John 16:20

John 16:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
• New International Version (NIV)Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Most 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.

Context of John 16:20

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. I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. 22So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.

John 16:20 word by word

Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι κλαύσετε καὶ θρηνήσετε ὑμεῖς, ὁ δὲ κόσμος χαρήσεται· ὑμεῖς λυπηθήσεσθε, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ λύπη ὑμῶν εἰς χαρὰν γενήσεται.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
• I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto youσύsu · youG4771
• Thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• shall weepκλαίωklaiō · to weepG2799
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• lamentθρηνέωthrēneō · to lamentG2354
• butδέde · thenG1161
• the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
• shall rejoiceχαίρωchairō · to rejoiceG5463
• shall be sorrowfulλυπέωlupeō · to grieveG3076
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• sorrowλύπηlupē · griefG3077
• shall be turnedγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• joyχαράchara · joyG5479

Cross-references for John 16:20

• John 16:6Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you.
• John 19:25Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.
• Mark 14:72And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept.
• Mark 16:10She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened.
• Luke 22:45At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief.
• Luke 23:47When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.”
• Luke 24:17He asked them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” They stopped short, sadness written across their faces.
• Job 20:5the triumph of the wicked has been short lived and the joy of the godless has been only temporary?
• Matthew 21:38“But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’
• Matthew 27:39The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery.
• Mark 15:29The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days.
• Revelation 11:10All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.
• Revelation 18:7She glorified herself and lived in luxury, so match it now with torment and sorrow. She boasted in her heart, ‘I am queen on my throne. I am no helpless widow, and I have no reason to mourn.’
• Psalms 30:5For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
• Psalms 40:1I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.
• Psalms 97:11Light shines on the godly, and joy on those whose hearts are right.

Commentaries on John 16:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Ye shall weep and lament - To see me crucified and laid in the grave. But the world shall rejoice - The chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, and persecuting Jews in general, will triumph, hoping that their bad cause is crowned with success. But your sorrow shall be turned into joy - When ye see me risen from the dead. It is very evident that our Lord uses the word world, in several parts of this discourse of his, to signify the unbelieving and rebellious…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Ye shall weep … - At my crucifixion, sufferings, and death. Compare Luke 23:27. The world - Wicked men. The term world is frequently used in this sense. See John 16:8. It refers particularly, here, to the Jews who sought his death, and who would rejoice that their object was obtained. Shall be turned into joy - You will not only rejoice at my resurrection, but even my death, now the object of so much grief to you, will be to you a source of unspeakable…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. 20With the death of Jesus on the cross, the world thought it had won a victory over the light. The surprise of the cross would cause the disciples to weep and mourn, but their sorrow would change to joy when Jesus defeated the grave (20:20).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 16:20

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Joy

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