John 16:17 cpdv — Then some of his disciples said to one another: “What is this, that he is saying to us: ‘A little while, and you will n…

Catholic Public Domain Version

"Then some of his disciples said to one another: “What is this, that he is saying to us: ‘A little while, and you will not see me,’ and ‘Again a little while, and you will see me,’ and, ‘For I am going to the Father?’ ” "

— John 16:17, Catholic Public Domain Version

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John 16:17 in Other Translations

7 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, 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?”

  • ASV

    “Some of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, 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? ”

  • WEB

    “Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, '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?'"”

  • NET

    “Then some of his disciples said to one another,“What is the meaning of what he is saying,‘In a little while you will not see me; again after a little while, you will see me,’ and,‘because I am going to the Father’?””

  • DRB

    “Then some of his disciples said one to another: What is this that he saith to us: A little while, and you shall not see me: and again a little while, and you shall see me, and, Because I go to the Father?”

  • BBE

    “So some of the disciples said one to another, What is this he is saying, After a little time, you will see me no longer; and then again, after a little time, you will see me? and, I am going to the Father?”

  • KJVA

    “Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, 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?”

John 16 — Context

14

He shall glorify me. For he will receive from what is mine, and he will announce it to you.

15

All things whatsoever that the Father has are mine. For this reason, I said that he will receive from what is mine and that he will announce it to you.

16

A little while, and then you will not see me. And again a little while, and you will see me. For I am going to the Father.”

17

Then some of his disciples said to one another: “What is this, that he is saying to us: ‘A little while, and you will not see me,’ and ‘Again a little while, and you will see me,’ and, ‘For I am going to the Father?’ ”

18

And they said: “What is this, that he is saying, ‘A little while?’ We do not understand what he is saying.”

19

But Jesus realized that they wanted to question him, and so he said to them: “Are you inquiring among yourselves about this, that I said: ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?’

20

Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall mourn and weep, but the world will rejoice. And you shall be greatly saddened, yet your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

John 16:17 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does John 16:17 say?
John 16:17 in the Catholic Public Domain Version reads: “Then some of his disciples said to one another: “What is this, that he is saying to us: ‘A little while, and you will not see me,’ and ‘Again a little while, and you will see me,’ and, ‘For I am going to the Father?’ ” ”
Where is John 16:17 in the Bible?
John 16:17 is found in the New Testament, in the book of John, chapter 16, verse 17.
Who wrote John?
John is traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, son of Zebedee. It was written c. AD 85–95.
What is the book of John about?
John's Gospel opens not in Bethlehem but "in the beginning," declaring Jesus to be the eternal Word made flesh. Through seven sign-miracles and seven "I AM" sayings, it presents Jesus as the bread, the light, the way, and the resurrection — that we might believe and have life in his name.
What are the major themes of John?
John explores themes including Word Made Flesh, Belief, Eternal Life, I AM, Love. These themes shape the meaning and context of John 16:17.
What translation should I read John 16:17 in?
John 16:17 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize John 16:17?
John 16:17 reads (CPDV): “Then some of his disciples said to one another: “What is this, that he is saying to us: ‘A little while, and you will not see me,’ and ‘Again a little while, and you will see me,’ and, ‘For I am going to the Father?’ ” ” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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