John 16 - The Voice (VOICE)

As Jesus warns of the mistreatment His followers can expect, He disarms fears by noting the most important things. If the Spirit is within, there is no reason to fear. In fact, the church will thrive under persecution. Yet humans are obsessed with power and political prominence as a means to influence the culture. Christian citizens have an obligation to strive for justice and freedom through the transforming power of the Spirit in people’s lives. Rather than exerting temporal power, the real work of the Kingdom often thrives under fierce attack and opposition. Jesus announces this coming persecution to His followers, believing this will lead to their finest hour.

16 Jesus: I am telling you all of this so that you may avoid the offenses that are coming. 2 The time will come when they will kick you out of the synagogue because some believe God desires them to execute you as an act of faithful service. 3 They will do this because they don’t know the Father, or else they would know Me. 4 I’m telling you all this so that when it comes to pass you will remember what you have heard. It was not important for Me to give you this information in the beginning when I was with you. 5 But now, I am going to the One who has sent Me, and none of you ask Me, “Where are You going?”

6 I know that hearing news like this is overwhelming and sad. 7 But the truth is that My departure will be a gift that will serve you well, because if I don’t leave, the great Helper will not come to your aid. When I leave, I will send Him to you. 8-9 When He arrives, He will uncover the sins of the world, expose unbelief as sin, and allow all to see their sins in the light of righteousness for the first time. 10 This new awareness of righteousness is important because I am going to the Father and will no longer be present with you. 11 The Spirit will also carry My judgment because the one who rules in this world has already been defeated.

12 I have so much more to say, but you cannot absorb it right now. 13-15 The Spirit of truth will come and guide you in all truth. He will not speak His own words to you; He will speak what He hears, revealing to you the things to come and bringing glory to Me. The Spirit has unlimited access to Me, to all that I possess and know, just as everything the Father has is Mine. That is the reason I am confident He will care for My own and reveal the path to you. 16 For a little while you will not see Me; but after that, a time will come when you will see Me again.

Some of His Disciples: 17 What does He mean? “I’ll be here, and then I won’t be here, because I’ll be with the Father”?

Other Disciples: 18 What is He saying? “A little while”? We don’t understand.

The promise of eternity is a reminder that God’s children are made for a renewed world. There is great comfort amid fear, knowing believers will be reunited with Jesus and joined with the Father. As believers labor together in this world—enduring pain, loss, and unfulfilled desires—they should be encouraged that in eternity all needs will be fulfilled in the presence of God.

19 Jesus knew they had questions to ask of Him, so He approached them.

Jesus: Are you trying to figure out what I mean when I say you will see Me in a little while? 20 I tell you the truth, a time is approaching when you will weep and mourn while the world is celebrating. You will grieve, but that grief will give birth to great joy. 21-22 In the same way that a woman labors in great pain during childbirth only to forget the intensity of the pain when she holds her child, when I return, your labored grief will also change into a joy that cannot be stolen.

23 When all this transpires, you will finally have the answers you have been seeking. I tell you the truth, anything you ask of the Father in My name, He will give to you. 24 Until this moment, you have not sought after anything in My name. Ask and you will receive so that you will be filled with joy.

25 I have been teaching you all of these truths through stories and metaphors, but the time is coming for Me to speak openly and directly of the Father.

26 The day is coming when you will make a request in My name, but I will not represent you before the Father. 27 You will be heard directly by the Father. The Father loves you because you love Me and know that I come from the Father. 28 I came from the Father into the cosmos, but soon I will leave it and return to the Father.

All His disciples mourn Jesus’ refusal to take His rightful place as a king and lead a revolution. Jesus knows political might, brute force, and earthly governments are not helpful tools in a battle for hearts. Spiritual revolutions are subversive. They are led by defiant acts of love (for example, healing, foot washing, and martyrdom). Laws do not change hearts, and violence induces hatred and fear. But a sincere community of faith in which love and hope are demonstrated even in the darkest hours will lead a spiritual revolution. It is time to go forward with open eyes and continue to labor as Christian citizens, placing hope only in the redemptive work of the gospel.

Disciples: 29 We hear You speaking clearly and not in metaphors. How could we misunderstand? 30 We see now that You are aware of everything and You reveal things at the proper time. So we do not need to question You, because we believe You have come from God.

Jesus: 31 So you believe now? 32 Be aware that a time is coming when you will be scattered like seeds. You will return to your own way, and I will be left alone. But I will not be alone, because the Father will be with Me. 33 I have told you these things so that you will be whole and at peace. In this world, you will be plagued with times of trouble, but you need not fear; I have triumphed over this corrupt world order.

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John 16 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

16 `These things I have spoken to you, that ye may not be stumbled, 2 out of the synagogues they will put you; but an hour doth come, that every one who hath killed you, may think to offer service unto God; 3 and these things they will do to you, because they did not know the Father, nor me. 4 `But ...
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John 16 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

16 These things I have spoken to you, that ye be not caused to stumble [that ye be not offended]. 2 They shall make you without the synagogues, but the hour cometh, that each man that slayeth you, deem that he doeth service to God. 3 And they shall do to you these things, for they have not known t...
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John 16 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

16 I have told you these things so that you will not turn back. 2 The people will put you out of the meeting place. Yes, the time is coming when someone will kill you and think he is working for God. 3 They will do these things because they do not know my Father nor me. 4 I have told you all these t...
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John 16 - World English Bible (WEB)

16 “I have said these things to you so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God. 3 They will do these things[a] because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I hav...
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John 16 - The Voice (VOICE)

As Jesus warns of the mistreatment His followers can expect, He disarms fears by noting the most important things. If the Spirit is within, there is no reason to fear. In fact, the church will thrive under persecution. Yet humans are obsessed with power and political prominence as a means to influen...
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John 16 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

16 “I have spoken these things to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2 They will throw you out of the synagogues. Yes, an hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 They will do these things because they have never known the Father or Me. 4 But I ha...
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John 16 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

16 “I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these thi...
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John 16 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

16 “I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these thi...
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John 16 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

16 “These things I have said to you so that you should not be made to stumble. 2 “They shall excommunicate you. Indeed, the time shall come that whoever kills you will think that he does God a service. 3 “And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father or Me. 4 “But these...
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John 16 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

The Spirit and the World16 ‘I’ve said these things to you’, Jesus went on, ‘to stop you from being tripped up. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will suppose that they are in that way offering worship to God. 3 They will do these thing...
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John 16 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

16 “I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. 4 But I ...
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John 16 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

16 ‘I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. 4 But I ...
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John 16 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

16 “I have said these things to you to keep you from falling away.[a](A)2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God.(B)3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me.(C...
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John 16 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

Consolation for trouble. Prayers are heard through Christ. 16 These things I have said to you so that you are not made to stumble. 2 They will excommunicate you; yea, the time shall come that whoever kills you will think that he does God service. 3 And such things they will do to you because they ...
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John 16 - New Living Translation (NLT)

16 “I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith. 2 For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3 This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4 Yes, I’m telling you the...
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John 16 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jesus Tells His Followers It Will Be Very Hard for Them16 “I have told you these things so you will not be ashamed of Me and leave Me. 2 They will put you out of the places of worship. The time will come when anyone who kills you will think he is helping God. 3 They will do these things to you bec...
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John 16 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Warns and Comforts His Disciples16 “These things I have spoken to you, that you (A)should not be made to stumble. 2 (B)They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming (C)that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And (D)these things they will do [a]to yo...
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