John 7:33

Then Jesus said, “I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me.

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Other translations

WEBBE

Then Jesus said, “I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me.

BSB

So Jesus said, “I am with you only a little while longer, and then I am going to the One who sent Me.

KJV

Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me.

ASV

Jesus therefore said, Yet a little while am I with you, and I go unto him that sent me.

BBE

Then Jesus said, I will be with you a little longer and then I go to him who sent me.

Original Greek

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The early church

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"Yet a little while am I with you." Having power to bow and terrify His hearers, He uttereth words full of humility. As though He had said, "Why are ye eager to persecute and kill Me? Wait a little while, and even though you should be eager to keep Me back, I shall not endure it." That no one should (as they did) suppose that the, "Yet a little while am I with you," denoted a common death, that no one might suppose this, or that He wrought nothing after death, He added, "And where I am, thither ye cannot come." Now had He been about to continue in death, they might have gone to Him, for to that place we all depart. His words therefore bent the simpler portion of the multitude, terrified the bolder, made the more intelligent anxious to hear Him, since but little time was now left, and since it was not in their power always to enjoy this teaching.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on John
(Hom. l. 2) He speaks with the greatest humility: as if to say, Why do ye make such haste to kill Me? Only wait a little time.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Hom. l. 2) In this way He astonished the bolder part of the multitude, and made the earnest among them more eager to hear Him; so little time being now left, during which they could have the benefit of His teaching. He does not say, I am here, simply; but, I am with you; meaning, Though you persecute Me, I will not cease fulfilling my part towards you, teaching you the way to salvation, and admonishing you. What follows, And I go unto Him that sent Me, was enough to excite some fear.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
(Tract. xxxi. s. 8) Not being able to take Him against His will, they sent men to hear Him teach. Teach what? Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while I am with you. (Tract. xxxi. 8) That which ye wish to do now, ye shall do sometime, but not now: because it is not My will. For I wish to fulfil My mission in due course, and so to come to My passion.
Augustine of Hippo · d. 430Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
I go to Him that sent Me: i. e. I return to My Father, at whose command I became incarnate. He is speaking of that departure, from which He has never returned.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 31–36

The discourses of Jesus convinced many that he was the Messiah; but they had not courage to own it. It is comfort to those who are in the world, but not of it, and therefore are hated by it and weary of it, that they shall not be in it always, that they shall not be in it long. Our days being evil, it is well they are few. The days of life and of grace do not last long; and sinners, when in misery, will be glad of the help they now despise. Men dispute about such sayings, but the event will explain them.

Read Matthew Henry on John 7 →

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Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.