John 16 · Verse 18

John 16:18

They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
John 16:18, King James Version

John 16:18 in other translations

BSBThey kept asking, “Why is He saying, ‘a little while’? We do not understand what He is saying.”
WEBThey said therefore, “What is this that he says, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he is saying.”
ASVThey said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith.
YLTthey said then, ‘What is this he saith--the little while? we have not known what he saith.'
DARBYThey said therefore, What is this which he says of the little while? We do not know of what he speaks.
BBESo they said again and again, What is this he is saying, A little time? His words are not clear to us.
WebsterThey said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

What does John 16:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 16:16-22

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--The joy of the world at their not seeing Him seems to show that His removal from them by death was what He meant; and in that case, their joy at again seeing Him points to their transport at His reappearance amongst them on His Resurrection, when they could no longer doubt His identity. At the…

Read the full comment on John 16:16-22 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 What is this that he saith - They knew from what he had said that he was to die, but knew not what he meant by their seeing him again in a little time.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 16:16-22

It is good to consider how near our seasons of grace are to an end, that we may be quickened to improve them. But the sorrows of the disciples would soon be turned into joy; as those of a mother, at the sight of her infant. The Holy Spirit would be their Comforter, and neither men nor devils, neither sufferings in life nor in death, would ever deprive them of their joy. Believers have joy or sorrow, according to…

Read the full comment on John 16:16-22 →

John 16:18 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.

ἔλεγονelegonThey were sayingG3004
οὖν·ountherefore;G3767
τίtiwhatG5101
ἐστινestinisG1510
τοῦτοtoutoThisG3778
ὃhothatG3739
λέγειlegeiHe saysG3004
τὸto<the>G3588
μικρόν;mikrona little [while]’?G3398
οὐκoukNotG3756
οἴδαμενoidamenwe do know
τίtiwhatG5101
λαλεῖ.¶laleiHe is saying.G2980

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

Cross references for John 16:18

  • Luke 24:25

    Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

  • Hebrews 5:12

    For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

  • Matthew 16:9-11

    Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
we.
Mt 16:9-11; Lu 24:25; Heb 5:12

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

Context

  • John 16:17

    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?

  • John 16:18

    They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

  • John 16:19

    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?

Read all of John 16

John 16:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Decían pues: ¿Qué es esto que dice: Un poquito? No entendemos lo que habla.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ils disaient donc: Qu’est-ce que ceci qu’il dit: Un peu de temps? Nous ne savons ce qu’il dit.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprachen sie: Was ist das für ein Kleines, wovon er redet? Wir wissen nicht, was er sagt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dicebant ergo: Quid est hoc quod dicit: Modicum? nescimus quid loquitur.