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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
- John 10:6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
- Mark 4:13And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
- Matt 13:34–35All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
- John 16:28–29I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
- Ps 78:2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
- Matt 13:10–11And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
- Ps 49:4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
- 2 Cor 3:12–18Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
- 2 Cor 4:2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Acts 2:33–36Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
- Prov 1:6To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
- John 16:16–17A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
- John 16:2They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
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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.