John 16:32 kjv
Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
John 16:32 nkjv
Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
John 16:32 niv
"A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
John 16:32 esv
Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
John 16:32 nlt
But the time is coming ? indeed it's here now ? when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.
John 16 32 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Zech 13:7 | "Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the Man who is My Companion... Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered..." | Prophecy of the Shepherd being struck and sheep scattering. |
| Mt 26:31 | Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’” | Jesus applies Zech 13:7 to the disciples' scattering. |
| Mk 14:27 | And Jesus said to them, “All of you will be offended because of Me this night, for it is written, ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’” | Mark's account of Jesus foretelling their scattering. |
| Jn 16:33 | These 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.” | Immediate context: Peace despite tribulation and overcoming. |
| Jn 8:29 | And He who sent Me is with Me; the Father has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” | Jesus affirms the Father's constant presence earlier. |
| Jn 14:18 | “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” | Assurance of divine presence for disciples, though different form. |
| Heb 13:5 | Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.” | God's promise not to forsake His own. |
| Dt 31:6 | “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” | God's enduring presence with His people. |
| Ps 22:1-2 | My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; and by night, but I have no rest. | Christ's cry on the cross, an experience of apparent (not actual) separation from the Father. |
| Isa 41:10 | ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ | God's comforting presence during tribulation. |
| Phil 2:6-8 | Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant... He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Jesus' humiliation, including seeming abandonment by disciples. |
| Lk 22:48-54 | But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”... But they seized Him... Then seizing Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest. But Peter was following at a distance. | Depiction of the actual scattering and Peter's limited presence. |
| Mk 14:50 | And they all left Him and fled. | Direct description of the disciples' desertion. |
| Acts 1:8 | but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses... to the remotest part of the earth.” | Later empowering after their initial scattering. |
| 2 Tim 4:16-17 | At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me... | Paul's experience mirroring Christ's desertion and God's presence. |
| Jn 10:30 | “I and the Father are one.” | Core statement of unity between Jesus and the Father. |
| Isa 50:7 | For the Lord GOD helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. | Prophetic trust in God's help amidst suffering. |
| Ps 27:10 | For my father and my mother have forsaken me, But the LORD will take me up. | Assurance of God's adoption/care despite human abandonment. |
| Lk 24:10-12 | Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wraps only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. | Illustrates the disciples' scattered and disbelief state after resurrection news. |
| Mt 26:56 | But all this has taken place to fulfill the scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled. | Directly linking the desertion to prophetic fulfillment. |
John 16 verses
John 16 32 Meaning
In John 16:32, Jesus addresses His disciples, who have just confidently proclaimed their belief. He prophesies an imminent event: the "hour" when they will abandon Him, scattering to their own homes and leaving Him seemingly alone. Despite this predicted desertion and vulnerability, Jesus immediately assures them that He will not truly be alone, for the Father is always with Him. This declaration foreshadows His impending arrest, trial, and crucifixion, highlighting both the human frailty of His followers and His unbroken divine communion during His deepest suffering. It emphasizes His awareness of the trials to come and His reliance on the Father.
John 16 32 Context
John 16:32 is situated within Jesus' Farewell Discourse to His disciples, spanning Chapters 13-17 of John's Gospel. This section is Jesus' intimate teaching to His closest followers on the eve of His crucifixion. In chapter 16 specifically, Jesus prepares His disciples for His departure, warning them of the persecution they will face after He is gone (Jn 16:1-4), and explaining the necessity and benefit of His return to the Father and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:5-15). He speaks of His imminent departure and return to them in terms of "a little while" (Jn 16:16-19), which bewilders them.
The immediate verses leading up to 16:32 (Jn 16:25-31) show the disciples finally claiming a clearer understanding, confessing, "Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came forth from God" (Jn 16:30). Their confidence is perhaps a bit overzealous, or at least premature, as Jesus gently challenges their current level of faith. Verse 32 is His immediate prophetic response, indicating that despite their present declaration of faith, their loyalty will soon be tested and they will falter. Historically, Jewish teachers valued discipleship, and desertion was a profound act of unfaithfulness. Jesus’ foreknowledge and acceptance of this human failure, juxtaposed with His own unwavering divine companionship with the Father, demonstrates His sovereignty and unique relationship with God, while pre-emptively validating the divine plan even through human weakness. There isn't a direct polemic, but rather a corrective foresight that transcends typical human expectations of loyalty and prophetic declarations of divine strength.
