Open English Translation YHN (JHN) Chapter 16

“I didn’t tell you all of this right at the beginning because I was with you all, 5 but soon I’ll be returning to the one who sent me. Yet none of you are asking me where I’ll be going, 6 rather you are all just weighed down because I’ve told you these things. 7 But honestly it’s for your benefit that I will leave here, because if I don’t, then the assistant won’t be coming to you. But after I’ve gone, I’ll send him to you all. 8 When he comes, he’ll scold the world about sin and teach them about righteousness and judgement— 9 about sin because they don’t believe that I was sent by God, 10 about righteousness because I am going to the father and you won’t be able to see me any longer, 11 and about judgement because the ruler of this world has been judged.

12 “I still have a lot to tell you all, but you’re not able to handle it all right now. 13 But when the assistant comes, the spirit of truth, he will guide you in all truth because he won’t be speaking from his own thoughts, but will tell you what he’s been told, and he will explain to you what’s still going to happen. 14 He’ll be honouring me because he’ll take what is mine and will explain it to you all. 15 Everything that the father has is mine, that’s why I said he will take what is mine and explain it to you.

16 “It won’t be much longer and you won’t be able to see me any more, and then a little while after that, and you’ll see me again.”

17 This got his followers asking each other, “What’s all this about seeing him for not much longer, and then seeing him again after a while? And why does he say he’s going to the father?” 18 So they were saying, “What’s this about ‘not much longer’? We don’t know what he means.”

19 However Yeshua knew what they wanted to ask him, and so he said to them, “You are trying to find out from each other what I meant when I said that you won’t be able to see me after a little while, and then a little while after that you’ll see me again. 20 I can assure you that you’ll be weeping and mourning but the world will be elated. You’ll be upset but then your upset will turn into happiness. 21 A woman giving birth has pains when the delivery begins, but when she hears that the baby is born, she doesn’t remember those pains any more because she’s so happy that her child was born. 22 So too with all of you: you’ll be upset for a while but then I’ll be with you again and you’ll be so happy and no one will be able to take that happiness away from you.

23 “When that happens, you won’t be asking me for anything. I can assure you that whatever you request from the father in my name and my authority will be given to you. 24 Up until now you haven’t asked him for anything using my authority, but after that time, you’ll be able to make requests and they’ll be answered so that your happiness will be complete.

25 “So far I’ve told you these things in parables, however a time is coming when I’ll no longer be speaking in parables but will tell you things about the father quite plainly. 26 At that time you’ll have my authority to request from the father. I’m not saying that I’ll be asking him on your behalf, 27 no, because he himself loves you all because you have loved me and have believed that I was sent by God. 28 I was sent out by the father and I have come into the world, but I’ll be leaving the world again and returning to the father.”

29 Yeshua’s followers responded, “Ah, now you’re speaking plainly and not using parables. 30 Finally we realise that you know everything already and don’t need to ask anyone else, and so we now believe that you came from God.”

31 “So now you all believe?” Yeshua answered. 32 “The time is coming and is here already when you will all be scattered in various directions and will leave me by myself, but I won’t be alone because the father is always with me. 33 I’ve told you these things so that you can all have peace in me. You will have troubles in this world, but be courageous because I have overcome the world.”