John 16:28-33

16:28 I came from the Father and entered into the world, but in turn, ¹  I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” ² 

16:29 His disciples said, “Look, now you are speaking plainly ³  and not in obscure figures of speech! ⁴  16:30 Now we know that you know everything ⁵  and do not need anyone ⁶  to ask you anything. ⁷  Because of this ⁸  we believe that you have come from God.”

16:31 Jesus replied, ⁹  “Do you now believe? 16:32 Look, a time ¹⁰  is coming – and has come – when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, ¹¹  and I will be left alone. ¹²  Yet ¹³  I am not alone, because my Father ¹⁴  is with me. 16:33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble and suffering, ¹⁵  but take courage ¹⁶  – I have conquered the world.” ¹⁷ 

[16:28]  ¹ tn Or “into the world; again.” Here πάλιν (palin) functions as a marker of contrast, with the implication of a sequence.

[16:28]  ² sn The statement I am leaving the world and going to the Father is a summary of the entire Gospel of John. It summarizes the earthly career of the Word made flesh, Jesus of Nazareth, on his mission from the Father to be the Savior of the world, beginning with his entry into the world as he came forth from God and concluding with his departure from the world as he returned to the Father.

[16:29]  ³ tn Or “openly.”

[16:29]  ⁴ tn Or “not in parables.” or “not in metaphors.”

[16:30]  ⁵ tn Grk “all things.”

[16:30]  ⁶ tn Grk “and have no need of anyone.”

[16:30]  ⁷ tn The word “anything” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[16:30]  ⁸ tn Or “By this.”

[16:31]  ⁹ tn Grk “Jesus answered them.”

[16:32]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “an hour.”

[16:32]  ¹¹ tn Grk “each one to his own”; the word “home” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The phrase “each one to his own” may be completed in a number of different ways: “each one to his own property”; “each one to his own family”; or “each one to his own home.” The last option seems to fit most easily into the context and so is used in the translation.

[16:32]  ¹² sn The proof of Jesus’ negative evaluation of the disciples’ faith is now given: Jesus foretells their abandonment of him at his arrest, trials, and crucifixion (I will be left alone). This parallels the synoptic accounts in Matt 26:31 and Mark 14:27 when Jesus, after the last supper and on the way to Gethsemane, foretold the desertion of the disciples as a fulfillment of Zech 13:7: “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” Yet although the disciples would abandon Jesus, he reaffirmed that he was not alone, because the Father was still with him.

[16:32]  ¹³ tn Grk “And” (but with some contrastive force).

[16:32]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “the Father.”

[16:33]  ¹⁵ tn The one Greek term θλῖψις (qliyis) has been translated by an English hendiadys (two terms that combine for one meaning) “trouble and suffering.” For modern English readers “tribulation” is no longer clearly understandable.

[16:33]  ¹⁶ tn Or “but be courageous.”

[16:33]  ¹⁷ tn Or “I am victorious over the world,” or “I have overcome the world.”