His disciples *said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and are not using any figure of speech.
Parallel translations
- WEB His disciples said to him, “Behold, now you speak plainly, and speak no figures of speech.
- KJV His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.
- BSB His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and without figures of speech.
- NKJV His disciples said to Him, “See, now You are speaking plainly, and using no figure of speech!
- NLT Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively.
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
The disciples say Jesus is now speaking plainly rather than in figures of speech. Their understanding seems to be dawning at last.
Overview
After the upper-room discourse, Jesus had said he would no longer speak in 'dark sayings' but would tell them plainly of the Father (16:25). The disciples respond as if that clarity has already come. Their confidence, though sincere, is still immature, as the next verses reveal, but it points forward to the fuller understanding the Spirit would give after the resurrection.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 1
- John 16:25I 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.
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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 16:29 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
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