After the Last Supper, after telling the apostles that their sorrow will change itself to joy.
John 16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
John 16:21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
The woman, when she gives birth has pain because that time hers has shown up. When, however, she has born a child, no longer does she remember the pressure in the midst of the joy because a person is born into the world.
No pain, no gain.
The woman when she gives birth pain has because it shows up, that hour of hers, when, however, she bears the child no longer does she remember the pressure thanks to the joy because he is born, a person, into the world.
As in the previous verse, the word translated as "sorrow" in the KJV means pain. It is pain, not sorrow that is associated with childbirth. The first verb translated as "is in travail" and "giving birth" is a word that Jesus only uses here that means "producing" and "bearing young," but it is a different word that the verb is translated as "is delivered" and "born." They are unrelated but have a similar usage. The word translated as "anguish" actually means "pressure," which is more descriptive. This word is associated with political "oppression," but that is another type of pressure.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "a" should be something more like "the."
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "in travail" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "sorrow" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "hour" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "as soon as" is the same word translated as "when" above.
- WV --Wrong Voice - The verb "is delivered" here is translated as passive but it is active.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "is delivered" does not capture the word's specific meaning.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "of" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "joy" is not shown in the English translation.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "a" should be something more like "the."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "when" is not shown in the English translation.
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "giving birth" is not a participle but an active verb, "gives birth."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "her" before "time" should be something more like "the."
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "her" before "baby" should be something more like "the."
- WF -- Wrong Form - The "baby" is not the subject but the object of the verb.
- WV --Wrong Voice - The verb "is born" here is translated as passive but it is active.
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "forgets" is not the verb "forget."
- CW --Confusing Word -- The "because of" is not the same word translated as "because" earlier.
- WW --Wrong Word -- The word translated as "child" should be something more like "the."
A -- (WW) The word translated as "a" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
woman -- The word translated as "woman" is the Greek word that means "woman (as opposed to man)," "wife," "spouse," "mortal woman (as opposed to a goddess)," and "female mate (among animals)." It is closer to our "female."
when -- The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."
she-- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
is -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences.
in travail -- (CW) "In travail" completes the verb that means "given birth" for women.
hath -- The word translated as "hath" means to "have," "possess," "bear," "keep close," "hold in," "have means to do," "to have due to one," or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as the helper verb does in English. Nor does it has the sense of "must" when used with infinitives.
sorrow, -- (CW) The word translated as "sorrow" is better translated as "pain." In John 16:21, it is associated with childbirth, which is a pain, not sorrow.
because -- The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
her -- The word translated as "her" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of hers."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
hour - The word translated as "hour" means a period of time equal to the one-twelfth part of the daylight, like an "hour." More generally, it means a period of time, like a "season."
is -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. The verb is not in the present tense but a tense that means at some point of time, past, present, or future.
come: -- The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more.
but -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better. I
as soon as -- (CW) The Greek word translated as "as soon as" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."
she-- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
is -- (WV) This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
delivered - (CW) "Delivered" is a word that means "to beget," "to bear," "to bring forth," "to produce from oneself," "to create," and "to engender."
of -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "of" in the Greek source.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
child, -- The Greek word translated as "child" means "little child" and refers to children younger than seven. It is one of several words Jesus uses to refer to children, see this article.
she-- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
remembers - "Remember" is from a verb that means to "call to mind," "to remember," and "to think of." This verb takes both objects in the regular form and objects in the possessive (genitive) form., but in English translation, the "remember of them" is still translated as "remember them.
no more -- "No more" is an adverb that means "no more," "no longer," "no further" and generally, "not now."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
anguish, -- The Greek word translated as "anguish" means "pressure," which is translated as a metaphor for "oppression." Since it primarily means pressure in the sense of "crushing" (and "castration"), it is a more colorful word than the words we used to describe a time of difficulty. This is a common word in the Septuagint for "distress," but it appears in Greek literature more as a scientific term than a social description.
for -- The preposition translated as "for" means with the genitive "through," "in the midst of," or "by (a cause)." It indicates movement through a place or time, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method.
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
joy -- "Joy" is from a worth that means "joy" and "delight." More about Christ's use of emotions in this article.
that -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
man -- The Greek word for "man" means "man," "person" and "humanity" in the singular. In the plural, it means "men," "people," and "peoples."
is -- This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
born - "Born" is a word that means "to beget," "to bring forth," "to produce from oneself," "to create," and "to engender." In the passive, this word means "born."
into -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject,"up to" limits in time and measure, and "for" a purpose or object.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
world. -- Jesus uses the word translated as "the world" to mean "the world order," and "civilization," specifically its "rulers," or its organization. Today, we use the word "society" or "regime" in this sense. More about this word in this article about related words.
A -- (WW) The word translated as "a" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
woman -- The word translated as "woman" is the Greek word that means "woman (as opposed to man)," "wife," "spouse," "mortal woman (as opposed to a goddess)," and "female mate (among animals)." It is closer to our "female."
missing "when" -- (MW) The untranslated word MW - Missing Word -- The word "when" is not shown in the English translation. "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."
giving birth to a child -- (WF) "In travail" is a verb that means "bearing a child" for women, but it is translated as a participle when it is an active verb.
has -- The word translated as "has" means to "have," "possess," "bear," "keep close," "hold in," "have means to do," "to have due to one," or "keep" and many specific uses. This verb isn't used to form past tenses as the helper verb does in English. Nor does it has the sense of "must" when used with infinitives.
pain , -- The word translated as "pain " means having bodily pain.
because -- The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
her -- The word translated as "her" is the Greek word commonly translated as third-person pronouns in English. This pronoun follows the noun so "of hers."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
time - The word translated as "time" means a period of time equal to the one-twelfth part of the daylight, like an "hour." More generally, it means a period of time, like a "season."
has -- This helping verb indicates the past tense of the verb. The verb is not in the past tense but a tense that means at some point of time, past, present, or future.
come: -- The word translated as "come" primarily means "to start out" but Christ usually uses it to mean "come" but not always. It indicates movement, especially its beginning, without indicating a direction toward or away from anything, so it works either as "start," "come," or "go," but it is more like our phrase "being underway." Our English word "show up" captures both the "start" and "come" ideas. See this article for more.
but -- The Greek word translated as "but" means "but," "however," and "on the other hand." It joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
when -- The Greek word translated as "when" introduces a phrase that explains a certain condition so "whenever" or "since."
her -- (WW) The word translated as "her" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
baby , -- (WF) The Greek word translated as "baby" means "little child" and refers to children younger than seven. It is one of several words Jesus uses to refer to children, see this article. This is not the subject of the verb, but its object.
is -- (WV) This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
born - "Born" is a word that means "to beget," "to bear," "to bring forth," "to produce from oneself," "to create," and "to engender."
she-- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
forgets- (CW) "Forgets" is from two Greek words, the first verb that means to "call to mind," "to remember," and "to think of." This verb takes both objects in the regular form and objects in the possessive (genitive) form. And the second an adverb that means "no more," "no longer," "no further" and generally, "not now."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
anguish, -- The Greek word translated as "anguish" means "pressure," which is translated as a metaphor for "oppression." Since it primarily means pressure in the sense of "crushing" (and "castration"), it is a more colorful word than the words we used to describe a time of difficulty. This is a common word in the Septuagint for "distress," but it appears in Greek literature more as a scientific term than a social description.
because of -- (CW) The preposition translated as "because of" means with the genitive "through," "in the midst of," or "by (a cause)." It indicates movement through a place or time, but it also means "by" the sense of "by means of" a given method. This is not the same word translated as "because" above.
her -- (WW) The word translated as "her" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
joy -- "Joy" is from a worth that means "joy" and "delight." More about Christ's use of emotions in this article.
that -- The word translated as "that" introduces a statement of fact or cause, "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
a -- There is no indefinite article in Greek, but when a noun doesn't have a definite article, the indefinite article can be added in English translation.
child -- (WW) The Greek word for "child" means "man," "person" and "humanity" in the singular. In the plural, it means "men," "people," and "peoples."
is -- This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
born - "Born" is a word that means "to beget," "to bring forth," "to produce from oneself," "to create," and "to engender." In the passive, this word means "born."
into -- The word translated as "unto" means "into" a place, "towards" as a direction, "as much as (of measure or limit)," "in regards to" a subject,"up to" limits in time and measure, and "for" a purpose or object.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article; without a noun, it has the sense of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
world. -- Jesus uses the word translated as "the world" to mean "the world order," and "civilization," specifically its "rulers," or its organization. Today, we use the word "society" or "regime" in this sense. More about this word in this article about related words.
ἡ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "A" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
γυνