John 16:21

John 16:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
• New International Version (NIV)A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
• New King James Version (NKJV)A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as 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.

Context of John 16:21

19Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’? 20Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. 22So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

John 16:21 word by word

ἡ γυνὴ ὅταν τίκτῃ λύπην ἔχει, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἡ ὥρα αὐτῆς· ὅταν δὲ γεννήσῃ τὸ παιδίον, οὐκέτι μνημονεύει τῆς θλίψεως διὰ τὴν χαράν, ὅτι ἐγεννήθη ἄνθρωπος εἰς τὸν κόσμον.¶Read the interlinear

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• A womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• hasἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• painλύπηlupē · griefG3077
• in childbirthὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• in childbirthτίκτωtiktō · to give birth toG5088
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• timeὥραhōra · hourG5610
• has comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• butδέde · thenG1161
• she brings forthγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• she forgetsμνημονεύωmnēmoneuō · to rememberG3421
• she forgetsοὐκέτιouketi · not any moreG3765
• anguishθλῖψιςthlipsis · pressureG2347
• because ofδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• a childἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889

Cross-references for John 16:21

• Genesis 3:16To the woman He said: “I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”
• Isaiah 26:16O LORD, they sought You in their distress; when You disciplined them, they poured out a quiet prayer.
• Jeremiah 30:6Ask now, and see: Can a male give birth? Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor and every face turned pale?
• Hosea 13:13Labor pains come upon him, but he is an unwise son. When the time arrives, he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.
• Micah 4:10Writhe in agony, O Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies!
• Revelation 12:2She was pregnant and crying out in the pain and agony of giving birth.
• Genesis 21:6Then Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me.”
• Genesis 30:23and she conceived and gave birth to a son. “God has taken away my shame,” she said.
• 1 Samuel 1:26“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD.
• Psalms 113:9He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother to her children. Hallelujah!
• Luke 1:57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
• Galatians 4:27For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”

Commentaries on John 16:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21For joy that a man is born - is put here for a human creature, whether male or female; as homo among the Romans denoted either man or woman.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 16-22 It is good to consider how near our seasons of grace are to an end, that we may be quickened to improve them. But the sorrows of the disciples would soon be turned into joy; as those of a mother, at the sight of her infant. The Holy Spirit would be their Comforter, and neither men nor devils, neither sufferings in life nor in death, would ever deprive them of their joy. Believers have joy or sorrow, according to their sight of Christ, and the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21pain in childbirth: This metaphor symbolizes anguish that is followed by God's blessing and wonder (compare Isaiah 21:2–3; 26:16–21; 66:7–10; Jeremiah 13:21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2216-22. A little while, and ye shall not see me; and again a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father--The joy of the world at their not seeing Him seems to show that His removal from them by death was what He meant; and in that case, their joy at again seeing Him points to their transport at His reappearance amongst them on His Resurrection, when they could no longer doubt His identity. At the same time the sorrow of the widowed…Read the comment

Topics related to John 16:21

• Jesus Continued

In the dictionaries

• Birth
• Desirous
• Reprove
• Sure
• Tribulation
• Anguish
• Atonement
• Comforter
• Deliver
• Holy Spirit

Commentaries on John 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings