John 16:20

verily, verily, I say to you, that ye shall weep and lament, and the world will rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow joy will become.

Young's Literal Translation

In The King James Version

Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

In Context

19Jesus, therefore, knew that they were wishing to ask him, and he said to them, 'Concerning this do ye seek one with another, because I said, A little while, and you do not behold me, and again a little while, and ye shall see me?

21'The woman, when she may bear, hath sorrow, because her hour did come, and when she may bear the child, no more doth she remember the anguish, because of the joy that a man was born to the world.

Read all of John 16

Cross References

Job 20:5That the singing of the wicked [is] short, And the joy of the profane for a moment,

Psalms 30:11Thou hast turned my mourning to dancing for me, Thou hast loosed my sackcloth, And girdest me [with] joy.

Psalms 97:11Light [is] sown for the righteous, And for the upright of heart — joy.

Isaiah 12:1And thou hast said in that day: 'I thank thee, O Jehovah, Though Thou hast been angry with me, Turn back doth Thine anger, And Thou dost comfort me.

Isaiah 61:3To appoint to mourners in Zion, To give to them beauty instead of ashes, The oil of joy instead of mourning, A covering of praise for a spirit of weakness, And He is calling to them, 'Trees of righteousness, The planting of Jehovah — to be beautified.'

Jeremiah 31:9With weeping they come in, And with supplications I bring them, I cause them to go unto streams of waters, In a right way — they stumble not in it, For I have been to Israel for a father, And Ephraim — My first-born [is] he.

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 16:20