“These things I have spoken to you so that you will not be led into sin.
Parallel translations
- WEB “I have said these things to you so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble.
- KJV These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
- 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.
- 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 offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.
- Matt 13:21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
- Matt 26:31–33Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
- John 15:18–27If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.
- Matt 24:10Then many will stumble, and will deliver up one another, and will hate one another.
- John 16:4But I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.
- Rom 14:21It is good to not eat meat, drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, is offended, or is made weak.
- Matt 13:57They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.”
- Matt 11:6Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”
- John 15:11I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.
- Phil 1:10so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to 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.