God's New Bible

The Gospel According to St. John

⭑ Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 16 -

(Acts 23:12–22)
1
I told you these things so that you would not stumble or stop trusting in me because of the difficulties you must face.
2
Difficult days are ahead. Your enemies will stop you from worshiping in the synagogues. However, something even worse will happen. The days are coming when people will put you to death and think that they are pleasing God.
3
They will do this because they have not known the Father or me.
4
I have told you these things so that at the time when these hardships come, you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you these things at the beginning because I was with you then.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

(John 14:15–26)
5
“Now I am going back to the Father. He is the one who sent me. Yet none of you dares to ask me, ‘Where are you going?’
6
Because I have said these things to you, now sorrow has filled up your hearts.
7
I tell you the truth, it is good for you that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Helper who comforts you will not come. If I go away, I will send him to you.
8
When the Helper comes, he will convict them of the sins they have committed; he will show them that they do not reach God’s standard of goodness; and he promises them that God will judge them because they did what God commanded them not to do.
9
Their guilt from sin comes because they could not put their trust in me.
10
Their failure to measure up to God’s standard of goodness is confirmed because I am going back to my Father, and you will no longer see me.
11
Their final accounting will come when God brings his punishment against them for their sin. This is shown by the punishment that Satan, the prince of this world, will receive because he fought against God.
12
I have many more things I want to tell you. However, if I tell you now, you will not be able to live well knowing these things.
13
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will lead you into all the truth you need to know. He will not speak from his own authority, but whatever he hears he will tell you, and he will tell you ahead of time about things that will happen.
14
The Spirit will honor me by telling you who I am and showing you what I have done. He will explain to you everything he heard from me.
15
Everything my Father has belongs to me. That is why I said that the Spirit will take whatever he receives from me and will explain it to you.
16
In a little while, you will not see me. Then after a little while, you will see me again.”

Grief Will Turn to Joy

17
So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does Jesus mean when he says to us, ‘In a little while, you will not see me,’ and ‘after a little while, you will see me again’ and what does he mean by ‘because I am going back to my Father’?”
18
They kept asking, “What does he mean by saying, ‘after a little while’? We do not understand what he is saying.”
19
Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him more questions. So he said to the disciples, “Why are you asking each other what I meant? I said that in a little while, you would not see me; and then after a little while, you would see me again.
20
I am telling you the truth: You will cry and grieve, but those who belong to this world will rejoice. You will go through great sadness, but your sadness will turn into joy.
21
This is like a woman who is suffering the pains of labor when giving birth. After her baby is born, she forgets her anguish because of the joy she has that her child has been born into the world.
22
You, like her, have sorrow now, but I will see you again and God will give you great joy, joy no one can take from you.

Ask in My Name

(Matthew 18:19–20)
23
On that day, you will have no more questions to ask me. I am telling you the truth: Whatever you ask the Father, he will give it to you when you ask because you are joined to me.
24
Up until now, you have not asked for anything like that. Ask and you will receive it, and God will give you such joy that fills everything.
25
I have been speaking these things using language of parables and riddles, but there will soon be a time when I will no longer use that kind of language. Instead, I will tell you all about my Father in language that you can clearly understand.
26
At that time you will make your requests to God in my name and according to God’s purposes. I will not have to ask the Father to meet your needs,
27
for the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have put your trust in me and because you know that I came from God.
28
I came from the Father, and I entered this world. Now I am leaving this world, and I am going back to the Father.”
29
Then his disciples said, “Finally! Now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative language.
30
Now we understand that you know everything. There is no need to ask you questions. This is why we gave you our trust, and we know for certain that you came from God.”
31
Jesus replied to them, “Do you now finally put your trust in me?
32
Look! The time is coming when others will scatter you everywhere! Each one will go toward his own home, and you will leave me. However, I will not be alone because the Father is always with me.
33
I have told you these things so you may have peace in me. In the world you have trials and sorrows, but be brave! I have conquered the world!”
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(Acts 23:12–22)
1
“I have said these things to you so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble.
2
They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.
3
They will do these things (a) because they have not known the Father nor me.
4
But I have told you these things so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

(John 14:15–26)
5
But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
6
But because I have told you these things, sorrow has filled your heart.
7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
8
When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment;
9
about sin, because they don’t believe in me;
10
about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more;
11
about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.
12
“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now.
13
However, when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.
14
He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and will declare it to you.
15
All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes (b) of mine and will declare it to you.
16
“A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.”

Grief Will Turn to Joy

17
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’?”
18
They said therefore, “What is this that he says, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he is saying.”
19
Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, “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’?
20
Most certainly I tell you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
21
A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn’t remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world.
22
Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

Ask in My Name

(Matthew 18:19–20)
23
“In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
24
Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.
25
“I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
26
In that day you will ask in my name; and I don’t say to you that I will pray to the Father for you,
27
for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God.
28
I came from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”
29
His disciples said to him, “Behold, now you are speaking plainly, and using no figures of speech.
30
Now we know that you know all things, and don’t need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”
31
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
32
Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
33
I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have trouble; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”

Footnotes

(a)16:3 TR adds “to you”
(b)16:15 TR reads “will take” instead of “takes”
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