New Living Translation
John 16:17
17Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’?
John 16:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
- New International Version (NIV)At this, some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)So 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'?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then 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’?”
Context of John 16:17
15All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’ 16“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.” Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? 18And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.” 19Jesus 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.
Read all of John 16John 16:17 word by word
εἶπαν οὖν ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἀλλήλους· τί ἐστιν τοῦτο ὃ λέγει ἡμῖν· μικρὸν καὶ οὐ θεωρεῖτέ με, καὶ πάλιν μικρὸν καὶ ὄψεσθέ με; καὶ ὅτι ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- disciplesὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- disciplesμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
- amongπρόςpros · to/withG4314
- themselvesἀλλήλωνallēlōn · one anotherG240
- Whatτίςtis · which?G5101
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- he saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto usἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- A little whileμικρόςmikros mikroteros · smallG3398
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- ye shallθεωρέωtheōreō · to see/experienceG2334
- notοὐou · noG3756
- againπάλινpalin · againG3825
- ye shall seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- Becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- goὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
- the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
Cross-references for John 16:17
- John 16:1“I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith.
- John 12:16His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.
- John 14:5“No, we don’t know, Lord,” Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
- Mark 9:10So they kept it to themselves, but they often asked each other what he meant by “rising from the dead.”
- Luke 9:45But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
- Luke 18:34But they didn’t understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.
Commentaries on John 16:17
- 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 16:17
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
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