Every Woman's Bible Journaling Edition, Filament Enabled - Book - Page 45
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Sadness Will Be Turned to Joy
“In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a
little while after that, you will see me again.”
17 Some of the disciples asked each other, “What
does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you
won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am
going to the Father’? 18And what does he mean by ‘a
little while’? We don’t understand.”
19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it,
so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant?
I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little
while after that you will see me again. 20 I tell you
the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is
going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice.
You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to
wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the
pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish
gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby
into the world. 22 So you have sorrow now, but I will
see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can
rob you of that joy. 23At that time you won’t need to
ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask
the Father directly, and he will grant your request
because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this
before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive,
and you will have abundant joy.
25 “I have spoken of these matters in figures of
speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and
will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26Then you will
ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on
your behalf, 27for the Father himself loves you dearly
because you love me and believe that I came from
God.* 28Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and
now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”
29 Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking
plainly and not figuratively. 30Now we understand that
you know everything, and there’s no need to question
you. From this we believe that you came from God.”
31 Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? 32 But the
time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you
will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father
is with me. 33 I have told you all this so that you may
have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many
trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have
overcome the world.”
16
The Prayer of Jesus
After saying all these things, Jesus looked up
to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come.
Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.
17
JOHN 17
For you have given him authority over everyone.
He gives eternal life to each one you have given him.
3And this is the way to have eternal life—to know
you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you
sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here on earth
by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now,
Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the
world began.
6 “I have revealed you* to the ones you gave me
from this world. They were always yours. You gave
them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now
they know that everything I have is a gift from you,
8 for I have passed on to them the message you gave
me. They accepted it and know that I came from you,
and they believe you sent me.
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you
have given me, because they belong to you. 10All who
are mine belong to you, and you have given them
to me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing
from the world; they are staying in this world, but I
am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me
your name;* now protect them by the power of your
name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of
the name you gave me.* I guarded them so that not
one was lost, except the one headed for destruction,
as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many things
while I was with them in this world so they would be
filled with my joy. 14I have given them your word. And
the world hates them because they do not belong to
the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15I’m
not asking you to take them out of the world, but to
keep them safe from the evil one. 16They do not belong
to this world any more than I do. 17Make them holy
by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.
18 Just as you sent me into the world, I am sending them
into the world. 19And I give myself as a holy sacrifice
for them so they can be made holy by your truth.
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but
also for all who will ever believe in me through their
message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you
and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in
you. And may they be in us so that the world will
believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they
may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are
in me. May they experience such perfect unity that
the world will know that you sent me and that you
love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want
these whom you have given me to be with me where
2
16:27 Some manuscripts read from the Father. 17:6 Greek have revealed your name; also in 17:26. 17:11 Some manuscripts
read you have given me these [disciples]. 17:12 Some manuscripts read I protected those you gave me, by the power of your name.
16:20-22 Jesus compared the disciples’ future grief to intense
labor pains. Against the background of high maternal and
infant mortality rates, pain was accompanied by worry and
fear of death. Jesus’ last words assured his disciples that
suffering—physical and emotional—was inevitable, but the
joy yet to come would be greater. This metaphor is even more
powerful to women, because we can fully understand the effort,
pain, and risk involved in childbirth.
