John 16:21

A woman when she beareth (a) child, hath heaviness [or sorrow], for her time is come; but when she hath born a son, now she thinketh not on the pain, for (or because of her) joy, for a man is born into the world.

Wycliffe Modern Spelling

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

20Truly, truly, I say to you, (or Truly, I tell you the truth), that ye shall mourn and weep, but the world shall have joy; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall turn into joy.

22And therefore ye have now sorrow, but again I shall see you, and your heart (s) shall have joy, and no man shall take from you your joy.

Read all of John 16

Cross References

Genesis 3:16Also God said to the woman, I shall multiply thy wretchednesses and thy conceivings; in sorrow thou shalt bear thy children; and thou shalt be under (the) power of thine husband, and he shall be lord of thee.

Genesis 30:23And she conceived, and childed a son, and said, God hath (now) taken away my shame;

Job 11:16And thou shalt forget (thy) wretchedness, and thou shalt not think of it, as of waters that have passed. (And thou shalt forget thy wretchedness, and thou shalt not think of it any more, like water that hath passed by, and is forgotten.)

Isaiah 13:8Gnawings and sorrows shall hold Babylonians; they shall have sorrow, as they that travail of child. Each man shall wonder at his neighbour; their cheers shall be burnt faces. (Gnawings and sorrows shall hold the Babylonians; they shall have sorrow, like she who laboureth with child. Each man shall wonder at his neighbour; their faces shall burn with shame.)

Jeremiah 30:6Ask ye, and see, if a male beareth child; why therefore saw I the hand of each man on his loins, as of a woman travailing of child, and all faces be turned into yellow colour? (Ask ye, and see, can a male bear a child? and so why did I see the hand of each man upon his loins, like a woman in labour, and that all your faces be so pale?)

Micah 4:10Thou daughter of Zion, make sorrow, and haste, as a woman travailing of child; for now thou shalt go out of the city, and shalt dwell in the country, and shalt come unto Babylon; there thou shalt be delivered, there the Lord shall again-buy thee, from the hand of thine enemies. (O daughter of Zion, make sorrow, and make haste, like a woman with child in labour; for now thou shalt go out of the city, and shalt live in the open country, and shalt come to Babylon; there thou shalt be saved, there the Lord shall rescue thee, from the hands of thy 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

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