John 16:17

Amplified Bible

Some of His disciples said to one another, "What does He mean when He tells us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I am going to My Father'?"

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
Some of the cowboys started questioning each other, "What does he mean 'be gone'? What is he talkin' about when he said, 'You won't see me, but then you will later' and 'I'm headed out to see my Daddy'?

Legacy Standard Bible
Some of His disciples then said to one another, "What is this He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, ‘because I go to the Father'?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Some of His disciples then said to one another, "What is this thing He is telling us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I go to the Father'?"

Bible in Basic English
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?

Darby Translation
[Some] of his disciples therefore said to one another, What is this he says to us, A little while and ye do not behold me; and again a little while and ye shall see me, and, Because I go away to the Father?

New King James Version
Then some of His disciples said among themselves, "What is this that He says to us, "A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, "because I go to the Father'?"

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore some of His disciples said to one another, "What is this He tells us: ‘A little while and you will not see Me; again a little while and you will see Me' ; and, ‘because I am going to the Father' ?"

World English Bible
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?'"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then some of his disciples said to each other, What is this that he said to 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?

Weymouth's New Testament
Some of His disciples therefore said to one another, "What does this mean which He is telling us, `A little while and you do not see me, and again a little while and you shall see me,' and `Because I am going to the Father'?"

King James Version (1611)
Then saide some of his disciples among themselues, What is this that he saith vnto vs, A litle while, and ye shal not see me: and againe, a litle while, and ye shall see me: and, because I goe to the Father?

Literal Translation
Then His disciples said to one another, What is this which He says to us, A little while , and you do not see me; and again, A little and you will see Me? And, Because I go away to the Father?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The saide some of his disciples amonge themselues: What is this that he sayeth vnto vs, After a litle whyle, and ye shal not se me: & agayne after a litle whyle, & ye shal se me: for I go to the father?

Mace New Testament (1729)
then said some of his disciples among themselves, what is the meaning of his saying, "within a little while ye shall not see me: but within a little while ye shall see me again, because I am going to the father?"

THE MESSAGE
That stirred up a hornet's nest of questions among the disciples: "What's he talking about: ‘In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? And, ‘Because I'm on my way to the Father'? What is this ‘day or so'? We don't know what he's talking about."

American Standard Version
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?

Revised Standard Version
Some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I go to the Father'?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then sayd some of his disciples bitwene them selves: what is this yt he sayth vnto vs after a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me: and that I go to the father.

Update Bible Version
[Some] of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he says to us, A little while, and you don't see me; and again a little while, and you shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said [some] of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith to 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?

Young's Literal Translation
Therefore said [some] of his disciples one to another, `What is this that he saith to us, A little while, and ye do not behold me, and again a little while, and ye shall see me, and, Because I go away unto the Father?'

New Century Version
Some of the followers said to each other, "What does Jesus mean when he says, ‘After a little while you will not see me, and then after a little while you will see me again'? And what does he mean when he says, ‘Because I am going to the Father' ?"

New English Translation
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'?"

Contemporary English Version
They said to each other, "What does Jesus mean by saying that for a little while we won't see him, but after a while we will see him? What does he mean by saying that he is going to the Father?

Complete Jewish Bible
At this, some of the talmidim said to one another, "What is this that he's telling us, ‘In a little while, you won't see me; then, a little while later, you will see me'? and, ‘I am going to the Father'?"

English Standard Version
So some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, ‘because I am going to the Father' ?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said some of his disciples among them selues, What is this that he saieth vnto vs, A litle while, and ye shall not see me, and againe, a litle while, and ye shall see me, and, For I goe to the Father.

George Lamsa Translation
Then his disciples said to one another, What is this that he said to us, A little while, and you will not see me; and again a little while, and you will see me; and, because I am going to my Father?

Hebrew Names Version
Some of his talmidim 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?'"

International Standard Version
At this point, some of his disciples said to each another, "What does he mean by telling us, 'In a little while you will no longer see me, then in a little while you will see me again,' and 'because I am going to the Father'?"

