John 16 18

John 16:18 kjv

They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

John 16:18 nkjv

They said therefore, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is saying."

John 16:18 niv

They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."

John 16:18 esv

So they were saying, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about."

John 16:18 nlt

And what does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand."

John 16 verses

John 16 18 Meaning

John 16:18 describes the disciples' open bewilderment and discussion amongst themselves regarding Jesus' paradoxical statements. They were specifically perplexed by His seemingly contradictory phrases: "a little while, and you will not see Me," followed by, "and again a little while, and you will see Me." Their confusion stemmed from a lack of understanding of the spiritual realities Jesus was describing – His imminent death, brief burial, and subsequent resurrection and return to them, all compressed within what He called "a little while."

John 16 18 Context

John 16:18 is situated within Jesus' Farewell Discourse (John 13-17), delivered to His disciples in the Upper Room just before His crucifixion. Chapter 16, specifically, focuses on preparing them for His physical absence and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Jesus warns them of future persecution, assures them of the Spirit's role in revealing truth and convicting the world, and then returns to the theme of His departure and return. Verse 16 contains Jesus' initial puzzling statements about "a little while," which directly precedes verse 18 where the disciples articulate their profound confusion. The historical context for the original audience, particularly the Jewish disciples, was deeply rooted in expectations of an earthly Messiah who would establish an immediate, tangible kingdom and reign permanently. Jesus' talk of departure, invisibility, and then a mysterious reappearance, while couched in vague terms of "a little while," directly contradicted their conventional understanding of messianic glory and continuous presence. Their confusion reflects this cultural and theological disconnect between their expectations and Jesus' spiritual reality of death, resurrection, and ascension.

John 16 18 Word analysis

• Therefore (οὖν - oun): Connective particle. Links the disciples' bewilderment directly to Jesus' statements in John 16:16-17. It shows their response as a logical (though confused) follow-up.
• they were saying (ἔλεγον - elegon): Imperfect tense of legō. Indicates continuous, ongoing conversation or muttering among themselves. Not a singular moment, but an extended state of discussion born out of perplexity.
• What is this that He says (Τί ἐστιν τοῦτο ὃ λέγει - Ti estin touto ho legei): A direct, rhetorical question expressing utter confusion and incomprehension. It reveals their struggle to grasp the meaning of Jesus' words, seeing them as opaque riddles rather than clear instructions.
• ‘A little while’ (μικρὸν - mikron): Greek adjective meaning "small," "brief," or "short in duration." It functions here as a substantive adverb. This phrase is key to their confusion because it's used to describe both His immediate departure (death) and His reappearance (resurrection/post-resurrection appearances). The disciples could not reconcile these swift changes within a short timeframe, especially considering their expectation of an enduring Messiah.
  • First instance ("A little while," and "You will not see Me"): Refers to the interval between the discourse and Jesus' death and burial. Not seeing refers to His physical absence from them.
  • Second instance ("and ‘again a little while,’ and ‘You will see Me’?"): Refers to the interval between His burial and His resurrection, leading to His physical reappearance to them. Seeing Me refers to their joyous reunion with the resurrected Christ.
• You will not see Me (οὐ θεωρεῖτέ με - ou theōreite me): From theōreō, which implies an observant, continuous, often perceptive type of seeing. This isn't just a glance, but a more sustained observation. Their inability to "perceive" or "observe" Him signifies His physical departure and absence from their immediate sight.
• You will see Me (καὶ ὄψεσθέ με - kai opsesthe me): From horaō (future tense, opsomai). Generally, horaō refers to seeing in a more general sense, to behold or perceive with the eyes. Here, it promises a direct, physical experience of seeing Him again, specifically after His resurrection. The shift in Greek verbs for "seeing" here is noteworthy, though not necessarily implying a radically different kind of seeing; both refer to physical sight but perhaps emphasize different aspects – the first more continuous, the second more focused on the event of perceiving.

Word-groups analysis:

• "What is this that He says, 'A little while,' and 'You will not see Me'; and 'again a little while,' and 'You will see Me'?": This entire direct quote of their confusion vividly demonstrates their literal, concrete understanding versus Jesus' impending spiritual realities. They meticulously recount Jesus' words, highlighting their exact point of perplexity. The phrases form a deliberate chiasm in Jesus' teaching that intensifies their struggle for meaning, moving from brief departure/absence to brief interval/presence.

John 16 18 Bonus section

The repeated motif of "a little while" in this chapter (Jn 16:16, 17, 18, 19) is a significant Johannine literary device. It emphasizes the compression of momentous events – Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection – into a period that, from an eternal perspective, is exceedingly brief, though to human perception it might feel agonizingly long or incomprehensible. This tension between divine time and human experience is crucial to understanding the disciples' struggle. Furthermore, the disciples' discussion among themselves rather than directly with Jesus at this point indicates a hesitation or an internal struggle before one of them eventually articulates their thoughts in John 16:19. This recurring theme of misunderstanding followed by revelation or deeper teaching is characteristic of John's Gospel, highlighting Jesus' patient instruction.

John 16 18 Commentary

John 16:18 provides a window into the disciples' genuine human bewilderment concerning Jesus' eschatological and immediate future plans. Their collective questioning, prompted by Jesus' statements in verse 16, underscores their continued inability to grasp the concept of His imminent death, resurrection, and subsequent ascension to the Father. They were still largely focused on an earthly, continuous reign of the Messiah, rendering Jesus' talk of vanishing and reappearing within short "whiles" utterly contradictory to their established messianic hopes. This passage serves as a stark reminder of the limitations of human understanding when faced with divine revelation that challenges preconceived notions. Their confusion was real and deep, but it paved the way for the Spirit's eventual clarification, turning their sorrow into uncontainable joy after the resurrection. Their question isn't born of skepticism but sincere perplexity, a need for greater light that would ultimately be granted.