John 16:21 (GNV)

Passage

A woman when she traueileth, hath sorowe, because her houre is come: but assoone as she is deliuered of the childe, she remembreth no more the anguish, for ioy that a man is borne into the world.

Nearby Context

John 16:19 Now Iesus knew that they would aske him, and said vnto them, Doe ye enquire among your selues, of that I said, A litle while, and ye shall not see me: and againe, a litle while, and yee shall see me?

John 16:20 Verely, verely I say vnto you, that ye shall weepe and lament, and the worlde shall reioyce: and ye shall sorowe, but your sorowe shalbe turned to ioye.

John 16:21 A woman when she traueileth, hath sorowe, because her houre is come: but assoone as she is deliuered of the childe, she remembreth no more the anguish, for ioy that a man is borne into the world.

John 16:22 And ye nowe therefore are in sorowe: but I will see you againe, and your hearts shall reioyce, and your ioy shall no man take from you.

John 16:23 And in that day shall ye aske me nothing. Verely, verely I say vnto you, whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my Name, he will giue it you.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "world", "woman", "traueileth", "hath", "sorowe", "houre", "come", and "assoone". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "world" and "woman", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "Verely verely I say vnto you that..." into verse 22's "And ye nowe therefore are in sorowe...", so "world" and "woman" 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 "world" and "woman" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.