But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
Parallel translations
- WEB But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’
- BSB Now, however, I am going to Him who sent Me; yet none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
- NKJV “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
- NASB “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
- NLT “But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going.
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 is going to the One who sent Him, yet the disciples, absorbed in grief, do not ask where He is going. Sorrow has clouded their understanding.
Overview
Jesus notes that He is returning to the Father, but the disciples, overwhelmed by sadness, fail to grasp the significance of His destination. Their focus on loss keeps them from asking the questions that would bring comfort. This sets up Jesus' explanation that His departure is actually for their good.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- John 13:36Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
- John 7:33Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.
- John 16:28I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
- Heb 1:3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
- Eph 4:7–11But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
- John 16:10Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
- John 17:4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
- John 14:4–6And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
- Heb 12:2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- John 13:3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
- John 14:28Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
- John 16:16A 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 6:62What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
- John 17:13And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
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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 16:5 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.