John 16:16-24

Sorrow Turned to Joy

16 "A little while and you will no longer see Me; again a little while and you will see Me." [a]
17 Therefore some of His disciples said to one another, "What is this He tells us: 'A little while and you will not see Me; again a little while and you will see Me' ; and, 'because I am going to the Father' ?"
18 They said, "What is this He is saying,[b] 'A little while' ? We don't know what He's talking about!"
19 Jesus knew they wanted to question Him, so He said to them, "Are you asking one another about what I said, 'A little while and you will not see Me; again a little while and you will see Me'?
20 "I assure you: You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.
21 When a woman is in labor she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.
22 So you also have sorrow [c] now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy.
23 In that day you will not ask Me anything. "I assure you: Anything you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. [d]
24 Until now you have asked for nothing in My name. Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be complete.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Other mss add because I am going to the Father
  • [b]. Other mss omit He is saying
  • [c]. Other mss read will have sorrow
  • [d]. Jn 14:13-14; 15:16
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