The Bible

 

John 16

Study

   

1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

7 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 him unto you.

8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;

10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

13 Howbeit 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 shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

16 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.

17 Then said some of his disciples 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 to the Father?

18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and 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 me?

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

21 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.

22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:

27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.

28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.

29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

A Brief Exposition of New Church Doctrine #117

Study this Passage

  
/ 120  
  

117. The Faith of the New Heaven and the New Church in its particular form is this: Jehovah God is Love itself and Wisdom itself, or Good itself and Truth itself. As to Divine Truth which is the Word, and which was God with God, He came down and assumed the Human in order that He might bring into order all things in heaven and all things in hell, and all things in the Church; since, at that time, the power of the devil, that is, of hell, prevailed over the power of heaven; and on earth the power of evil prevailed over the power of good; in consequence of which a total damnation was at hand, threatening every creature.

[2] This impending damnation Jehovah God removed by His Human, which was Divine Truth, and thus He redeemed angels and men. Afterwards He united Divine Truth with Divine Good in His Human, and thus returned into His Divine, in which He was from eternity, together with His glorified Human. This is meant by these words in John: The Word was with God, and the Word was God ...and the Word was made flesh. John 1:1, 14. And by these words: I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again I leave the world and go to the Father.John 16:28. From these considerations it is manifest that without the advent of the Lord into the world, no one could have been saved. It is the same at this day; wherefore, unless the Lord comes again into the world in Divine Truth, which is the Word, no one can be saved.

[3] The particulars of faith on man's part are as follows:

1. There is One God, in Whom is the Divine Trinity, and He is the Lord God the Saviour Jesus Christ.

2. A saving faith is to believe on Him.

3. Evil actions ought to be shunned because they are of the devil and from the devil.

4. Good actions ought to be done because they are of God and from God.

5. And these should be done by man as of himself, yet it ought to be believed that they are from the Lord, with him and through him.

The first two are matters of faith; the next two of charity. The fifth concerns the conjunction of charity and faith, thus of the Lord and man. See also concerning these at44 above.

  
/ 120  
  

Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.