# John 16.16-17

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 14. <span class="rl-speech">He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare it unto you.</span>
>
> **16. <span class="rl-speech">A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me.</span> 17. Some of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, <span class="rl-speech">A little while, and ye behold me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?</span>**
>
> 18. They said therefore, What is this that he saith, <span class="rl-speech">A little while? We know not what he saith.</span> 19. Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me?</span> (John 16:14-19, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 14. <span class="rl-speech">He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">All things whatever the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine, and will declare it to you.</span>
>
> **16. <span class="rl-speech">A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.”</span> 17. Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, <span class="rl-speech">‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me;’ and, ‘Because I go to the Father’</span>?”**
>
> 18. They said therefore, “What is this that he says, <span class="rl-speech">‘A little while’? We don’</span>t know what he is saying.” 19. Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?’</span> (John 16:14-19, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 14. <span class="rl-speech">He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.</span>
>
> **16. <span class="rl-speech">A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.</span> 17. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, <span class="rl-speech">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?</span>**
>
> 18. They said therefore, What is this that he saith, <span class="rl-speech">A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.</span> 19. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?</span> (John 16:14-19, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 14. <span class="rl-speech">He will glorify me, because of mine He will take, and will tell to you.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">'All things, as many as the Father hath, are mine; because of this I said, That of mine He will take, and will tell to you;</span>
>
> **16. <span class="rl-speech">a little while, and ye do not behold me, and again a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go away unto the Father.'</span> 17. Therefore said [some] of his disciples one to another, 'What is this that he saith to us, <span class="rl-speech">A little while, and ye do not behold me, and again a little while, and ye shall see me, and, Because I go away unto the Father?'</span>**
>
> 18. they said then, 'What is this he saith, <span class="rl-speech">the little while? we have not known what he saith.'</span> 19. Jesus, therefore, knew that they were wishing to ask him, and he said to them, <span class="rl-speech">'Concerning this do ye seek one with another, because I said, A little while, and you do not behold me, and again a little while, and ye shall see me?</span> (John 16:14-19, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G3962 - pater](/codex/g3962-pater/), *pater* (Strong's G3962). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.48](/codex/matthew-5-48/), [Matthew 6.25-26](/codex/matthew-6-25-26/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).
- [G4314 - pros](/codex/g4314-pros/), *pros* (Strong's G4314). Also appears in: [Matthew 3.13](/codex/matthew-3-13/), [Matthew 5.28](/codex/matthew-5-28/), [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 16.1-33](/codex/john-16-1-33/)

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