English Standard Version
John 16:19
19Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'?
John 16:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
- New International Version (NIV)Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
- New Living Translation (NLT)Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again.
Context of John 16:19
17So some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?" 18So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, 'A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me'? 20Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21When 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.
Read all of John 16John 16:19 word by word
Ἔγνω ὁ 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;¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Nowοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- knewγινώσκωginōskō · to knowG1097
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- they were desirousθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- to askἐρωτάωerōtaō · to askG2065
- himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Do ye enquireζητέωzēteō · to seekG2212
- amongμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- yourselvesἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
- ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
- ·οὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- A little whileμικρόςmikros mikroteros · smallG3398
- ye shallθεωρέωtheōreō · to see/experienceG2334
- notοὐou · noG3756
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- againπάλινpalin · againG3825
- ye shall seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
Cross-references for John 16:19
- John 16:30Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God."
- John 2:24But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people
- John 21:17He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
- Psalms 139:1O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
- Matthew 6:8Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
- Matthew 9:4But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
- Mark 9:33And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"
- Hebrews 4:13And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
- Revelation 2:23and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.
- John 16:16"A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me."
- John 7:33Jesus then said, "I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me.
- John 13:33Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.'
- John 14:19Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
Commentaries on John 16:19
- 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. 16-33a little while: Jesus repeated this phrase to comfort his disciples. He wanted them to know that their separation from him would not last long. Although he would soon leave them, he would return to them again.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
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries