John 16:29-32

16:29 His disciples said, “Look, now you are speaking plainly ¹  and not in obscure figures of speech! ²  16:30 Now we know that you know everything ³  and do not need anyone ⁴  to ask you anything. ⁵  Because of this ⁶  we believe that you have come from God.”

16:31 Jesus replied, ⁷  “Do you now believe? 16:32 Look, a time ⁸  is coming – and has come – when you will be scattered, each one to his own home, ⁹  and I will be left alone. ¹⁰  Yet ¹¹  I am not alone, because my Father ¹²  is with me.

[16:29]  ¹ tn Or “openly.”

[16:29]  ² tn Or “not in parables.” or “not in metaphors.”

[16:30]  ³ tn Grk “all things.”

[16:30]  ⁴ tn Grk “and have no need of anyone.”

[16:30]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Or “By this.”

[16:31]  ⁷ tn Grk “Jesus answered them.”

[16:32]  ⁸ tn Grk “an hour.”

[16:32]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ tn Grk “And” (but with some contrastive force).

[16:32]  ¹² tn Grk “the Father.”