Tree of Life Version
John 16:21
21“When 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 human being has been born into the world.
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
19Yeshua knew that they wanted to question Him, so He said to them, “Are you asking each other about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again in a little while, you will see Me’? 20Amen, amen I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will celebrate. You will be filled with sorrow, but your sorrow will turn to joy! “When 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 human being has been born into the world. 22So also you have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you! 23“In that day, you will ask Me nothing. Amen, amen I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
Read all of John 16John 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- A womanὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- A womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
- whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
- she is in travailτίκτωtiktō · to give birth toG5088
- hathἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- sorrowλύπηlupē · griefG3077
- becauseὅτιhoti · that/since: sinceG3754
- herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- hourὥραhōra · hourG5610
- is comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- butδέde · thenG1161
- she is deliveredγεννάωgennaō · to begetG1080
- of the childπαιδίονpaidion · childG3813
- she rememberethμνημονεύωmnēmoneuō · to rememberG3421
- noοὐou · noG3756
- moreἔτιeti · stillG2089
- the anguishθλῖψιςthlipsis · pressureG2347
- forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
- joyχαράchara · joyG5479
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889
Cross-references for John 16:21
- Genesis 3:16To the woman He said, “I will greatly increase your pain from conception to labor. In pain will you give birth to children. Your desire will be toward your husband, yet he must rule over you.”
- Isaiah 26:16Adonai, they sought You in distress, they poured out a whispered prayer when Your discipline was upon them.
- Jeremiah 30:6Ask now, and see whether a man can give birth. Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, like a woman giving birth? Why have all faces turned pale?
- Hosea 13:13Pains of birth come on him. He is not a wise son. When the time comes, he should not delay at the opening of the womb.
- Micah 4:10Writhe and give birth, Daughter of Zion, like a woman in labor. For now you will go forth from a city. You will dwell in the field, and you will come as far as Babylon. There you will be rescued. There will Adonai redeem you from the hand of your enemies.
- Revelation 12:2She is pregnant—crying out in birth pains, in agony to give birth.
- Genesis 21:6So Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me! Everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
- Genesis 30:23Then she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. So she said, “God has taken away my disgrace.”
- 1 Samuel 1:26“It’s me, my lord!” she said. “As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman that stood by you here, praying to Adonai.
- Psalms 113:9He settles the barren woman in her home as a joyful mother of children. Halleluyah!
- Luke 1:57Upon Elizabeth’s full term to deliver, she gave birth to a son.
- Galatians 4:27For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman who bears no children. Break forth and shout, you who suffer no labor pains. For more 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
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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries