God of All Comfort

^3 (A)Blessed be the ^(B)God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and ^(C)God of all comfort, ^4 (D)who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ⁵ For as we share abundantly in ^(E)Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.^{[a] 6 (F)}If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. ⁷ Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you ^(G)share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[b] of ^(H)the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us ^(I)rely not on ourselves ^(J)but on God ^(K)who raises the dead. ^10 (L)He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. ^(M)On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. ^11 (N)You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf ^(O)for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy

^16 (A)“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and ^(B)again a little while, and you will see me.” ¹⁷ So ^(C)some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ^(D)‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ^(E)‘because I am going to the Father’?” ¹⁸ So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? ^(F)We do not know what he is talking about.” ^19 (G)Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? ²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(H)you will weep and lament, but ^(I)the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but ^(J)your sorrow will turn into joy. ^21 (K)When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. ^22 (L)So also you have sorrow now, but ^(M)I will see you again, and ^(N)your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. ^23 (O)In that day you will ^(P)ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, ^(Q)whatever you ask of the Father in my name, ^(R)he will give it to you. ²⁴ Until now you have asked nothing in my name. ^(S)Ask, and you will receive, ^(T)that your joy may be full.

I Have Overcome the World

²⁵ “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. ^(U)The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. ²⁶ In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; ^27 (V)for the Father himself loves you, because ^(W)you have loved me and ^(X)have believed that I came from God.^{[a] 28 (Y)}I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now ^(Z)I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

²⁹ His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not ^(AA)using figurative speech! ³⁰ Now we know that ^(AB)you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that ^(AC)you came from God.” ³¹ Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? ³² Behold, ^(AD)the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when ^(AE)you will be scattered, each to his own home, and ^(AF)will leave me alone. ^(AG)Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. ³³ I have said these things to you, that ^(AH)in me you may have peace. ^(AI)In the world you will have ^(AJ)tribulation. But ^(AK)take heart; ^(AL)I have overcome the world.”