15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made 16 known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain that whatever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may 17 give it you.* These things I command you, 18 that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated 19 you. If ye were of the world,† the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, and I have chosen you out of the 20 world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they xnow not him that sent me. If I had not come, and spoken unto them, they had not had sin but now they have no excuse for their sin: 23 He who hateth me, hateth my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works which 3 no other man did, they had not had sin: but now they have seen, and hated both me * See chap. xvi. 24th verse. That is, worldly in your views and dispositions. 25 and my Father. However, the word is thus fulfilled which is written in their law, They 26 hated me without a cause. But when the Comfortert is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall 27 testify of me. And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the begin ning. 1 CHAP. XVI. THESE things I have spoken unto you, 2 that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whoever killeth you, will think 3 that he doeth God service. And these things they will do unto you, because they have not 4 known the Father nor me. But these things I have told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. I did not mention them to you at the begin5 ning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to him who sent me, and none of you 6 asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because * Christ was actuated by the Spirit of God-and whoever dislikes the doctrines and precepts of Christ, must be a bad man. + Advocate: The same word which is used in John's first epistle, chap. ii. 1. That is, I have thus forewarned you of the treatment which you will receive, that you may not hereafter be of fended, and desert my cause. § Paul thought he was doing service to the cause of religion, when he persecuted the apostles and first Christians. I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath 7 filled your heart. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: but if I depart, I will send 8 him unto you. And when he is come, he will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, 9 and of judgment: of sin, because they believe 10 not on me; of righteousness, because I go to 11 my Father, and ye see me no more ;* of judg ment, because the prince of this world is judg 12 ed. I have yet many things to say unto you, 13 but ye cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shali hear, that shall he speak; and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of 15 mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore I said that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it 16 unto you. A little while, and ye shall not see me and again, a little while, and ye shall see 17 me, because I go to the Father. Then some of his disciples said among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me : and again, a little while, and ye shall see me : and, Because I go *By the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, the gospel was proved to be the cause of righteousness; and the power Satan destroyed. of The apostles were expecting Christ would exert great temporal power; and were not prepared for the idea of persecution and sufferings. 18 to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, "A little while ?" We can19 not tell what he saith. Now Jesus knew they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, "A little while, and ye shall not see me and again, a little while, and ye shall see 20 me?" Verily, verily I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and ye shall be sorrowful, but your 21 sorrow shall be turned into joy.* 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 22 world. And now ye have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and 23 your joy no man taketh from you. In that day ye will ask me nothing: Verily, verily I say unto you, whatever ye shall ask the Father 24 in my name, he will give it you.† Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be perfect. 25 These things I have spoken unto you in parables but the time cometh when I will no more speak unto you in parables, but I will 26 shew you plainly of the Father. At that day ye will ask in my name and I do not say that Their grief was indeed excessive, when he was taken and crucified: but his resurrection gave new hope and joy, which never forsook them. † We have no intimation that it is proper to pray to Christ; but we are directed to pray to God in his name, and with faith in his declarations. 27 I will pray the Father for you:* For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from 28 God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, 29 and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now thou speakest plainly, and dost 30 not speak in parables. Now we are sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee :† by this we believe 31 that thou didst come from God. Jesus answer32 ed them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; yet I am not alone, because 33 the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye will have trouble: but take courage, I have overcome the world. 1 CHAP. XVII. JESUS spake these words, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may The Father is in himself propitious, and ready to hear the sincere, devout supplicant. They were satisfied Christ was possessed of a divine spirit, by which he knew the views and thoughts of others. Is very near, or will soon come. This and the two preceding chapters were addressed to the disciples alone, to comfort them in the trials which awaited them. |
