John 16:17 (ASV)

Passage

[Some] of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye behold me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

Nearby Context

John 16:15 All things whatsoever the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he taketh of mine, and shall declare [it] unto you.

John 16:16 A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me.

John 16:17 [Some] of his disciples therefore said one to another, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye behold me not; and again a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?

John 16:18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? We know not what he saith.

John 16:19 Jesus perceived that they were desirous to ask him, and he said unto them, Do ye inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, A little while, and ye behold me not, and again a little while, and ye shall see me?

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "some", "disciples", "therefore", "said", "another", "saith", "little", and "behold". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "some" and "disciples", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "A little while and ye behold me..." into verse 18's "They said therefore What is this that...", so "some" and "disciples" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "some" and "disciples" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.