JohnChapter 16

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¹"I have told you these things so that you won't fall away. ²They will throw you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when people will kill you. And they will think they are serving God by doing it. ³They will do these things because they have not known the Father or me. ⁴But I have told you these things for a reason. When their time comes, you will remember that I warned you. I didn't tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you. ⁵But now I am going to the One who sent me. Yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' ⁶Instead, your hearts are full of sadness because I have told you these things. ⁷But I tell you the truth. It is good for you that I am going away. If I don't go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸When he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin, about what is right, and about judgment. ⁹He will prove them wrong about sin, because they don't believe in me. ¹⁰He will prove them wrong about what is right, because I am going to the Father. You will not see me anymore. ¹¹And he will prove them wrong about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged guilty. ¹²I still have many things to tell you. But they would be too much for you to handle right now. ¹³But the Spirit of truth will come. He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own. He will speak only what he hears. And he will tell you what is still to come. ¹⁴He will bring glory to me. He will take what is mine and make it known to you. ¹⁵Everything that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take what is mine and make it known to you. ¹⁶In a little while you won't see me anymore. Then after a little while you will see me again." ¹⁷Some of his disciples asked each other, "What does he mean? He says, 'In a little while you won't see me, and then after a little while you will see me.' He also says, 'Because I am going to the Father.'" ¹⁸They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying." ¹⁹Jesus knew they wanted to ask him about it. So he said to them, "Are you asking each other what I meant? I said, 'In a little while you won't see me, and then after a little while you will see me.' ²⁰I tell you the truth. You will cry and be very sad, but the world will be glad. You will be full of grief. But your grief will turn into joy. ²¹A woman has pain when she gives birth, because her time has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She is so happy that a child has been born into the world. ²²It's the same with you. You are sad now. But I will see you again, and your hearts will be glad. No one will take your joy away from you. ²³On that day you won't ask me for anything. I tell you the truth. My Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. ²⁴Until now you haven't asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive. Then your joy will be complete. ²⁵I have told you these things using word pictures. But a time is coming when I won't talk this way anymore. Instead, I will tell you plainly about the Father. ²⁶On that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father for you. ²⁷The Father himself loves you. He loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. ²⁸I came from the Father and entered the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." ²⁹His disciples said, "Look, now you are speaking plainly. You aren't using word pictures. ³⁰Now we understand that you know all things. You don't even need anyone to ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God." ³¹"Do you believe at last?" Jesus answered. ³²"Listen, a time is coming, and it has already come. You will be scattered, each one to his own home. You will leave me all alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. ³³I have told you these things so that you may have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble. But be brave! I have overcome the world!"