Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father.”
Parallel translations
- WEB I came from the Father, and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”
- KJV I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
- BSB I came from the Father and entered the world. In turn, I will leave the world and go to the Father.”
- NKJV I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.”
- NASB I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to 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 summarizes His mission: He came from the Father into the world and now returns to the Father. This encapsulates the gospel of His incarnation and exaltation.
Overview
In one clear sentence Jesus traces the arc of His saving work: from the Father, into the world, and back to the Father. This affirms His divine origin, His true incarnation, and His coming exaltation through death, resurrection, and ascension. It is the plain speech the disciples longed for, and a concise statement of who Jesus is and why He came.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- John 13:1Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
- John 13:3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God,
- John 8:14Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going.
- John 16:5But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
- John 17:5Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.
- John 14:28You heard how I told you, ‘I go away, and I come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I said ‘I am going to my Father;’ for the Father is greater than I.
- John 17:11I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.
- John 16:16A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.”
- Acts 1:9–11When he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight.
- John 17:13But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
- Luke 9:51It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem,
- Luke 24:51While he blessed them, he withdrew from them, and was carried up into heaven.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 16:28 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.