John 16:1 (KJV)

Passage

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

Nearby Context

John 16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

John 16:3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

Study Lenses

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

The next verse adds "They shall put you out of the...", so "things" and "spoken" should be read forward into that movement. 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 "spoken" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.