I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you this way, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
Parallel translations
- WEB I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
- KJV These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
- NKJV “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.
- NASB “These things I have spoken to you in figures of speech; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
- NLT “I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father.
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 in figures, but a time is coming when He will speak plainly about the Father. Fuller clarity awaits.
Overview
Jesus acknowledges that much of His teaching has been veiled in figurative language the disciples have struggled to grasp. He promises a coming time of plain speech about the Father, realized after the resurrection and through the Spirit's illumination. This anticipates the deeper understanding the apostles would receive and pass on to the church.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 16:12I still have much to tell you, but you cannot yet bear to hear it.
- John 10:6Jesus spoke to them using this illustration, but they did not understand what He was telling them.
- Mark 4:13Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
- Matt 13:34–35Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.
- John 16:28–29I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
- Ps 78:2I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,
- Matt 13:10–11Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
- Ps 49:4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
- 2 Cor 3:12–18Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
- 2 Cor 4:2Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Acts 2:33–36Exalted, then, to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
- Prov 1:6by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
- John 16:16–17In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”
- John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.
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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 16:25 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.