John 16
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
John chapter 16 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
16 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from 3 Fathers — Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Augustine of Hippo, and Saint Augustine.
John 16
1These things I have spoken to you, so that you should not be made to stumble.Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα μὴ σκανδαλισθῆτε.
2They will excommunicate you; but the time is coming when everyone who kills you will think that he is offering God a service.Ἀποσυναγώγους ποιήσουσιν ὑμᾶς· ἀλλ᾽ ἔρχεται ὥρα, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας ὑμᾶς δόξῃ λατρείαν προσφέρειν τῷ Θεῷ.
3And these things they will do to you because they did not know the Father nor Me.Καὶ ταῦτα ποιήσουσιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὸν πατέρα οὐδὲ ἐμέ.
4But these things I have spoken to you, so that when the time comes, you may remember them, that I told you. But these things I did not say to you from the beginning, because I was with you.Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἡ ὥρα, μνημονεύητε αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν. Ταῦτα δὲ ὑμῖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς οὐκ εἶπον, ὅτι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν ἤμην.
5“But now I am going to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’Νῦν δὲ ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν πέμψαντά με, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐρωτᾷ με, Ποῦ ὑπάγεις;
6But because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.Ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἡ λύπη πεπλήρωκεν ὑμῶν τὴν καρδίαν.
7Nevertheless I speak the truth to you. It is profitable for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.Ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγω ὑμῖν· συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα ἐγὼ ἀπέλθω· ἐὰν γὰρ ἐγὼ μὴ ἀπέλθω, ὁ παράκλητος οὐκ ἐλεύσεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἐὰν δὲ πορευθῶ, πέμψω αὐτὸν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.
8And when He comes, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:Καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐκεῖνος ἐλέγξει τὸν κόσμον περὶ ἁμαρτίας καὶ περὶ δικαιοσύνης καὶ περὶ κρίσεως·
9of sin, because they do not believe in Me;περὶ ἁμαρτίας μέν, ὅτι οὐ πιστεύουσιν εἰς ἐμέ·
10of righteousness, because I am going to My Father and you see Me no more;περὶ δικαιοσύνης δέ, ὅτι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου ὑπάγω, καὶ οὐκέτι θεωρεῖτέ με·
11of judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.περὶ δὲ κρίσεως, ὅτι ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ κόσμου τούτου κέκριται.
12“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.Ἔτι πολλὰ ἔχω λέγειν ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δύνασθε βαστάζειν ἄρτι.
13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will announce to you things to come.Ὅταν δὲ ἔλθῃ ἐκεῖνος, τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, ὁδηγήσει ὑμᾶς εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν· οὐ γὰρ λαλήσει ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσα ἂν ἀκούσῃ λαλήσει, καὶ τὰ ἐρχόμενα ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν.
14He will glorify Me, for He will take from what is Mine and He will announce it to you.Ἐκεῖνος ἐμὲ δοξάσει, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἐμοῦ λήψεται, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν.
15All things which the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He takes from what is Mine and will announce it to you.Πάντα ὅσα ἔχει ὁ πατὴρ ἐμά ἐστι· διὰ τοῦτο εἶπον, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἐμοῦ λαμβάνει, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν.
16“A little while and you will not see Me; and again a little while and you will see Me, because I am going to the Father.”Μικρὸν καὶ οὐ θεωρεῖτέ με, καὶ πάλιν μικρὸν καὶ ὄψεσθέ με, ὅτι ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα.
17Then some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while and you will not see Me; and again a little while and you will see Me’; and, ‘I am going to the Father’?”Εἶπον οὖν ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ πρὸς ἀλλήλους, Τί ἐστι τοῦτο ὃ λέγει ἡμῖν, Μικρὸν καὶ οὐ θεωρεῖτέ με, καὶ πάλιν μικρὸν καὶ ὄψεσθέ με; καί, Ὅτι ἐγὼ ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα;
18Therefore they said, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”Ἔλεγον οὖν, Τοῦτο τί ἐστιν ὃ λέγει, τὸ Μικρόν; Οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί λαλεῖ.
