John 16 : Easy-to-Read Version
16 "I have told you these things so that people will not be able to destroy your faith. 2People will make you leave their synagogues.* Yes, a time is coming when people will think that killing you would be doing service for God. 3People will do these things because they have not known the Father, and they have not known me. 4I have told you these things now. So when the time comes for these things to happen, you will remember that I warned you.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
"I did not tell you these things at the beginning, because I was with you then. 5Now I am going back to the One who sent me. But none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6Your hearts are filled with sadness because I have told you these things. 7But I tell you the truth. It is better for you that I go away. Why? Because when I go away I will send the Helper* to you. But if I did not go away, then the Helper would not come. 8When the Helper comes, he will prove to the people of the world the truth about these things: about sin, about being right with God, and about judgment. 9The Helper will prove that people have sin, because they don't believe in me. 10He will prove to them about [my] being right with God, because I am going to the Father. You will not see me then. 11And the Helper will prove to the world the truth about judgment, because the ruler of this world (the devil) is already judged. 12"I have many more things to say to you. But those things are too much for you to accept now. 13But when the Spirit of truth* comes, he will lead you into all truth. The Spirit of truth will not speak his own words. He will speak only what he hears. He will tell you the things that will happen. 14The Spirit of truth will bring glory to me. How? He will get things from me and tell them to you. 15All the things that the Father has are mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will get things from me and tell them to you.
Sadness Will Change to Happiness
16"After a short time you won't see me. Then after another short time you will see me again." 17Some of the followers said to each other, "What does Jesus mean when he says, 'After a short time you won't see me. Then after another short time you will see me again'? And what does he mean when he says, 'Because I am going to the Father'?" 18The followers asked, "What does he mean by 'a short time'? We don't understand what he is saying." 19Jesus saw that the followers wanted to ask him about this. So Jesus said to the followers, "Are you asking each other what I meant when I said, 'After a short time you won't see me. Then after another short time you will see me again'? 20I tell you the truth. You will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but your sadness will change to happiness. 21When a woman gives birth to a baby, she has pain, because her time has come. But when her baby is born, she forgets the pain. She forgets because she is so happy that a child has been born into the world. 22It is the same with you. Now you are sad. But I will see you again and you will be truly happy. You will have a happiness that no one can take away. 23In that day you will not ask me for anything. I tell you the truth. My Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. 24You have never asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive. And you will be truly happy.
Victory over the World
25"I have told you these things, using words that hide the meaning. But the time will come when I will not use words like that to tell you things. I will speak to you in plain words about the Father. 26In that day you will ask the Father for things in my name. I am saying that I will not need to ask the Father for you. 27No! The Father himself loves you. He loves you because you have loved me. And he loves you because you have believed that I came from God. 28I came from the Father into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." 29Then the followers of Jesus said, "You are speaking clearly to us now. You are not using words that are hard to understand. 30We can see now that you know all things. You can answer a person's question even before he asks it. This makes us believe that you came from God." 31Jesus said, "So now you believe? 32Listen to me. A time is coming when you will be scattered. Each of you will be scattered to his own home. That time is now here. You will leave me. I will be alone. But I am never really alone, because the Father is with me. 33"I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble. But be brave! I have defeated the world!"
synagogue(s) Synagogues were places where Jews gathered for prayer, study of the Scriptures, and other public meetings. Helper Or, "Comforter," the Holy Spirit. Spirit of truth The Holy Spirit. It was his work to help Jesus' followers understand God's truth. See Jn. 16:13.