John 16:5 kjv
But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
John 16:5 nkjv
"But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, 'Where are You going?'
John 16:5 niv
but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'
John 16:5 esv
But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'
John 16:5 nlt
"But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going.
John 16 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 16:5 | "But now I am going to the one who sent me, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'" | John 16:5 (The verse itself) |
| John 14:26 | "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things..." | John 14:26 (Promise of the Helper/Spirit) |
| John 15:26 | "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me." | John 15:26 (Spirit testifying about Jesus) |
| John 16:7 | "But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." | John 16:7 (Reinforces the necessity of Jesus' departure) |
| John 16:13-14 | "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what’s yet to come." | John 16:13-14 (Spirit's role in guiding into truth) |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you..." | Acts 1:8 (Empowerment by the Spirit) |
| Romans 8:14 | "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God." | Romans 8:14 (Guidance by the Spirit) |
| 1 Corinthians 2:12 | "What we have received, we shall no longer receive the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may know the things that have been freely given to us by God." | 1 Cor 2:12 (Knowing God's gifts through the Spirit) |
| Ephesians 1:13-14 | "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit..." | Eph 1:13-14 (Spirit as a seal of salvation) |
| 1 John 2:27 | "As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things..." | 1 John 2:27 (The Spirit as teacher) |
| John 13:33 | "My children, I will be with you only for a little longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jewish leaders, so now I tell you: Where I am going, you cannot go." | John 13:33 (Jesus' initial statement about His departure) |
| Luke 24:49 | "I am going to send on you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." | Luke 24:49 (Instruction to wait for the Spirit) |
| Matthew 28:18-20 | "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" | Matt 28:18-20 (The Great Commission, empowered by the Spirit) |
| Acts 2:33 | "Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear." | Acts 2:33 (The Spirit poured out by the exalted Christ) |
| John 7:39 | "...the Holy Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified." | John 7:39 (The timing of the Spirit's giving) |
| John 20:21-22 | "Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" | John 20:21-22 (Jesus directly imparting the Spirit) |
| John 16:10 | "...about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, and you will see me no longer;" | John 16:10 (Jesus' going to the Father implies righteousness) |
| Isaiah 44:3 | "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and rivers on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants." | Isa 44:3 (Old Testament promise of Spirit outpouring) |
| Joel 2:28-29 | "'And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.'" | Joel 2:28-29 (Prophecy of widespread Spirit empowerment) |
| John 14:16-17 | "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth..." | John 14:16-17 (Another Advocate, the Spirit) |
John 16 verses
John 16 5 Meaning
Jesus explains that His departure is necessary for the Holy Spirit's arrival. Without Jesus leaving, the Spirit would not be sent to empower and guide the disciples. His physical absence paves the way for the Spirit's ongoing presence and work in believers.
John 16 5 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' farewell discourse to His disciples, recorded in John chapters 13-17. This discourse occurs during the Last Supper, just before Jesus' crucifixion. The disciples are troubled by Jesus' announcement that He will be leaving them. Jesus addresses their confusion and provides them with teachings about His departure, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and their future mission. Specifically, chapter 16 deals with the role and ministry of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing that Jesus’ physical absence is a prerequisite for the Spirit’s arrival. The historical context is that Jesus is preparing His closest followers for His impending death and ascension, and He is assuring them that they will not be left alone. The immediate disciples would have understood "going to the one who sent me" in a cultural context where apostles or messengers were sent by a sender, and their return or their mission's conclusion implied reporting back to the sender.
John 16 5 Word Analysis
- But (de): A conjunction indicating a contrast or a continuation of thought, often adversative. Here, it contrasts with the disciples' presumed misunderstanding or their previous state.
- now (nun): An adverb of time, indicating the present moment or a recent shift. It highlights the immediacy of Jesus' departure and the subsequent sending of the Spirit.
- I (egō): The first-person singular pronoun. Jesus emphasizes His own agency in His departure.
- am going (hypagō): Present tense of hypago (ὑπάγω), meaning to go away, depart, lead away. It signifies Jesus' deliberate departure, moving towards His Father. This was a departure from the earthly realm.
- to the one (eis ton): Preposition "eis" (εἰς) indicating motion towards, and the accusative masculine singular definite article "ton" (τόν). This points to a specific destination.
- who sent me (pemsas me): From pempo (πέμπω), meaning to send, dispatch, commission. It refers to God the Father as the one who commissioned Jesus, emphasizing Jesus' divine authority and mission. The aorist participle "pemsas" (πέμψας) highlights the past act of sending that underpins His present mission and departure.
- and (kai): A conjunction, connecting phrases or clauses. Here, it connects Jesus' going with the disciples' lack of questioning.
- none of you (oudeis ex hymōn): "Oudeis" (οὐδεὶς) means "not even one," "no one." "Ex" (ἐξ) means "from" or "out of." "Hymōn" (ὑμῶν) is the genitive plural of the second-person pronoun, meaning "of you." This emphasizes the disciples' collective failure to grasp the significance of His departure.
- asks (erōta): Present tense of erōtao (ἐρωτάω), meaning to ask, question, inquire. The present tense suggests a continuing state of non-asking, their inability or failure to pose the vital question.
- me (me): The accusative personal pronoun, first person singular.
- 'Where are you going?' (pou hypageis): "Pou" (ποῦ) is an interrogative adverb meaning "where." "Hypageis" (ὑπάγεις) is the second-person singular present active indicative of hypago (ὑπάγω), meaning "you are going." The disciples should have been asking this, indicating their lack of understanding.
Group of words analysis:
- "But now I am going to the one who sent me": This phrase establishes the divine imperative behind Jesus' departure. He is not merely leaving out of necessity but fulfilling a plan set in motion by God the Father. His return to the Father is central to His mission and the subsequent sending of the Holy Spirit.
- "and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'": This highlights the disciples' lack of comprehension. While they are distressed about Jesus leaving, they haven't asked the most fundamental question about the nature and destination of His departure, which would have unlocked their understanding of what was to follow.
John 16 5 Bonus Section
This verse echoes the disciples' bewilderment and the general confusion surrounding Jesus’ unique ministry, seen earlier when they failed to understand His spiritual kingdom concepts. His impending departure, a point of sorrow for them, is framed by Jesus as a precursor to a greater blessing—the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit would empower them far beyond what Jesus' physical presence alone could accomplish, enabling them to continue His mission on a global scale. The emphasis on the Father "sending" Jesus and Jesus now "going to the Father" reflects a cosmic sending and returning mission orchestrated within the Trinity. This sets the stage for the empowerment of believers in the Book of Acts and for the ongoing ministry of the Spirit throughout the church age.
John 16 5 Commentary
Jesus is making it clear that His physical departure from the earth is not an abandonment but a strategic move essential for the next phase of God's redemptive plan. The disciples are so focused on their loss that they fail to ask the pertinent questions about His destination. Jesus states this not as an accusation, but as an observation to prepare them. His going to the Father is the very condition for the sending of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who will continue His work among them. This emphasizes that God’s work isn't contingent on one visible manifestation but on the eternal processes of the Godhead. The disciples’ confusion stems from their earthly perspective, failing to grasp the spiritual realities Jesus is trying to convey.