John 16:21

A woman who is about to bear a child feels pain, because that is what happens [MTY] at that time. But after her baby is born, she forgets that pain, because she is very joyful that her child has been born.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

In Context

20Listen to this carefully: After I ◄ leave you/die►, those who oppose God [MTY] will be happy, but you will be sad. But later you will stop being sad and you will become joyful.

22It will be the same with you. I will soon die and you will be sad. But after that, I will see you again. Then you will be joyful, and no one will be able to stop you from being joyful.

Read all of John 16

Cross References

Genesis 3:16Then Yahweh said to the woman, “You will have great pain when you give birth to children; you will suffer great pain as your children are being born [DOU]. You will greatly desire your husband to show affection for you, but he will rule over you.”

Genesis 30:23She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She said, “God has caused that no longer will I be ashamed for not having children.”

Job 11:16You will forget all your troubles; they will be like the water of a flood that has all disappeared.

Isaiah 13:8All of you will be terrified. You will have [PRS] severe pains like [SIM] a woman has when she is giving birth to a baby. You will look at each other helplessly, and it will show on your faces that you feel horror.

Jeremiah 30:6But think about this: Men certainly do not [RHQ] give birth to babies. Therefore, why do strong men stand there, with their faces very white/pale, with their hands pressed against their stomachs, like women who are about to give birth to babies?

Micah 4:10Well, you people of Jerusalem should writhe and groan like [SIM] a woman who is having birth pains, because now you must leave this city, and while you are traveling, you will set up tents in open fields at night; you will go to live in Babylon. But while you are there, I, Yahweh, will rescue you; I will free you from the power/control [MTY] of your enemies.

Matthew Henry on John 16:17-23

Christ's Departure and Return; Sorrow and Joy Foretold. 16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 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? 18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 19 Now Jesus knew that they were… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study John 16:21