Chapter 16

'These things I have spoken to you in order to clear stumbling-blocks out of your path.

You will be excluded from the synagogues; nay more, the time is coming when any one who has murdered one of you will suppose he is offering service to God.

And they will do these things because they have failed to recognize the Father and to discover who I am.

But I have spoken these things to you in order that when the time for their accomplishment comes you may remember them, and may recollect that I told you. I did not, however, tell you all this at first, because I was still with you.

But now I an returning to Him who sent me; and not one of you asks me where I am going.

But grief has filled your hearts because I have said all this to you.

'Yet it is the truth that I am telling you--it is to your advantage that I go away. For unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

And He, when He comes, will convict the world in respect of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; --

of sin, because they do not believe in me;

of righteousness, because I am going to the Father, and you will no longer see me;

of judgement, because the Prince of this world is under sentence.

'I have much more to say to you, but you are unable at present to bear the burden of it.

But when He has come--the Spirit of Truth--He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak as Himself originating what He says, but all that He hears He will speak, and He will make known the future to you.

He will glorify me, because He will take of what is mine and will make it known to you.

Everything that the Father has is mine; that is why I said that the Spirit of Truth takes of what is mine and will make it known to you.

'A little while and you see me no more, and again a little while and you shall see me.'

Some of His disciples therefore said to one another, 'What does this mean which He is telling us, 'A little while and you do not see me, and again a little while and you shall see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?'

So they asked one another repeatedly, 'What can that 'little while' mean which He speaks of? We do not understand His words.'

Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask Him, and He said, 'Is this what you are questioning one another about--my saying, 'A little while and you do not see me, and again a little while and you shall see me'?

In most solemn truth I tell you that you will weep aloud and lament, but the world will be glad. You will mourn, but your grief will be turned into gladness.

A woman, when she is in labour, has sorrow, because her time has come. But when she has given birth to the babe, she no longer remembers the pain, because of her joy at a child being born into the world.

So you also now have sorrow; but I shall see you again, and your hearts will be glad, and your gladness no one will take away from you.

You will put no questions to me then. 'In most solemn truth I tell you that whatever you ask the Father for in my name He will give you.

As yet you have not asked for anything in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your hearts may be filled with gladness.

'All this I have spoken to you in veiled language. The time is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in veiled language, but will tell you about the Father in plain words.

At that time you will make your requests in my name; and I do not promise to ask the Father on your behalf,

for the Father Himself holds you dear, because you have held me dear and have believed that I came from the Father's presence.

I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.'

'Ah, now you are using plain language,' said His disciples, 'and are uttering no figure of speech!

Now we know that you have all knowledge, and do not need to be pressed with questions. Through this we believe that you came from God.'

'Do you at last believe?' replied Jesus.

'Remember that the time is coming, nay, has already come, for you all to be dispersed each to his own home and to leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.

'I have spoken all this to you in order that in me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction. But keep up your courage: *I* have won the victory over the world.'