John 16:18
◄  John 16:18  ►
New International Version (©2011)
They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."

New Living Translation (©2007)
And what does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand."

English Standard Version (©2001)
So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
So they were saying, "What is this that He says, 'A little while '? We do not know what He is talking about."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
They said, "What is this He is saying, 'A little while? We don't know what He's talking about!"

International Standard Version (©2012)
They kept saying, "What is this 'in a little while' that he keeps talking about? We don't know what he means."

NET Bible (©2006)
So they kept on repeating, "What is the meaning of what he says, 'In a little while'? We do not understand what he is talking about."

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And they were saying, “What is this, 'A little while', that he says? We do know not what he is uttering.”

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
So they were asking each other, "What does he mean when he says, 'In a little while'? We don't understand what he's talking about."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
They said therefore, What is this that he said, A little while? we cannot tell what he said.

American King James Version
They said therefore, What is this that he said, A little while? we cannot tell what he said.

American Standard Version
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith.

Douay-Rheims Bible
They said therefore: What is this that he saith, A little while? we know not what he speaketh.

Darby Bible Translation
They said therefore, What is this which he says of the little while? We do not know of what he speaks.

English Revised Version
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith.

Webster's Bible Translation
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

Weymouth New Testament
So they asked one another repeatedly, "What can that 'little while' mean which He speaks of? We do not understand His words."

World English Bible
They said therefore, "What is this that he says, 'A little while?' We don't know what he is saying."

Young's Literal Translation
they said then, 'What is this he saith -- the little while? we have not known what he saith.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

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 their sight of Christ, and the tokens of his presence. Sorrow is coming on the ungodly, which nothing can lessen; the believer is an heir to joy which no one can take away. Where now is the joy of the murderers of our Lord, and the sorrow of his friends?

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 18. - They said, What is this little while whereof he speaketh? (λέγει; Vulgate, dicit). (The R.T. and Westcott and Hort invert the τοῦτο and τί, and thus greatly increase the simplicity of the passage.) What are these two short periods of which he speaks, so full of mysterious significance? We know not what he saith (λαλεῖ; Vulgate, loquitur). We do not apprehend the wonderful interchange of vision and blank darkness - of presence and absence and presence again!

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

They said therefore,.... One, and all of them; the inquiry became universal;

what is this that he saith, a little while? it seems as if this phrase was the most intricate and perplexing to them; for whatever conceptions they might have of not seeing, and seeing him again, as expressive of his going from them, and returning to them, yet had no notion at all what he should mean by "a little while": and therefore add,

we cannot tell what he saith: they knew his words, but not his meaning.

John 16:18 Parallel Commentaries

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The Disciples' Grief will Turn to Joy
17Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he said to us, A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18They said therefore, What is this that he said, A little while? we cannot tell what he said. 19Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said to them, Do you inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and you shall not see me: and again, a little while, and you shall see me? …

John 16:17 At this, some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?"
John 16:19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'?