John 16:20
Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus uses three distinct words for the disciples' grief – "weep," "lament," and "sorrowful" – highlighting not just outward expressions of pain but deep, internal anguish, making the contrast with the world's fleeting "rejoicing" even more profound. The most striking, often overlooked detail is that their sorrow isn't just replaced by joy, but it's transformed into joy, suggesting the very pain of his absence becomes the foundation for their future gladness.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his impending departure, which will bring them deep sorrow and confusion, while the world, particularly his enemies, will rejoice at his apparent defeat. He's already told them he'll be gone "a little while," and they've struggled to understand what that means, but he now emphasizes that their grief will not be permanent. This sorrow, he assures them, is temporary and will ultimately transform into a profound and lasting joy.
When Jesus' followers faced His absence, the world seemed to celebrate. But why would the 'world' rejoice at such a moment?
Jesus paints a stark picture of contrasting reactions to His impending departure. The disciples will 'weep and lament' – expressing deep, audible grief. This isn't just sadness; it's a profound mourning for their Master's physical absence. In contrast, 'the world' – meaning those opposed to Jesus and His message – will 'rejoice.' This rejoicing isn't about genuine happiness, but a triumph born from perceived victory. They see Jesus' crucifixion as the end of His influence, a validation of their own worldview. It highlights a fundamental divide: what brings deep sorrow to the faithful can be a cause for celebration to the unfaithful.
Jesus promises sorrow that doesn't just end, but actually becomes joy. How is this possible?
The most profound part of Jesus' promise is that the disciples' sorrow will not simply pass away; it will be into joy. This isn't about a quick emotional shift, but a deep, lasting reorientation. The original Greek words used for sorrow ('weep,' 'lament,' 'sorrowful') convey intense, audible grief. Yet, this very grief becomes the fertile ground for a new, greater joy. Think of a mother in labor: the intense pain of childbirth, though real and agonizing, is ultimately eclipsed by the overwhelming joy of seeing her child. This transformation happens through the coming of the Holy Spirit and the reality of Jesus' resurrection. The disciples’ sorrow over His absence is swallowed up by the joy of His presence through the Spirit, and the ultimate assurance of eternal life with Him.
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Understand the original words
amēn amēn · Greek Adverb
A solemn formula used by Jesus to emphasize the absolute truth, authority, and divine weight of His teaching, indicating that what follows is of profound importance.
klausete · Greek Verb
To express deep grief, pain, or distress, often through audible crying. In a biblical context, it frequently signifies mourning over loss, judgment, or the absence of God's presence.
thrēnēsete · Greek Verb
To mourn aloud, beat the breast, or express deep sorrow and lamentation. It denotes intense emotional agony or grief.
kosmos · Greek Noun
In the Johannine writings, 'the world' frequently refers to the fallen human order that is alienated from God, hostile to His truth, and separated from the light of Christ.
charēsetai · Greek Verb
To experience gladness or delight. In the biblical narrative, true joy is often the result of God's intervention, redemption, or the presence of the Holy Spirit, standing in contrast to worldly pleasure.
lypēthēsesthe · Greek Verb/Adjective
A state of pain of mind or grief resulting from loss, affliction, or sin. In Scripture, godly sorrow is often linked to repentance or the experience of trials that refine faith.
lypē · Greek Noun
The state of deep distress or mental anguish. Scripture promises that for the believer, present suffering is temporary and will ultimately be transformed by God into eternal gladness.
charan · Greek Noun
The state of supreme happiness, delight, or gladness. Biblically, it is a spiritual fruit and an enduring response to the character, promises, and presence of God, even in the midst of trials.
This verse captures the disciples' immediate future: the shock and grief of Jesus' impending death, contrasted with the world's cruel rejoicing. Yet, it's also a profound promise that their sorrow, caused by His absence, will be fundamentally transformed into a lasting joy upon His resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified. His followers are devastated, weeping and lamenting His death, while His enemies rejoice, believing their victory is complete. This marks the immediate sorrow Jesus foretold.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Resurrection
Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus rises from the dead, appearing to His disciples. This event transforms their profound sorrow into overwhelming joy, just as Jesus promised.
c. AD 30
The Ascension of Jesus
Forty days after His resurrection, Jesus ascends into heaven. While His physical presence is removed again, He promises the Holy Spirit as a comforter, ensuring His abiding presence.
c. AD 30
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples as Jesus promised. This empowers them and brings a new, enduring joy that sustains them through future persecutions.
This passage from Isaiah uses the imagery of a woman in labor pangs to describe deep sorrow that ultimately leads to the birth of a new reality, mirroring Jesus' analogy for the disciples' sorrow turning into joy.
Matthew 5:4Jesus directly contrasts the disciples' future sorrow with a blessing for those who mourn, highlighting that this profound sadness, when aligned with God's purposes, will be met with divine comfort and joy.
Luke 23:27This passage describes women weeping for Jesus as He carried His cross, directly fulfilling the 'weep and lament' part of Jesus' prophecy and showing the immediate sorrow the disciples would experience.
2 Corinthians 5:17This verse speaks of the transformation that occurs when one is in Christ, becoming a 'new creation,' which resonates with how the disciples' sorrow would ultimately transform into a profound and lasting joy through their new spiritual reality.
Revelation 21:4This prophetic vision of God dwelling with His people promises a future where 'death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore,' which is the ultimate fulfillment of Jesus' promise that sorrow will be turned into eternal joy.
vincentJohn 16:20: "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."
Weep - lament - be sorrowful (κλαύσετε - θρηνήσετε - λυπηθήσεσθε)Of these three words, the last is the most general in meaning, expressing every species of pain, of body or of soul, and not necessarily the outward manifestation of sorrow. Both the other words denote audible expressions of grief. Θρηνέω marks the more…
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 three distinct words for the disciples' grief – "weep," "lament," and "sorrowful" – highlighting not just outward expressions of pain but deep, internal anguish, making the contrast with the world's fleeting "rejoicing" even more profound. The most striking, often overlooked detail is that their sorrow isn't just replaced by joy, but it's transformed into joy, suggesting the very pain of his absence becomes the foundation for their future gladness.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his impending departure, which will bring them deep sorrow and confusion, while the world, particularly his enemies, will rejoice at his apparent defeat. He's already told them he'll be gone "a little while," and they've struggled to understand what that means, but he now emphasizes that their grief will not be permanent. This sorrow, he assures them, is temporary and will ultimately transform into a profound and lasting joy.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his impending departure, which will bring them deep sorrow and confusion, while the world, particularly his enemies, will rejoice at his apparent defeat. He's already told them he'll be gone "a little while," and they've struggled to understand what that means, but he now emphasizes that their grief will not be permanent. This sorrow, he assures them, is temporary and will ultimately transform into a profound and lasting joy.
"Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy." — Jesus uses three distinct words for the disciples' grief – "weep," "lament," and "sorrowful" – highlighting not just outward expressions of pain but deep, internal anguish, making the contrast with t…
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