19Now Jesus knew that they were desiring to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring with one another that I said, ‘A little while and you will not see Me; and again a little while and you will see Me’?Ἔγνω οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἤθελον αὐτὸν ἐρωτᾶν, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Περὶ τούτου ζητεῖτε μετ᾽ ἀλλήλων, ὅτι εἶπον, Μικρὸν καὶ οὐ θεωρεῖτέ με, καὶ πάλιν μικρὸν καὶ ὄψεσθέ με;
20Most assuredly I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be grieved, but your grief will be turned into joy.Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι κλαύσετε καὶ θρηνήσετε ὑμεῖς, ὁ δὲ κόσμος χαρήσεται· ὑμεῖς δὲ λυπηθήσεσθε, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ λύπη ὑμῶν εἰς χαρὰν γενήσεται.
21A woman, whenever she gives birth, has sorrow, because her hour has come; but whenever the child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish, on account of the joy that a child has been born into the world.Ἡ γυνὴ ὅταν τίκτῃ λύπην ἔχει, ὅτι ἦλθεν ἡ ὥρα αὐτῆς· ὅταν δὲ γεννήσῃ τὸ παιδίον, οὐκέτι μνημονεύει τῆς θλίψεως, διὰ τὴν χαρὰν ὅτι ἐγεννήθη ἄνθρωπος εἰς τὸν κόσμον.
22Therefore you also now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.Καὶ ὑμεῖς οὖν λύπην μὲν νῦν ἔχετε· πάλιν δὲ ὄψομαι ὑμᾶς, καὶ χαρήσεται ὑμῶν ἡ καρδία, καὶ τὴν χαρὰν ὑμῶν οὐδεὶς αἴρει ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν.
23And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.Καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἐρωτήσετε οὐδέν. Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσητε τὸν πατέρα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, δώσει ὑμῖν.
24Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.Ἕως ἄρτι οὐκ ᾐτήσατε οὐδὲν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου· αἰτεῖτε, καὶ λήψεσθε, ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν ᾖ πεπληρωμένη.
25“These things I have spoken to you in figures of speech; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.Ταῦτα ἐν παροιμίαις λελάληκα ὑμῖν· ἀλλ᾽ ἔρχεται ὥρα ὅτε οὐκέτι ἐν παροιμίαις λαλήσω ὑμῖν, ἀλλὰ παρρησίᾳ περὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀναγγελῶ ὑμῖν.
26In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will beseech the Father for you;Ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου αἰτήσεσθε· καὶ οὐ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐγὼ ἐρωτήσω τὸν πατέρα περὶ ὑμῶν·
27for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ φιλεῖ ὑμᾶς, ὅτι ὑμεῖς ἐμὲ πεφιλήκατε, καὶ πεπιστεύκατε ὅτι ἐγὼ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθον.
28I came forth from the Father and I have come into the world. Again, I am leaving the world and I am going to the Father.”Ἐξῆλθον παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, καὶ ἐλήλυθα εἰς τὸν κόσμον· πάλιν ἀφίημι τὸν κόσμον, καὶ πορεύομαι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα.
29His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, Ἴδε, νῦν παρρησίᾳ λαλεῖς, καὶ παροιμίαν οὐδεμίαν λέγεις.
30Now we are sure that You know all things, and have no need that anyone should question You. By this we believe that You came forth from God.”Νῦν οἴδαμεν ὅτι οἶδας πάντα, καὶ οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις ἵνα τίς σε ἐρωτᾷ· ἐν τούτῳ πιστεύομεν ὅτι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθες.
31Jesus answered them, “Now do you believe?Ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Ἄρτι πιστεύετε;
32Behold, the hour is coming, and has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and you will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.Ἰδού, ἔρχεται ὥρα καὶ νῦν ἐλήλυθεν, ἵνα σκορπισθῆτε ἕκαστος εἰς τὰ ἴδια, καὶ ἐμὲ μόνον ἀφῆτε· καὶ οὐκ εἰμὶ μόνος, ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐστι.
