John 16:4 (GNV)

Passage

But these things haue I tolde you, that when the houre shall come, ye might remember, that I tolde you them. And these things said I not vnto you from ye beginning, because I was with you.

Nearby Context

John 16:2 They shall excommunicate you: yea, the time shall come, that whosoeuer killeth you, will thinke that he doeth God seruice.

John 16:3 And these things will they doe vnto you, because they haue not knowen ye Father, nor me.

John 16:4 But these things haue I tolde you, that when the houre shall come, ye might remember, that I tolde you them. And these things said I not vnto you from ye beginning, because I was with you.

John 16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me, and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

John 16:6 But because I haue saide these thinges vnto you, your hearts are full of sorowe.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "things", "haue", "tolde", "houre", "shall", "come", "might", and "remember". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "things" and "haue", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 3's "And these things will they doe vnto..." into verse 5's "But now I go my way to...", so "things" and "haue" 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 "things" and "haue" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.