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)
Jesus uses three distinct words for sorrow, moving from audible crying and wailing to a more general state of distress, highlighting the depth of the disciples' impending grief. He emphasizes that their sorrow won't just end, but will transform into joy, a profound reframing where the very cause of their pain becomes the source of their ultimate gladness.
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)
Jesus is explaining to his disciples that he will soon be leaving them, which will cause them great sadness while the "world" (those who oppose him) will celebrate. He assures them this sorrow is temporary, like labor pains, and will ultimately transform into profound joy when they see him again.
Jesus uses three powerful words to describe the disciples' sorrow. What do they reveal about the depth of their pain?
Jesus isn't just saying the disciples will be sad. He uses specific Greek words that paint a vivid picture of their grief:
Jesus uses these terms to emphasize the profound shock and devastation the disciples would feel when He was taken from them. It wasn't just a minor setback; it was a deep, soul-wrenching experience.
Why would the 'world' rejoice at the disciples' sorrow? And how can sorrow itself become joy?
Jesus draws a stark contrast between the disciples' experience and the 'world's' reaction.
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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 speaks directly to the immediate aftermath of Jesus' crucifixion and the subsequent joy of his resurrection. It highlights the stark contrast between the world's celebration of Jesus' death and the disciples' profound grief, a grief that would be miraculously transformed into an enduring joy by His return and the coming of the Holy Spirit.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified. His followers, heartbroken and in deep sorrow, witness his death and burial. The religious and political leaders who orchestrated his death believe they have won.
c. AD 30
The World Rejoices
The opponents of Jesus, described here as 'the world,' celebrate his execution, believing his movement is finished and their authority is secure. The chief priests and rulers mock and triumph.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Resurrection
On the third day, Jesus is raised from the dead. This event profoundly transforms the sorrow of his disciples into ecstatic joy and disbelief.
c. AD 30
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
In the days following his resurrection, Jesus appears to his disciples multiple times, offering comfort, reassurance, and proof of his victory over death. Their lamentations are replaced by profound joy.
c. AD 30 - AD 33
Jesus Ascends to the Father
After a period of post-resurrection appearances, Jesus ascends into heaven. While his physical presence is removed again, he promises the enduring presence of the Holy Spirit.
c. AD 33
Pentecost and the Coming of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples in power, as Jesus promised. This empowers them to preach the Gospel, transforming any lingering sorrow into an unshakeable, eternal joy.
This Old Testament passage uses imagery of labor pains preceding childbirth to describe deep sorrow, mirroring Jesus' description of His disciples' grief and its eventual transformation into joy.
Luke 23:27This passage describes women weeping and lamenting for Jesus as He carried His cross, directly fulfilling the 'weep and lament' part of Jesus' prophecy and highlighting the contrast with the rejoicing world.
John 20:20This verse shows the disciples rejoicing when they see the resurrected Jesus, illustrating the fulfillment of Jesus' promise that their sorrow would turn into joy.
2 Corinthians 5:7Paul speaks of believers walking by faith, not by sight, which relates to the disciples' experience of sorrow when Jesus was physically absent but their ultimate joy found in His spiritual presence.
Philippians 2:17Paul's willingness to be poured out like a drink offering connects to the idea of temporary suffering (like the disciples' sorrow) leading to rejoicing, as he anticipates his own future joy with believers.
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 sorrow, moving from audible crying and wailing to a more general state of distress, highlighting the depth of the disciples' impending grief. He emphasizes that their sorrow won't just end, but will transform into joy, a profound reframing where the very cause of their pain becomes the source of their ultimate gladness.
Jesus is explaining to his disciples that he will soon be leaving them, which will cause them great sadness while the "world" (those who oppose him) will celebrate. He assures them this sorrow is temporary, like labor pains, and will ultimately transform into profound joy when they see him again.
Jesus is explaining to his disciples that he will soon be leaving them, which will cause them great sadness while the "world" (those who oppose him) will celebrate. He assures them this sorrow is temporary, like labor pains, and will ultimately transform into profound joy when they see him again.
"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 sorrow, moving from audible crying and wailing to a more general state of distress, highlighting the depth of the disciples' impending grief. He emphasizes that th…
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Last reviewed October 2026