God’s Word Translation
John 16:19
19Jesus knew they wanted to ask him something. So he said to them, “Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, and in a little while you will see me again’?
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’?
- English Standard Version (ESV)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'?
- 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’?
Context of John 16:19
17Some of his disciples said to each other, “What does he mean? He tells us that in a little while we won’t see him. Then he tells us that in a little while we will see him again and that he’s going to the Father.” 18So they were asking each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while’? We don’t understand what he’s talking about.” Jesus knew they wanted to ask him something. So he said to them, “Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, and in a little while you will see me again’? 20I can guarantee this truth: You will cry because you are sad, but the world will be happy. You will feel pain, but your pain will turn to happiness. 21A woman has pain when her time to give birth comes. But after the child is born, she doesn’t remember the pain anymore because she’s happy that a child has been brought 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 everything. You don’t need to wait for questions to be asked. Because of this, we believe that you have come from God.”
- John 2:24Jesus, however, was wary of these believers. He understood people
- John 21:17Jesus asked him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt sad because Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” So Peter said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep.
- Psalms 139:1O Lord, you have examined me, and you know me.
- Matthew 6:8Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
- Matthew 9:4Jesus knew what they were thinking. He asked them, “Why are you thinking evil things?
- Mark 9:33Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was at home, he asked the disciples, “What were you arguing about on the road?”
- Hebrews 4:13No creature can hide from God. Everything is uncovered and exposed for him to see. We must answer to him.
- Revelation 2:23I will kill her children. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches hearts and minds. I will reward each of you for what you have done.
- John 16:16“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. Then in a little while you will see me again.”
- John 7:33Jesus said, “I will still be with you for a little while. Then I’ll go to the one who sent me.
- John 13:33Jesus said, “Dear children, I will still be with you for a little while. I’m telling you what I told the Jews. You will look for me, but you can’t go where I’m going.
- John 14:19In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. You will live because I 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries