John 16:17 kjv
Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
John 16:17 nkjv
Then some of His disciples said among themselves, "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, 'because I go to the Father'?"
John 16:17 niv
At this, some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?"
John 16:17 esv
So 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, 'because I am going to the Father'?"
John 16:17 nlt
Some of the disciples asked each other, "What does he mean when he says, 'In a little while you won't see me, but then you will see me,' and 'I am going to the Father'?
John 16 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 15:18 | "If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you." | Fulfillment/Echoes Jesus' statement |
| John 15:20 | "Remember my word that I said to you..." | Connection to previous instruction |
| John 17:14 | "I have given them your word, and the world has hated them..." | Jesus' prayer for disciples' protection |
| Acts 7:51 | "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit." | World's resistance to God's work |
| Rom 8:7 | "For the carnal mind is enmity against God..." | Nature of worldly opposition |
| 2 Tim 3:12 | "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." | Universal promise of persecution |
| 1 Peter 4:12 | "Do not marvel, my beloved, at the fiery trial which is to try you..." | Expecting hardship |
| 1 John 3:13 | "Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you." | Repetition and emphasis |
| Matt 10:22 | "And you will be hated by all for my name's sake..." | Parallel teaching |
| Matt 5:10-12 | "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake..." | Beatitudes about persecution |
| John 16:33 | "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation." | Final reassurance of peace amidst tribulation |
| Luke 6:22 | "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you..." | Beatitudes about persecution |
| Mark 13:13 | "But he who endures to the end shall be saved." | Perseverance in the face of hatred |
| Acts 14:22 | "...confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.'" | Disciples exhorted to endure suffering |
| Gal 1:10 | "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men?" | Commitment to pleasing God over men |
| Eph 6:12 | "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities..." | Spiritual basis for conflict |
| Phil 1:29 | "to you it has been granted for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake," | Suffering as a granted privilege |
| Col 1:24 | "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up, in my flesh, what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ..." | Identification with Christ's sufferings |
| Heb 12:2-3 | "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross..." | Christ's example in suffering |
| Rev 7:14 | "...'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation...'" | Those who endure tribulation |
| Rev 13:7 | "It was granted to it to make war with the saints and to overcome them." | Authority to afflict believers |
John 16 verses
John 16 17 Meaning
Jesus tells His disciples that the world will hate them because they belong to Him and are not of the world. This rejection stems from their separation from worldly ways and their association with Christ, who the world opposed and rejected. The disciples' suffering for Christ is a direct result of their identification with Him.
John 16 17 Context
This verse is spoken by Jesus to His disciples during His farewell discourse, recorded in the Upper Room just before His arrest and crucifixion. The preceding chapters (John 13-17) deal with Jesus' final teachings and prayers for His disciples. In chapter 15, Jesus uses the analogy of the vine and the branches to explain their relationship with Him and the inevitable persecution they will face from the world because they are united to Him. Chapter 16 continues this theme, preparing them for the hostility they will encounter, both from external sources and even from their own communities. The disciples are to expect rejection, false accusation, and sorrow, but Jesus promises them future joy and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
Historically, the early church did indeed face significant persecution from both Jewish authorities and the Roman Empire, often due to their exclusive worship of Christ and refusal to participate in societal practices deemed idolatrous. The disciples, and those who followed them, were seen as separate and often disruptive to the established order.
John 16 17 Word Analysis
- OTI (Gk: "houtōs") - "Thus" or "So." This connects the statement directly to what Jesus has just explained in the previous verses concerning His departure and the coming of the Helper. It signifies that "because of these things," the world's hatred will occur.
- Kosmos (Gk: "kosmos") - "World." In Johannine literature, "world" often refers not just to the physical earth or humanity, but specifically to the godless, rebellious system of humanity alienated from God, opposed to God's kingdom, and hostile towards God's people. It represents the sphere of sin and Satan's influence.
- Misen (Gk: "misei") - "Hates." This is a strong verb indicating intense dislike or aversion. It’s not merely disapproval but active opposition and hostility.
- Hymas (Gk: "hyma") - "You" (plural). Refers to the disciples Jesus is addressing.
- Hoti (Gk: "hoti") - "Because." Introduces the reason for the world's hatred.
- Proton (Gk: "prōton") - "First." Indicates a temporal or sequential order.
- Emē (Gk: "emou") - "Me." Referring to Jesus Christ.
- Misein (Gk: "misein") - "Hated." This is the aorist infinitive of miseō, continuing the thought of active hatred, emphasizing that the world's hatred for the disciples is a direct extension of its hatred for Jesus.
- Pro (Gk: "pro") - "Before."
- Hymōn (Gk: "hymōn") - "You" (plural). This phrase "hated me before it hated you" establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship, showing that the world's opposition to the disciples is a consequence of their identification with Christ.
Phrase/Group Analysis:
- "Thus the world hates you": This is a declarative statement and a future certainty. It establishes the reality of persecution as an unavoidable aspect of following Christ. The "world," in its godless state, will naturally oppose what reflects God and Christ.
- "because it hated me before it hated you": This is the core justification for the disciples' suffering. The world rejected and crucified Jesus because His purity and divine message exposed its sinfulness. Since the disciples are united to Jesus (as branches to the vine, John 15:5), they too will bear the mark of that opposition. Their belonging to Christ makes them targets for the same animosity directed at Him. This also serves as a comfort, positioning their suffering as shared with their Master.
John 16 17 Bonus Section
The term "world" (kosmos) in John's Gospel carries significant theological weight. It often represents a fallen humanity, estranged from God, characterized by pride, rebellion, and a resistance to divine truth. This fallen system, empowered by the devil ("the ruler of this world," John 12:31), is inherently opposed to Christ and His followers. The disciples' calling is to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:14-16). This separation creates a tension that inevitably leads to conflict. The disciples are commissioned to go and make disciples of all nations, actively engaging the world, but they do so with the foreknowledge that their message and lifestyle will be met with resistance, mirroring Christ's own reception.
John 16 17 Commentary
Jesus' words in John 16:17 offer both a solemn warning and profound encouragement. He assures His disciples that the hatred they will face is not personal but reflective of the world's deep-seated antagonism toward Christ Himself. This shared experience of rejection is a sign of their true discipleship. The world hates the disciples because they are set apart from its sinful ways and bear the unmistakable resemblance of Christ. This enmity is an external manifestation of an internal reality: the world's spiritual rebellion against God. For the disciples, this means that enduring suffering for Christ's name is an expected part of their walk, not an anomaly. Understanding this helps believers today to rightly interpret and persevere through the opposition they may encounter in a world that often prioritizes secular values over divine ones.
- Believers should not be surprised by opposition.
- Persecution for Christ is a mark of genuine discipleship.
- The strength to endure comes from Christ.