John Chapter 16 verse 16 Holy Bible

ASV John 16:16

A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me.
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BBE John 16:16

After a little time you will see me no longer; and then again, after a little time, you will see me.
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DARBY John 16:16

A little while and ye do not behold me; and again a little while and ye shall see me, [because I go away to the Father].
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KJV John 16:16

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.
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WBT John 16:16


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WEB John 16:16

A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me."
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YLT John 16:16

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.'
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Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerses 16-24. - (c) The sorrow turned into joy. In these verses he approaches the final farewell, in which the whole body of the disciples are introduced as inwardly or among themselves perturbed by the special difficulty of the words. Before the Spirit can do all this, a separation must be experienced. Verse 16. - A little while. A phrase repeated seven times in this brief passage, emphatically encouraging his own disciples to rise above the limitations of time, and enjoy the habits of eternity. Ye behold me no more. The first puzzle of this utterance lies in this - that (John 14:19) he had told them that, though the world would see him no more, they would behold him in the power of the Spirit, and that they would moreover have adequate preparation for such spiritual beholding in the resurrection; yet now he says, "Ye behold me no more." True, he has associated this phrase already, in Ver. 10, with the conviction of the world touching true righteousness and his "going to the Father," so that henceforth he would be hidden in God; but now he increases the perplexity by adding, And again, a little while, and ye shall see me. The commentators differ greatly as to the reference, but (with Hengstenberg, Weiss, Stier, Westcott, Ebrard, Ewald) the most obvious explanation is that he is referring to the resurrection, which in itself would be in part a glorification of Christ, and which, from its entire method of manifestation to them, would prove a preparation for the spiritual sense of his continual presence. This was perfected at Pentecost, and will be completed when he shall come again in his glory.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(16) A little while, and ye shall not see me.--The better reading is, A little while, and ye no longer behold Me. For the sense, comp. Notes on John 14:18-19. The time here referred to is that between the moment of His speaking to them and His death.And again, a little while, and ye shall see me.--The time here referred to is the interval between His death and the Day of Pentecost. That the vision is to be understood of our Lord's presence in the person of the Paraclete (John 14:18-19), is confirmed by John 16:23. Note that in this clause the verb ("see") is different from that in the preceding clause ("behold"). The latter refers rather to the physical, and the former to the spiritual, vision. (Comp. John 20:6-8.)Because I go to the Father.--The majority of the better MSS. omit these words at this place. They have probably been inserted here from the end of the next verse. (Comp. Note there.)