John 16:16
 
John 16:16
(KJV) A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
(1611 KJV) A litle while, and ye shall not see me: and againe a litle while, & ye shall see me: because I goe to the Father.
(1587 Geneva Bible) A litle while, and ye shall not see me: and againe a litle while, and ye shall see me: for I goe to the Father.
(1526 Tyndale) After a whyle ye shall not se me and agayne after a whyle ye shall se me: For I goo to the father.
 
Counterfeit Versions
(NIV) "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."
(CSB) “A little while and you will no longer see me; again a little while and you will see me.”
(NASV) A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me."
(ESV) "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me."
(1901 ASV) A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me.
(HCSB) "A little while and you will no longer see Me; again a little while and you will see Me."
(RSV) "A little while, and you will see me no more; again a little while, and you will see me."
(NAB-Roman Catholic) "A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me."
(NWT-Jehovah’s Witnesses) In a little while YOU will behold me no longer, and, again, in a little while YOU will see me.”
 
Textus Receptus - Traditional Text
mikron kai ou qewreite me kai palin mikron kai oyesqe me oti egw upagw proV ton patera
 
Hort-Westcott - Critical Text
mikron kai ouketi qewreite me kai palin mikron kai oyesqe me
 
Corrupted Manuscripts
This verse is corrupted in the following manuscripts:
Omit “because”
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century
L 019 - Seventh century
W 032 - Fourth/fifth century
P 5 - Third Century
P 66 - circa 200 A.D.
 
Omit “I”
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century
L 019 - Seventh century
W 032 - Fourth/fifth century
P 5 - Third Century
P 66 - circa 200 A.D.
 
Omit “go to the Father”
Aleph 01 - Sinaiticus - Nineteenth Century Counterfeit
B 03 - Vaticanus - Fourth century
D 05 - Bezae Cantabrigiensis - Fifth century
L 019 - Seventh century
W 032 - Fourth/fifth century
P 5 - Third Century
P 66 - circa 200 A.D.
 
Manuscripts which agree with the Textus Receptus for this verse
Contains “because”
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
K 017 - Ninth century
Gamma 036 - Ninth or Tenth century
Delta 037 - Ninth century
Theta 038 - Ninth century
1 (Minuscule) - Seventh century
13 (Minuscule) - Eighth century
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
 
Contains “I”
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
Stephanus (1550 A.D.)
 
Contains “go to the Father”
Byzantine Text (450-1450 A.D.)
A 02 - Alexandrinus - Fifth century
K 017 - Ninth century
Gamma 036 - Ninth or Tenth century
Delta 037 - Ninth century
Theta 038 - Ninth century
1 (Minuscule) - Seventh century
13 (Minuscule) - Eighth century
33 (Minuscule) - Ninth Century
 
Published Critical Greek Texts with Corruptions
Omit” because I go to the Father”
Tischendorf, Constantine - 1869
Tregelles, Samuel - 1857
Alford, Henry - 1849 revised in 1871
Westcott and Hort - 1881
Weiss, Bernhard - 1894
Nestle - 1927 as revised in seventeenth edition in 1941
Nestle-Aland - 1979 - Twenty Sixth Edition
Nestle-Aland - 1993 - Twenty Seventh Edition
United Bible Societies - 1983 - Fourth Edition
Von Soden, Freiherr - 1902
 
Affected Teachings
This omission is another attack on the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ and the fact that He is the Son of God. The Gnostics did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God so it would naturally follow that they would remove this important part of the verse which deals with His ascension and His relation to God the Father. There is no reason given in the modern Greek text as to why this was left out but there is a notation that Origen was the one who had it removed. As you recall Origen was a Gnostic pagan. See his beliefs in message 41. When that phrase was taken out, verse 16 made no sense. It sounds like the Lord is rambling when He says that in a little while they will see Him and in a little while they will not. “Because I go to the Father” is the phrase that gives the statement its proper meaning. It explains why they will not see Him in a little while and the fact that they will see Him again when they go to Heaven. Leaving this phrase out also removes the Heavenly witness of the Lord Jesus Christ and the reunification of all the believers in Heaven.
 
Once again the modern versions create a confusing situation in the context of these verses:
 
(John 16:16-17 KJV) A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. {17} Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
 
(John 16:16-17 NIV) 16 "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me." 17 Some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?"
 
(John 16:16-17 ESV) 16 "A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me." 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that he says to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father'?"
 
(John 16:16-17 HCSB) 16 "A little while and you will no longer see Me; again a little while and you will see Me." 17 Therefore some of His disciples said to one another, "What is this He tells us: 'A little while and you will not see Me; again a little while and you will see Me'; and, 'because I am going to the Father '?"
 
In verse 17 the disciples ask the question among themselves concerning the statement the Lord made in verse 16 that He was going to the Father. But wait, in the modern versions they are concerning themselves with a statement that the Lord never made. In verse 17 they are questioning the phrase about Him going to the Father when He did not make that statement according to the modern versions. So once again it seems like they added the phrase “because I am going to the Father” instead of it being part of the flow of the context of the surrounding verses. Once again the King James shows its superiority in dispelling confusion while the modern versions once again create it, because they go to their father.

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