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Read the Bible
Good News Translation
John 16:18
What does this ‘a little while' mean? We don't know what he is talking about!"
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Dictionaries:
- AmericanParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘A little while’
They said, “What is this he is saying, ‘A little while’
King James Version (1611)
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A litle while? we cannot tell what he saith.
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A litle while? we cannot tell what he saith.
King James Version
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
English Standard Version
So they were saying, "What does he mean by ‘a little while' ? We do not know what he is talking about."
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
So they were saying, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."
So they were saying, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."
New Century Version
They also asked, "What does he mean by ‘a little while' ? We don't understand what he is saying."
They also asked, "What does he mean by ‘a little while' ? We don't understand what he is saying."
Amplified Bible
So they were saying, "What does He mean when He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."
So they were saying, "What does He mean when He says, '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."
So they were saying, "What is this that He says, 'A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."
Legacy Standard Bible
So they were saying, "What is this that He says, ‘A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."
So they were saying, "What is this that He says, ‘A little while'? We do not know what He is talking about."
Berean Standard Bible
They kept asking, "Why is He saying, 'a little while'? We do not understand what He is saying."
They kept asking, "Why is He saying, 'a little while'? We do not understand what He is saying."
Contemporary English Version
What is this ‘little while' that he is talking about? We don't know what he means."
What is this ‘little while' that he is talking about? We don't know what he means."
Complete Jewish Bible
They went on saying, "What is this ‘little while'? We don't understand what he's talking about."
They went on saying, "What is this ‘little while'? We don't understand what he's talking about."
Darby Translation
They said therefore, What is this which he says [of] the little while? We do not know [of] what he speaks.
They said therefore, What is this which he says [of] the little while? We do not know [of] what he speaks.
Easy-to-Read Version
They also asked, "What does he mean by ‘a short time'? We don't understand what he is saying."
They also asked, "What does he mean by ‘a short time'? We don't understand what he is saying."
Geneva Bible (1587)
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A litle while? we know not what he sayeth.
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A litle while? we know not what he sayeth.
George Lamsa Translation
And they said, What is this that he said, A little while? We cannot understand what he talks about.
And they said, What is this that he said, A little while? We cannot understand what he talks about.
Lexham English Bible
So they kept on saying, "What is this that he is saying, ‘A little while'? We do not understand what he is speaking about!"
So they kept on saying, "What is this that he is saying, ‘A little while'? We do not understand what he is speaking about!"
Literal Translation
Then they said, What is this that He says, The little? We do not know what He says.
Then they said, What is this that He says, The little? We do not know what He says.
American Standard Version
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith.
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith.
Bible in Basic English
So they said again and again, What is this he is saying, A little time? His words are not clear to us.
So they said again and again, What is this he is saying, A little time? His words are not clear to us.
Hebrew Names Version
They said therefore, "What is this that he says, 'A little while?' We don't know what he is saying."
They said therefore, "What is this that he says, 'A little while?' We don't know what he is saying."
International Standard Version
They kept saying, "What is this 'in a little while' that he keeps talking about? We don't know what he means."
They kept saying, "What is this 'in a little while' that he keeps talking about? We don't know what he means."
Etheridge Translation
And they said, What is this little (time of) which he hath spoken?
And they said, What is this little (time of) which he hath spoken?
Murdock Translation
And they said: What is this little while, of which he speaketh? We know not what he saith.
And they said: What is this little while, of which he speaketh? We know not what he saith.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
They sayde therefore: What is this that he saith, after a whyle? we can not tell what he saith.
They sayde therefore: What is this that he saith, after a whyle? we can not tell what he saith.
English Revised Version
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith.
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith.
World English Bible
They said therefore, "What is this that he says, 'A little while?' We don't know what he is saying."
They said therefore, "What is this that he says, 'A little while?' We don't know what he is saying."
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
They said therefore, What is this little while that he speaketh of? We understand not what he saith.
They said therefore, What is this little while that he speaketh of? We understand not what he saith.
Weymouth's New Testament
So they asked one another repeatedly, "What can that `little while' mean which He speaks of? We do not understand His words."
So they asked one another repeatedly, "What can that `little while' mean which He speaks of? We do not understand His words."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor thei seiden, What is this that he seith to vs, A litil? we witen not what he spekith.
Therfor thei seiden, What is this that he seith to vs, A litil? we witen not what he spekith.
Update Bible Version
They said therefore, What is this that he says, A little while? We don't know what he says.
They said therefore, What is this that he says, A little while? We don't know what he says.
Webster's Bible Translation
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
New English Translation
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."
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."
New King James Version
They said therefore, "What is this that He says, "A little while'? We do not know what He is saying."
They said therefore, "What is this that He says, "A little while'? We do not know what He is saying."
New Living Translation
And what does he mean by ‘a little while'? We don't understand."
And what does he mean by ‘a little while'? We don't understand."
New Life Bible
So they said, "What is He trying to tell us by saying, ‘A little while' ? We do not know what He is talking about."
So they said, "What is He trying to tell us by saying, ‘A little while' ? We do not know what He is talking about."
New Revised Standard
They said, "What does he mean by this ‘a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about."
They said, "What does he mean by this ‘a little while'? We do not know what he is talking about."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They were saying, therefore - What is this which he saith: - A little while? We know not what he is saying.
They were saying, therefore - What is this which he saith: - A little while? We know not what he is saying.
Douay-Rheims Bible
They said therefore: What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he speaketh.
They said therefore: What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he speaketh.
Revised Standard Version
They said, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he means."
They said, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We do not know what he means."
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
They sayd therfore: what is this that he sayth after a whyle? we canot tell what he sayth.
They sayd therfore: what is this that he sayth after a whyle? we canot tell what he sayth.
Young's Literal Translation
they said then, `What is this he saith -- the little while? we have not known what he saith.'
they said then, `What is this he saith -- the little while? we have not known what he saith.'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde they: What is this, that he sayeth: After a litle whyle? We can not tell what he sayeth.
Then sayde they: What is this, that he sayeth: After a litle whyle? We can not tell what he sayeth.
Mace New Testament (1729)
for, said they, we cannot comprehend the meaning of that expression, "within a little while?"
for, said they, we cannot comprehend the meaning of that expression, "within a little while?"
Simplified Cowboy Version
And what is 'a little while'? We don't understand any of this."
And what is 'a little while'? We don't understand any of this."
Contextual Overview
16 "In a little while you will not see me any more, and then a little while later you will see me." 17 Some of his disciples asked among themselves, "What does this mean? He tells us that in a little while we will not see him, and then a little while later we will see him; and he also says, ‘It is because I am going to the Father.' 18 What does this ‘a little while' mean? We don't know what he is talking about!" 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said to them, "I said, ‘In a little while you will not see me, and then a little while later you will see me.' Is this what you are asking about among yourselves? 20 I am telling you the truth: you will cry and weep, but the world will be glad; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into gladness. 21 When a woman is about to give birth, she is sad because her hour of suffering has come; but when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering, because she is happy that a baby has been born into the world. 22 That is how it is with you: now you are sad, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
we: Matthew 16:9-11, Luke 24:25, Hebrews 5:12
Reciprocal: Psalms 73:16 - too painful for me Luke 9:45 - General John 7:36 - manner John 14:22 - how
Gill's Notes on the 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.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse John 16:18. What is this that he saith — They knew from what he had said that he was to die, but knew not what he meant by their seeing him again in a little time.
