John 16

“I have spoken these things to you so that you may not stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God. They will do these things because they have known neither the Father nor me. But I have spoken these things to you so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I did not tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to the one who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ Rather, sorrow has filled your heart because I have spoken these things to you. Yet I tell you the truth: it is better for you that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. I still have many things to tell you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you in all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. That is why I said that he takes what is mine and will declare it to you. A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.” Then some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me,’ and, ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” So they said, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is saying.” Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, and said to them, “Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant by saying, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman gives birth, she has pain because her hour has come. But after she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So you too have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one takes your joy from you. On that day you will ask me no questions. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father, he will give you in my name. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. On that day you will ask in my name. I do not tell you that I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” His disciples said, “Look, now you are speaking plainly and not using any figure of speech. Now we know that you know all things and have no need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Look, an hour is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have spoken these things to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Rights and attribution