John 13:33

Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples at the Last Supper, positioned between his announcement of imminent glorification and the command to love one another.

The words — The Greek τεκνία (teknia) literally means little children, and ζητήσετέ (zētēsete) translates to you will seek. These terms frame the announcement of his brief physical presence and the disciples' future search for him.

The thread — Jesus repeats to the disciples what he previously told the Jews: “I am with you only a little while longer” (John 7:33) and “Where I am going, you cannot come” (John 8:21), while also echoing his promise of a brief separation followed by a return (John 16:16).

Why it lands — The text states that the disciples will look for Jesus but will be unable to follow him to his destination. It requires readers to acknowledge the limits of their access to his current path and prepare for his departure.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

Cross-references

John 7:33 So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me.
John 8:21 Again He said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
John 16:16 In a little while you will see Me no more, and then after a little while you will see Me.”
1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
John 12:35 Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.
John 14:4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
John 14:19 In a little while the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live.
Galatians 4:19 My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
1 John 4:4 You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
1 John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.