Christian Standard Bible
John 16:21
21When 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.
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
19Jesus knew they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “Are you asking one another about what I said, ‘In a little while, you will not see me; again in a little while, you will see me’? 20Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. 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. 22So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you. 23“In that day you will not ask me anything. Truly I tell you, anything you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.
Read all of John 16John 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- A womanὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- A womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
- whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
- she is in travailτίκτωtiktō · to give birth toG5088
- hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- sorrowλύπηlupē · griefG3077
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- hourὥραhōra · hourG5610
- is comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- butδέde · thenG1161
- she is deliveredγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
- of the childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
- she rememberethμνημονεύωmnēmoneuō · to rememberG3421
- noοὐou · noG3756
- moreἔτιeti · stillG2089
- the anguishθλῖψιςthlipsis · pressureG2347
- forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- joyχαράchara · joyG5479
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
Cross-references for John 16:21
- Genesis 3:16He said to the woman: I will intensify your labor pains; you will bear children with painful effort. Your desire will be for your husband, yet he will rule over you.
- Isaiah 26:16Lord, they went to you in their distress; they poured out whispered prayers because your discipline fell on them.
- Jeremiah 30:6Ask and see whether a male can 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 on him. He is not a wise son; when the time comes, he will not be born.
- Micah 4:10Writhe and cry out, Daughter 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 grasp of your enemies!
- Revelation 12:2She was pregnant and cried out in labor and agony as she was about to give birth.
- Genesis 21:6Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
- Genesis 30:23She conceived and bore a son, and she said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”
- 1 Samuel 1:26“Please, my lord,” she said, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord.
- Psalms 113:9He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!
- Luke 1:57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
- Galatians 4:27For it is written, Rejoice, childless woman, unable to give birth. Burst into song and shout, you who are not in labor, for the children of the desolate woman will be many, more numerous than those of the woman 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
In the dictionaries
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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries