John 16:18

18 dicebant ergo quid est hoc quod dicit modicum nescimus quid loquitur

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 modicum et iam non videbitis me et iterum modicum et videbitis me quia vado ad Patrem
17 dixerunt ergo ex discipulis eius ad invicem quid est hoc quod dicit nobis modicum et non videbitis me et iterum modicum et videbitis me et quia vado ad Patrem
18 dicebant ergo quid est hoc quod dicit modicum nescimus quid loquitur
19 cognovit autem Iesus quia volebant eum interrogare et dixit eis de hoc quaeritis inter vos quia dixi modicum et non videbitis me et iterum modicum et videbitis me
20 amen amen dico vobis quia plorabitis et flebitis vos mundus autem gaudebit vos autem contristabimini sed tristitia vestra vertetur in gaudium
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.