John 13 · Verse 33

John 13:33

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
John 13:33, King James Version

John 13:33 in other translations

BSBLittle children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
WEBLittle children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you.
ASVLittle children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say unto you.
YLT‘Little children, yet a little am I with you; ye will seek me, and, according as I said to the Jews--Whither I go away, ye are not able to come, to you also I do say it now.
DARBYChildren, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me; and, as I said to the Jews, Where I go ye cannot come, I say to you also now.
BBEMy dear children, I am only to be with you a little longer. Then you will be looking for me: and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you, Where I am going you may not come.
WebsterLittle children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye will seek me: and, as I said to the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

What does John 13:33 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 13:33-35
33-35. Little children--From the height of His own glory He now descends, with sweet pity, to His "little children," all now His own. This term of endearment, nowhere else used in the Gospels, and once only employed by Paul (Ga 4:19), is appropriated by the beloved disciple himself, who no fewer than seven times employs it in his first Epistle. Ye shall seek me--feel the want of Me. as I said to the Jews--(Joh 7:34; 8:21). But oh in what a different sense!

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 33. Little children. An expression of great tenderness, denoting his deep interest in their welfare. As he was about to leave them, he endeavours to mitigate their grief by the most tender expressions of attachment, showing that he felt for them the deep interest in their welfare which a parent feels for his children. The word children is often given to Christians as implying--

1st. That God is their Father, and that they sustain toward him that endearing relation, Rom 8:14,15.

2nd. As denoting their need of teaching and guidance, as children need the aid and counsel of a father. See the corresponding term babes used in 1Cor 3:1, 1Pet 2:2

3rd. It is used, as it is here, as an expression of tenderness and affection. See Gal 4:19, 1Jn 2:1, 12, 28, 3:7, 18, 4:4, 5:21.

Yet a little while I am with you. He did not conceal the fact that he was soon to leave them. There is something exceedingly tender in this address. It shows that he loved them to the end; that as their friend and guide, as a man, he felt deeply at the thoughts of parting from them, and leaving them to a cold and unfeeling world. A parting scene at death is always one of tenderness; and it is well when, like this, there is the presence of the Saviour to break the agony of the parting pang, and to console us with the words of his grace.

As I said unto the Jews. See Jn 7:34.

So now I say to you. That is, they could not follow him then, Jn 13:36, 14:2. He was about to die and return to God, and for a time they must be willing to be separated from him. But he consoled them (Jn 13:36) with the assurance that the separation would be only temporary, and that they should afterward follow him.

(w) "as I said unto the Jews" Jn 7:34, 8:21

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 33 Little children - Or, rather, beloved children. Τεκνια, a word frequently used by this apostle in his epistles. It is an expression which implies great tenderness and affection, and such as a fond mother uses to her most beloved babes. Now that Judas was gone out, he could use this epithet without any restriction of meaning. Yet a little while - The end of my life is at hand; Judas is gone to consummate his treason; I have but a few hours to be with you, and you shall be by and by scattered. Ye shall seek me - For a few days ye shall feel great distress because of my absence. Whither I go, ye cannot come - Your time is not up. The Jews shall die in their sins, martyrs to their infidelity; but ye shall die in the truth, martyrs for your Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 13:31-35

Christ had been glorified in many miracles he wrought, yet he speaks of his being glorified now in his sufferings, as if that were more than all his other glories in his humbled state. Satisfaction was thereby made for the wrong done to God by the sin of man. We cannot now follow our Lord to his heavenly happiness, but if we truly believe in him, we shall follow him hereafter; meanwhile we must wait his time, and do…

Read the full comment on John 13:31-35 →

John 13:33 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

τεκνία,tekniaLittle children,G5040
ἔτιetiyetG2089
μικρὸνmikrona little whileG3398
μεθ᾽meth᾽withG3326
ὑμῶνhumōnyouG4771
εἰμι.eimiI am.G1510
ζητήσετέzētēseteYou will seekG2212
με,meMe,G3165
καὶkaiandG2532
καθὼςkathōseven asG2531
εἶπονeiponI saidG2036
τοῖςtoisto theG3588
ἸουδαίοιςIoudaioisJewsG2453
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ὅπουhopouWhereG3699
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
ὑπάγω,hupagōgoG5217
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
οὐounotG3756
δύνασθεdunastheare ableG1410
ἐλθεῖν,eltheinto come,G2064
καὶkaialsoG2532
ὑμῖνhuminto youG4771
λέγωlegōI sayG3004
ἄρτι.¶artinow.G737

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 13:33

  • John 7:33-34

    Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.

  • 1 John 2:1

    My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

  • John 16:16-22

    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. 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? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? …

  • John 8:21-24

    Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

  • John 12:35-36

    Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

  • John 14:19

    Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

  • John 14:4-6

    And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

  • Galatians 4:19

    My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

  • 1 John 5:21

    Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

  • 1 John 4:4

    Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Little.
Ga 4:19; 1Jo 2:1; 4:4; 5:21
yet.
12:35,36; 14:19; 16:16-22
Ye.
7:33; 8:21-24; 14:4-6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 13:32

    If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

  • John 13:33

    Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

  • John 13:34

    A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Read all of John 13

John 13:33 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Hijitos, aun un poco estoy con vosotros. Me buscaréis; mas, como dije á los Judíos: Donde yo voy, vosotros no podéis venir; así digo á vosotros ahora.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Enfants, je suis encore pour un peu de temps avec vous: vous me chercherez; et, comme j’ai dit aux Juifs: Là où moi je vais, vous, vous ne pouvez venir, je vous le dis aussi maintenant à vous.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Kinder, noch eine kleine Weile bin ich bei euch; ihr werdet mich suchen, und wie ich den Juden sagte: Wo ich hingehe, könnt ihr nicht hinkommen, so sage ich jetzt auch euch.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Filioli, adhuc modicum vobiscum sum. Quæretis me; et sicut dixi Judæis, quo ego vado, vos non potestis venire: et vobis dico modo.