t ask me anything. I assure you that the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Up to now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive so that your joy will be complete.
I have conquered the world
25“I’ve been using figures of speech with you. The time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in such analogies. Instead, I will tell you plainly about the Father. 26In that day you will ask in my name. I’m not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27The Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and believed that I came from God. 28I left the Father and came into the world. I tell you again: I am leaving the world and returning to the Father.”
29His disciples said, “See! Now you speak plainly; you aren’t using figures of speech. 30Now we know that you know everything and you don’t need anyone to ask you. Because of this we believe you have come from God.”
31Jesus replied, “Now you believe? 32Look! A time is coming—and is here!—when each of you will be scattered to your own homes and you will leave me alone. I’m not really alone, for the Father is with me. 33I’ve said these things to you so that you will have peace in me. In the world you have distress. But be encouraged! I have conquered the world.”
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