John 16 32 Word analysis
- Behold (ἰδοὺ, idou): An interjection used to draw attention to something remarkable, significant, or unexpected. It functions like "look!" or "indeed!" here, emphasizing the solemnity and certainty of the prediction Jesus is about to make. It calls the disciples to acknowledge a truth that will soon manifest.
- hour (ὥρα, hōra): More than a mere chronological moment, "the hour" in John's Gospel frequently refers to a climactic, divinely appointed time of significant spiritual event, especially Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection. It signifies the predetermined moment of God's plan for redemption to unfold through Christ's suffering.
- is coming: Indicates the immediate proximity and certainty of this significant event, not just a distant possibility.
- indeed it has come: A shift from "is coming" to "has come," indicating its virtual reality and divine certainty. The event is so close and assured in God's plan that Jesus speaks of it as already unfolding or settled.
- you will be scattered (σκορπισθῆτε, skorpisthēte): From skorpizō, meaning to disperse, to strew about, to scatter abroad. This is a prophetic echo, fulfilling Zechariah 13:7 where the sheep scatter after the shepherd is struck. It accurately predicts the disciples' flight from Gethsemane during Jesus' arrest, emphasizing their disarray and abandonment of Him. It denotes a loss of unity, direction, and purpose among them in that crucial moment.
- each to his own (ἕκαστος εἰς τὰ ἴδια, hekastos eis ta idia): Signifies a retreat to their private spheres, homes, or familiar places, indicating a dispersal motivated by fear and self-preservation, abandoning their collective purpose and the Lord. It highlights their disarray and preoccupation with personal safety rather than steadfast devotion.
- and will leave me alone (κἀμὲ μόνον ἀφήσετε, kame monon aphēsete): "Alone" (monon) signifies the complete abandonment by His closest followers. Despite their prior declarations of allegiance, Jesus predicts this profound isolation during His darkest hour, highlighting the depth of His human experience of suffering and rejection.
- yet I am not alone (καὶ οὐκ εἰμὶ μόνος, kai ouk eimi monos): This stands in stark contrast to the preceding phrase. It’s a powerful theological affirmation, immediately countering the picture of human desertion. Jesus' physical abandonment by His disciples does not translate into spiritual abandonment by God.
- because the Father is with Me (ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἐστιν, hoti ho patēr met' emou estin): This is the profound resolution and core truth. Jesus' constant, unwavering fellowship with the Father sustains Him through His deepest trials. It speaks to the inseparable unity of the Father and the Son, foundational to Trinitarian doctrine. It means Jesus is never truly isolated, regardless of human desertion, for He perfectly fulfills the Father’s will and experiences constant divine presence.
John 16 32 Bonus section
The prediction of the disciples scattering fulfills the ancient prophecy of Zechariah 13:7 ("Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered"), revealing God’s overarching sovereign plan unfolding through human events. This act of "abandonment" by the disciples paradoxically confirms Jesus' identity as the prophesied Shepherd and Son of God who walks willingly into His predetermined suffering. Furthermore, the stark contrast between human desertion and divine companionship highlights the unique nature of Jesus' identity—fully human in experiencing abandonment, yet fully divine in maintaining unbroken communion with God. This verse also serves to mitigate the future guilt and shame of the disciples, reminding them that their failure was known and accounted for in the divine plan, yet Jesus' mission remained unhindered due to the Father's constant presence. This pre-empting of their remorse and affirming His reliance on the Father exemplifies His profound grace.
John 16 32 Commentary
John 16:32 encapsulates Jesus' profound foresight, unwavering reliance on the Father, and sober understanding of human frailty. The disciples, having just affirmed their faith, are gently confronted with the reality of their impending failure—their scattering and abandonment of Him in His time of deepest need. This prediction serves multiple purposes: it demonstrates Jesus’ omniscient awareness of all things, even their future actions, reinforcing His divine authority. It prepares them for their future shame and confusion, showing them that He knew and loved them despite their weaknesses, and provides comfort afterward that their desertion did not catch Him by surprise or undermine His ultimate mission.
Crucially, Jesus shifts from their desertion to His constant communion with the Father. Though His human companions will flee, His divine companion will remain. This highlights the unique, indissoluble bond between the Father and the Son, providing Jesus with the strength and reassurance needed to face the cross. His dependence on the Father is absolute, rendering human abandonment inconsequential to His mission's ultimate success. This truth underscores that Christ’s victory over the world (Jn 16:33) is not predicated on human faithfulness, but on divine unity and resolve. It also distinguishes between a physical separation and a spiritual communion, revealing that true companionship comes from God.