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 that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘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, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy. Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. 22Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. 23In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, 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

• Wheneverὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• a womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• is in laborτίκτωtiktō · to give birth toG5088
• she hasἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• painλύπηlupē · griefG3077
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• her hourὥραhōra · hourG5610
• has comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• she givesγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• to the childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• she noοὐκέτιouketi · not any moreG3765
• remembersμνημονεύωmnēmoneuō · to rememberG3421
• the anguishθλῖψιςthlipsis · pressureG2347
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• of the joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• childἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• into the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889

Cross-references for John 16:21

• Genesis 3:16To the woman He said, “I will greatly multiply Your pain in childbirth, In pain you will bring forth children; Yet your desire will be for your husband, And he will rule over you.”
• Isaiah 26:16O Lord, they sought You in distress; They could only whisper a prayer, Your chastening was upon them.
• Jeremiah 30:6Ask now, and see If a male can give birth. Why do I see every man With his hands on his loins, as a woman in childbirth? And why have all faces turned pale?
• Hosea 13:13The pains of childbirth come upon him; He is not a wise son, For it is not the time that he should delay at the opening of the womb.
• Micah 4:10Writhe and labor to give birth, Daughter of Zion, Like a woman in childbirth; For now you will go out of the city, Dwell in the field, And go to Babylon. There you will be rescued; There the Lord will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.
• Revelation 12:2and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.
• Genesis 21:6Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
• Genesis 30:23So she conceived and bore a son and said, “God has taken away my reproach.”
• 1 Samuel 1:26She said, “Oh, my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you, praying to the Lord.
• Psalms 113:9He makes the barren woman abide in the house As a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!
• Luke 1:57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
• Galatians 4:27For it is written, “Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; For more numerous are the children of the desolate Than of the one 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