John 16:19

Jesus

¹⁷ Then some of His disciples asked one another, “Why is He telling us, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”

¹⁸ They kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”

Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?

²⁰ Truly, truly, I tell you, you will weep and wail while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

²¹ A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Aware that they wanted to question Him, Jesus said to them, “Are you asking one another why I said, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me’?
KJV: Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
WEB: Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, “Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’?
ASV: Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me?
DARBY: Jesus knew therefore that they desired to demand of him, and said to them, Do ye inquire of this among yourselves that I said, A little while and ye do not behold me; and again a little while and ye shall see me?
BLB: Jesus knew that they were wanting to ask Him, and He said to them, “Do you⁺ inquire among one another concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while and you⁺ do not see Me, and again a little while and you⁺ will look on Me’?

ÅB: Jesus visste at de ville spørre ham, og han sa til dem: Grunder dere på dette med hverandre at jeg sa: Om en liten stund ser dere meg ikke, og om en liten stund skal dere se meg igjen?
OTB: Jesus visste at de ønsket å spørre ham om dette, så han sa til dem: "Diskuterer dere blant dere selv hva jeg mente da jeg sa: 'Om en liten stund ser dere meg ikke lenger, og igjen, om en liten stund skal dere se meg'?
B1930: Jesus visste at de vilde spørre ham, og han sa til dem: Grunder I på dette med hverandre at jeg sa: Om en liten stund ser I mig ikke, og atter om en liten stund skal I se mig?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

John 14:19
In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live.
Read in context
John 16:16
In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”
Read in context
John 16:30
Now we understand that You know all things and that You have no need for anyone to question You. Because of this, we believe that You came from God.”
Read in context
John 13:33
Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
Read in context
Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Read in context
John 7:33
So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me.
Read in context
John 2:24–25
But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew them all.
Read in context
Matthew 9:4
But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said, “Why do you harbor evil in your hearts?
Read in context