John 16:18 (ASV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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?

John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Some of his disciples therefore said one..." into verse 19's "Jesus perceived that they were desirous to...", so "said" and "therefore" 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 "said" and "therefore" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.