John 16:18

18 ἔλεγον οὖν · Τί ἐστιν τοῦτο ⸃ ὃ λέγει μικρόν; οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί λαλεῖ.

John 16:18 Meaning and Commentary

John 16:18

They said therefore
One, and all of them; the inquiry became universal;

what is this that he saith, a little while?
it seems as if this phrase was the most intricate and perplexing to them; for whatever conceptions they might have of not seeing, and seeing him again, as expressive of his going from them, and returning to them, yet had no notion at all what he should mean by "a little while": and therefore add,

we cannot tell what he saith:
they knew his words, but not his meaning.

John 16:18 In-Context

16 Μικρὸν καὶ οὐκέτι θεωρεῖτέ με, καὶ πάλιν μικρὸν καὶ ὄψεσθέ με.

17 εἶπαν οὖν ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἀλλήλους · Τί ἐστιν τοῦτο ὃ λέγει ἡμῖν · Μικρὸν καὶ οὐ θεωρεῖτέ με, καὶ πάλιν μικρὸν καὶ ὄψεσθέ με; καί · Ὅτι ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα;

18 ἔλεγον οὖν · Τί ἐστιν τοῦτο ⸃ ὃ λέγει μικρόν; οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί λαλεῖ.

19 ἔγνω Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἤθελον αὐτὸν ἐρωτᾶν, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς · Περὶ τούτου ζητεῖτε μετ’ ἀλλήλων ὅτι εἶπον · Μικρὸν καὶ οὐ θεωρεῖτέ με, καὶ πάλιν μικρὸν καὶ ὄψεσθέ με;

20 ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι κλαύσετε καὶ θρηνήσετε ὑμεῖς, ὁ δὲ κόσμος χαρήσεται · ὑμεῖς λυπηθήσεσθε, ἀλλ’ ἡ λύπη ὑμῶν εἰς χαρὰν γενήσεται.