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

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’? 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. A 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. 22“Now you’re in a painful situation. But I will see you again. Then you will be happy, and no one will take that happiness away from you. 23When that day comes, you won’t ask me any more questions. I can guarantee this truth: If you ask the Father for anything in my name, he will give it to 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

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 increase your pain and your labor when you give birth to children. Yet, you will long for your husband, and he will rule you.”
• Isaiah 26:16O Lord, the people have come to you in trouble. They were humbled by oppression, by your discipline upon them.
• Jeremiah 30:6Ask now, and see: Can a man give birth to a child? Why, then, do I see every strong man holding his stomach in pain like a woman giving birth to a child? Why has every face turned pale?
• Hosea 13:13They have the opportunity to live again, but they are not smart enough to take it. They are like a baby who is about to be born but won’t come out of its mother’s womb.
• Micah 4:10Daughter of Zion, writhe in pain and groan like a woman in labor. Now you will leave the city, live in the open fields, and go to Babylon. There you will be rescued. There the Lord will reclaim you from your enemies.
• Revelation 12:2She was pregnant. She cried out from labor pains and the agony of giving birth.
• Genesis 21:6Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.
• Genesis 30:23So she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. Then she said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”
• 1 Samuel 1:26“Sir,” Hannah said, “as sure as you live, I’m the woman who stood here next to you and prayed to the Lord.
• Psalms 113:9He makes a woman who is in a childless home a joyful mother. Hallelujah!
• Luke 1:57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
• Galatians 4:27Scripture says: “Rejoice, women who cannot get pregnant, who cannot give birth to any children! Break into shouting, those who feel no pains of childbirth! Because the deserted woman will have more children than 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

• 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