When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just saying that joy will eventually replace sorrow; he's highlighting how the immense joy of new life makes the pain of childbirth recede and become almost forgotten. This suggests that the coming joy of his resurrection and the presence of the Spirit will be so transformative that it will dwarf and overshadow the disciples' current anguish, fundamentally changing their perspective.
When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his imminent departure, explaining that his leaving is necessary for the Holy Spirit to come. He acknowledges their present sorrow but promises it will be temporary and transform into a profound, lasting joy connected to his return and the Father's granting their requests in his name. This verse uses the analogy of childbirth to illustrate this shift from intense, temporary pain to overwhelming, enduring happiness.
Ever felt like you're going through something incredibly tough, with no end in sight? Jesus uses a powerful image to reframe that pain.
Jesus compares the disciples' current sorrow to a woman in labor. This isn't just any sorrow; it's a specific, purposeful anguish that leads to something new and wonderful.
The Pain with a Purpose
This isn't about minimizing pain, but about understanding its potential to birth something precious. The sorrow isn't the end goal; it's the pathway to it.
Why does the joy of childbirth erase the memory of pain? Jesus uses this to point to an even greater, permanent joy for His followers.
The core of this verse lies in the result of the pain – a joy so profound it obliterates the memory of the suffering.
A Joy Beyond Memory
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This joy isn't just a temporary feeling; it's a fundamental transformation that reorients our entire perspective, even in the face of past or future difficulties.
Understand the original words
lypē · Greek Noun
An intense, often painful state of emotional distress, grief, or affliction, frequently associated with the human condition or the experience of sin and separation from God. In a messianic context, it often refers to the 'birth pains' leading to a new era.
hōra · Greek Noun
A specific appointed time or moment in the divine calendar or sovereign plan of God. It often refers to the climactic moment of Jesus' glorification, suffering, or second coming.
thlipsis · Greek Noun
Intense pain or distress; often used to describe the acute agony associated with labor or severe trial. Biblically, it emphasizes the suffering that precedes or accompanies a significant transformation or deliverance.
chara · Greek Noun
A profound state of gladness and delight. In the New Testament, joy is a spiritual fruit and an enduring state of the believer rooted in God’s presence and promises, distinct from fleeting worldly happiness.
Jesus uses the common, relatable experience of childbirth to speak to his disciples' future. Their intense sorrow at his departure and impending persecution will be utterly eclipsed by the overwhelming joy of his resurrection and the new life it brings, mirroring how a mother forgets her pain in the delight of a newborn child.
c. 1400 BC
Sinai Covenant and Law Given
God establishes a covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, giving them the Law. This event marks the beginning of Israel's national identity and relationship with God, setting a precedent for future covenants and divine-human interactions.
c. 700 BC
Prophetic Warnings of Judgment
Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah warn Israel of impending judgment due to their disobedience. They often use imagery of childbirth pangs to describe the suffering and distress Israel will endure before eventual restoration.
c. 586 BC
Babylonian Exile Begins
The destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple by the Babylonians leads to the exile of many Judeans. This period of intense sorrow and suffering for God's people mirrors the 'travail' described in the verse.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Ministry and Teaching
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching about the Kingdom of God and performing miracles. His interactions with disciples, including discussions about future suffering and joy, form the immediate context for his words.
c. 33 AD— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Burial
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified. His death plunges his followers into deep sorrow and confusion, a stark manifestation of the 'sorrow' he had forewarned.
c. 33 AD
Jesus' Resurrection and Appearances
Following his crucifixion, Jesus is resurrected and appears to his disciples over several weeks. This event transforms their sorrow into immense joy, directly illustrating the comparison Jesus makes.
c. 48-50 AD
Apostolic Ministry and Spread of Gospel
The apostles, empowered by the Holy Spirit, begin to preach the Gospel widely. They experience both persecution (sorrow) and the transformative growth of the church (joy), living out the principle Jesus taught.
This passage uses the imagery of a woman in labor giving birth suddenly to describe the surprising and rapid deliverance of Zion, paralleling the sudden joy that follows Christ's disciples' sorrow.
Jeremiah 30:6Similar to John 16:21, this verse depicts men grasping their sides in pain as if giving birth, illustrating extreme distress that has a redemptive outcome, mirroring the disciples' suffering leading to a greater joy.
Romans 8:18Paul contrasts the present suffering with the future glory that will be revealed, echoing John 16:21's theme that temporary anguish is incomparable to the joy that follows, especially in the context of creation groaning for redemption.
Galatians 4:19Paul uses the metaphor of a mother in labor to describe his intense effort to bring the Galatians to spiritual maturity, highlighting how Christ-like labor brings forth new life and ultimate rejoicing, just as the disciples' sorrow will lead to their spiritual birth into a new reality.
1 Peter 1:6This verse speaks of believers rejoicing even amidst various trials, knowing that their faith's genuineness will result in praise and glory at Christ's appearing, aligning with the idea that present sorrow is temporary and leads to enduring joy.
calvinJohn 16:21-24: "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world."
- A woman, when she is in labor, hath sorrow, because her hour is come; but when she hath brought forth a child, she remembereth no more her anguish, on account of the joy that a man is born into the world. 22. And you therefore have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and your hea…
henryJohn 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."
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 th…
Jesus isn't just saying that joy will eventually replace sorrow; he's highlighting how the immense joy of new life makes the pain of childbirth recede and become almost forgotten. This suggests that the coming joy of his resurrection and the presence of the Spirit will be so transformative that it will dwarf and overshadow the disciples' current anguish, fundamentally changing their perspective.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his imminent departure, explaining that his leaving is necessary for the Holy Spirit to come. He acknowledges their present sorrow but promises it will be temporary and transform into a profound, lasting joy connected to his return and the Father's granting their requests in his name. This verse uses the analogy of childbirth to illustrate this shift from intense, temporary pain to overwhelming, enduring happiness.
Jesus is preparing his disciples for his imminent departure, explaining that his leaving is necessary for the Holy Spirit to come. He acknowledges their present sorrow but promises it will be temporary and transform into a profound, lasting joy connected to his return and the Father's granting their requests in his name. This verse uses the analogy of childbirth to illustrate this shift from intense, temporary pain to overwhelming, enduring happiness.
"When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world." — Jesus isn't just saying that joy will eventually replace sorrow; he's highlighting how the immense joy of new life makes the pain of childbirth recede and become almost forgotten. This suggests tha…
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Last reviewed October 2026