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

19Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said to them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that which I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 20Verily, verily, I say to 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. 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. 22And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 23And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say to you, Whatever ye shall ask the Father 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

• womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• travailτίκτωtiktō · to give birth toG5088
• hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
• sorrowλύπηlupē · griefG3077
• becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
• herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• hourὥραhōra · hourG5610
• comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• butδέde · thenG1161
• deliveredγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
• childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
• rememberethμνημονεύωmnēmoneuō · to rememberG3421
• moreοὐκέτιouketi · not any moreG3765
• anguishθλῖψιςthlipsis · pressureG2347
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889

Cross-references for John 16:21

• Genesis 3:16To the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
• Isaiah 26:16LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.
• Jeremiah 30:6Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
• Hosea 13:13The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.
• Micah 4:10Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth from the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thy enemies.
• Revelation 12:2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
• Genesis 21:6And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
• Genesis 30:23And she conceived, and bore a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach:
• 1 Samuel 1:26And she said, O my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying to the LORD.
• Psalms 113:9He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.
• Luke 1:57Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
• Galatians 4:27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she who hath an 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