These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
Parallel translations
- WEB “I have said these things to you so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble.
- BSB “I have told you these things so that you will not fall away.
- NKJV “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
- NASB “These things I have spoken to you so that you will not be led into sin.
- NLT “I have told you these things so that you won’t abandon your faith.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus has spoken these things so the disciples will not be caused to stumble. Forewarning is meant to guard their faith.
Overview
Jesus tells the disciples about coming opposition in advance to keep them from falling away when trials come. Forewarned, they will recognize persecution as part of the path rather than a sign that God has abandoned them. This pastoral purpose runs through the discourse: truth spoken beforehand fortifies faith for hard days ahead.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- 1 Pet 2:8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
- Matt 13:21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
- Matt 26:31–33Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
- John 15:18–27If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
- Matt 24:10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
- John 16:4But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
- Rom 14:21It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
- Matt 13:57And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
- Matt 11:6And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.
- John 15:11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
- Phil 1:10That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 16:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.