Etheridge Translation
And the disciples said one to another, What is this that he saith to us? A little (time), and you will not see me; and again a little (while), and you shall see me, and because I go to my Father.

Murdock Translation
And his disciples said one to another: What is this that he saith to us, A little while, and ye will not see me and again a little while, and ye will see me, because I go to my Father?

New Living Translation
Some of the disciples asked each other, "What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won't see me, but then you will see me,' and ‘I am going to the Father'?

New Life Bible
Some of His followers said to each other, "What is He trying to tell us when He says, ‘In a little while you will not see Me, and in a little while you will see Me again,' and ‘Because I go to My Father' ?"

English Revised Version
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?

Berean Standard Bible
Then some of His disciples asked one another, "Why is He telling us, 'In a little while you will not see Me, and then after a little while you will see Me' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?"

New Revised Standard
Then some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying to us, ‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and ‘Because I am going to the Father'?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Some of his disciples, therefore, said one to another - What is this which he is saying to us: - A little while, and ye behold me not, and, again a little while, and ye shall see me; and - Because I go my way unto the Father?

Douay-Rheims Bible
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?

King James Version
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?

Lexham English Bible
So 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 ‘Because I am going away to the Father'?"

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayde some of his disciples betwene them selues: What is this that he saith vnto vs, after a whyle, & ye shal not see me, and againe, after a whyle ye shal see me: and, that I go to the father?

Easy-to-Read Version
Some of the followers said to each other, "What does he mean when he says, ‘After a short time you won't see me. Then after another short time you will see me again'? And what does he mean when he says, ‘Because I am going to the Father'?"

New American Standard Bible
So some of His disciples said to one another, "What is this that He is telling us, 'A little while, and you are not going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?"

Good News Translation
Some of his disciples asked among themselves, "What does this mean? He tells us that in a little while we will not see him, and then a little while later we will see him; and he also says, ‘It is because I am going to the Father.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor summe of hise disciplis seiden togidere, What is this thing that he seith to vs, A litil, and ye schulen not se me; and eftsoone a litil, and ye schulen se me, for Y go to the fadir?

Contextual Overview

¹⁶"A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me." ¹⁷Some of His disciples said to one another, "What does He mean when He tells us, 'A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me'; and, 'because I am going to My Father'?"¹⁸So they were saying, "What does He mean when He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about." ¹⁹Jesus knew that they wanted to ask Him, so He said to them, "Are you wondering among yourselves about what I meant when I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'? ²⁰"I assure you and most solemnly say to you, that you will weep and grieve [in great mourning], but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. ²¹"A woman, when she is in labor, has pain because her time [to give birth] has come; but when she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of her joy that a child has come into the world. ²²"So for now you are in grief; but I will see you again, and [then] your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away from you your [great] joy.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

said: John 16:1, John 16:5, John 16:19, John 12:16, John 14:5, John 14:22, Mark 9:10, Mark 9:32, Luke 9:45, Luke 18:34

Reciprocal: Matthew 13:36 - Declare Luke 24:44 - while John 7:36 - manner John 13:36 - whither John 16:16 - A John 16:25 - proverbs John 16:30 - are

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said some of his disciples among themselves,.... It may be, some of them might better understand the meaning of Christ than others, or they might all be ignorant of it; for before the effusion of the Spirit on them, they were attended with a great deal of ignorance; and what through their being overwhelmed at this time with sorrow, and what with their national sentiments they retained about a temporal kingdom, they understood very little of what Christ said to them concerning his death, the nature, use, and end of it. Wherefore some might make the motion first, and inquire,

what is this that he saith unto us, a little while and ye shall not see me? they knew not what he meant by it, though he had so often and so clearly spoken of his death unto them: and as ignorant were they what he should design by saying,

and again a little while and ye shall see me; though he had expressly told them, in so many words, some time ago, that whereas he should die, he should rise again the third day: and as much at a loss were they to guess what he should intend by the reason he gives,

and because I go to the Father; though he had often mentioned it already, and as what might be matter of joy unto them.