“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus uses two distinct verbs for "see" to highlight the shift from a physical viewing to a deeper, spiritual understanding. The first "see not" refers to the disciples no longer beholding Him with their physical eyes, while the second "see" points to their future spiritual perception of Him through the Holy Spirit.
“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is preparing His disciples for His imminent departure, knowing it will bring them sorrow. He tells them His absence will be brief, followed by a time when they will see Him again, a promise that initially puzzles them and foreshadows both His resurrection and their future spiritual perception of Him through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus tells his disciples that their current grief will soon give way to a profound joy. What's the secret to this transformation?
Jesus acknowledges the disciples' sorrow over His impending departure. He uses the powerful analogy of childbirth to describe their experience: intense pain followed by overwhelming joy.
The Pain of Absence
He says, 'A little while, and you will not see me.' This isn't just about His physical death; it's about the disciples feeling abandoned and losing the intimate presence of Jesus they'd grown accustomed to.
The Joy of Presence
But immediately, He contrasts this with, 'and again a little while, and you will see me.' This refers to His resurrection, but more deeply, to His ongoing spiritual presence through the Holy Spirit. Their grief wouldn't just disappear; it would be transformed into a joy that surpasses the pain, a joy that the world cannot give or take away.
Jesus' departure doesn't mean He disappears forever. It means the way we 'see' Him changes.
The original Greek words for 'see' in this verse are different, and it's a crucial distinction.
Not Seeing with the Eyes
The first 'see' (or 'behold' in some translations) implies a more deliberate, physical observation. When Jesus says, 'you will not see me,' He's pointing to the loss of His physical, earthly presence. The disciples would no longer be able to look at Him walking beside them, hearing His voice directly in the same way.
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Seeing with the Heart
The second 'see' is a broader term, encompassing deeper spiritual perception and understanding. 'You will see me again' points to seeing Jesus not just with their eyes, but with their faith, through the work of the Holy Spirit. This vision is more intimate, more profound, and ultimately more enduring than their physical sight of Him.
Understand the original words
mikron · Greek Adverb/Adjective
A specific, relatively short period of time. In the Johannine context, it often refers to the imminent transition involving Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension.
opsesthe · Greek Verb
To see with physical eyes or to perceive and understand with the mind/spirit. In the Bible, seeing can denote experience, encounter, or realization of a divine truth.
This verse is spoken by Jesus in the hours before His crucifixion, a time of immense emotional weight. He's speaking about the cycle of His imminent death, His brief post-resurrection appearances, and the ongoing spiritual presence He would bring through the Holy Spirit. The 'little while' signifies the short duration of His absence before His resurrection, and then another 'little while' refers to the period before His ascension and the coming of the Spirit, through whom He would be eternally present.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus's Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified. His body is placed in a tomb, withdrawing His physical presence from His disciples.
c. AD 30
Jesus's Resurrection
Jesus is raised from the dead, appearing to His disciples over a period of forty days. This fulfills His promise that they would see Him again.
c. AD 30
Jesus's Ascension
Jesus ascends into heaven, physically departing from His disciples once more. His departure signals the coming of the Holy Spirit.
c. AD 30
Pentecost and the Coming of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples, empowering them and enabling them to 'see' and understand Jesus in a new, spiritual way.
This passage shows the disciples seeing Jesus again after his resurrection, fulfilling his promise of appearing to them after a short period of absence. It highlights the transition from sorrow to joy upon seeing Him again.
Acts 1:9This describes Jesus being taken up into heaven, marking the end of his visible earthly presence. This event is the context for the 'little while' of absence that the disciples would experience before seeing Him in a new, spiritual way.
1 Corinthians 15:3-8This passage recounts Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to many witnesses. It emphasizes the reality of His seeing Him again and provides the foundation for the disciples' renewed joy and faith.
John 14:16-18Jesus here promises to send the Helper, the Spirit, who will be with the disciples forever. This connects to the idea that even when they 'see Him no more' physically, they will still have His presence through the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 5:16-17This passage speaks about how believers no longer know Christ 'according to the flesh' but are made 'new creatures' in Him. This echoes the idea that the disciples would 'see' Jesus in a transformed, spiritual manner after His ascension.
cambridgeJohn 16:16: "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."
16–24 . The sorrow of Christ’s departure turned into joy by His return 16 . ye shall not see me ] Better, ye behold Me no more (comp. John 16:10 ): the verb for ‘see’ in the second half of the verse is a more general term. When His bodily presence was withdrawn their view of Him was enlarged; no longer known after the flesh, He is seen and known by faith. ye shall s…
calvinJohn 16:16-20: "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."
- A little while, and you do not see me [98] and again a little while, and you will see me; because I go to the Father. 17. Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith to us, a little while, and you do not see me and again a little while, and you will see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18. They said, therefore, What is thi…
Jesus uses two distinct verbs for "see" to highlight the shift from a physical viewing to a deeper, spiritual understanding. The first "see not" refers to the disciples no longer beholding Him with their physical eyes, while the second "see" points to their future spiritual perception of Him through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is preparing His disciples for His imminent departure, knowing it will bring them sorrow. He tells them His absence will be brief, followed by a time when they will see Him again, a promise that initially puzzles them and foreshadows both His resurrection and their future spiritual perception of Him through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is preparing His disciples for His imminent departure, knowing it will bring them sorrow. He tells them His absence will be brief, followed by a time when they will see Him again, a promise that initially puzzles them and foreshadows both His resurrection and their future spiritual perception of Him through the Holy Spirit.
"“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.”" — Jesus uses two distinct verbs for "see" to highlight the shift from a physical viewing to a deeper, spiritual understanding. The first "see not" refers to the disciples no longer beholding Him with t…
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Last reviewed October 2026