33These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but take courage, I have overcome the world.”Ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἵνα ἐν ἐμοὶ εἰρήνην ἔχητε. Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλῖψιν ἔχετε· ἀλλὰ θαρσεῖτε, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον.
The Fathers on John 16
Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Augustine of Hippo, and Saint Augustine comment on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On John 16:4–6Saint John Chrysostom“These things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go My way to Him that sent Me; and none of you asketh Me, Whither goest Thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.”
Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:1–4Saint Augustine of Hippo1. In the words preceding this chapter of the Gospel, the Lord strengthened His disciples to endure the hatred of their enemies, and prepared them also by His own example to become the more courageous in imitating Him: adding the promise, that the Holy Spirit should come to bear witness of Him, and also that they...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:16–17Saint John Chrysostom“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. Then said some of His disciples among themselves, What is this that He saith?” [And what follows.]
Read Homilies on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:12–33Saint Augustine of Hippo1. From the words of our Lord, where He says, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now,” there arose a difficult question, which I recollect to have put off, that it might be handled afterwards at greater leisure, because my last discourse had reached its proper limits, and required to be...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:16–23Saint Augustine of Hippo1. These words of the Lord, when He says, “A little while, and you shall no more see me: and again a little while, and you shall see me; because I go to the Father,” were so obscure to the disciples, before what He thus says was actually fulfilled, that they inquired among themselves what it was that He said, and had...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:7Saint AugustineThe medicine for all the wounds of the soul, and the one propitiation for the offences of men, is to believe on Christ; nor can any one be cleansed at all, whether from original sin which he derived from Adam, in whom all men...
Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →
On John 16:8Saint AugustineWhen our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was speaking at length of the coming of the Holy Ghost, He said among the rest, “He shall convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” Nor when He had said this, did...
Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →
On John 16:8–11Saint Augustine of Hippo1. The Lord, when promising that He would send the Holy Spirit, said, “When He has come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” What does it mean? Is it that the Lord Jesus Christ did not reprove the world of sin, when He said, “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:24Saint AugustineWhen the Holy Gospel was being read, we heard what in truth ought at once to put every earnest soul in motion to seek, not to faint.
Read Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament →
On John 16:23–28Saint Augustine of Hippo1. We have now to consider these words of the Lord, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, If you shall ask anything of the Father in my name, He will give it you.” It has already been said in the earlier portions of this discourse of our Lord's, on account of those who ask some things of the Father in Christ's name and...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:44–47Saint Augustine of Hippo1. When the Lord Jesus had foretold His disciples the persecutions they would have to suffer after His departure, He went on to say: “And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you; but now I go my way to Him that sent me.” And here the first thing we have to look at is, whether He had...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:12–13Saint Augustine of Hippo1. In this portion of the holy Gospel, where the Lord says to His disciples, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now,” there meets us first this subject of needful inquiry, how it was that He said a little before, “All things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you,” and...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:12–13Saint Augustine of Hippo1. The Holy Spirit, whom the Lord promised to send to His disciples, to teach them all the truth which, at the time He was speaking to them, they were unable to bear: of the which Holy Spirit, as the apostle says, we have now received “the earnest,” 2 Corinthians 1:22 an expression whereby we are to understand that...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:13Saint Augustine of Hippo1. What is this that the Lord said of the Holy Spirit, when promising that He would come and teach His disciples all truth, or guide them into all truth: “For He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak”? For this is similar to what He said of Himself, “I can of my own self do...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:13–15Saint Augustine of Hippo1. When our Lord gave the promise of the coming of His Holy Spirit, He said, “He shall teach you all truth,” or, as we read in some copies, “He shall guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak.” On these Gospel words we have already discoursed as the...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →
On John 16:29–33Open John 16 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint Augustine of Hippo1. The inward state of Christ's disciples, when before His passion He talked with them as with children of great things, but in such a way as befitted the great things to be spoken to children, because, having not yet received the Holy Spirit, as they did after His resurrection, either by His own breathing upon them,...
Read Tractates on the Gospel of John →