John 16:18

John 16:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
• New International Version (NIV)They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about."
• New Living Translation (NLT)And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

Context of John 16:18

16“A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.” 17Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “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 go to the Father’?” They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.” 19Now 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’? 20Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

John 16:18 word by word

ἔλεγον οὖν· τί ἐστιν τοῦτο ὃ λέγει τὸ μικρόν; οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί λαλεῖ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• They saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• thereforeοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• A little whileμικρόςmikros mikroteros · smallG3398
• weεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• cannotοὐou · noG3756
• he saithλαλέωlaleō · to speakG2980

Cross-references for John 16:18

• Matthew 16:9Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up?
• Luke 24:25Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
• Hebrews 5:12For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Commentaries on John 16:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18What is this that he saith - They knew from what he had said that he was to die, but knew not what he meant by their seeing him again in a little time.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. 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

Topics related to John 16:18

• Apostles

In the dictionaries

• Desirous
• Reprove
• Sure
• Tribulation
• Atonement
• Comforter
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus Christ
• Johannine Theology
• John, Gospel of

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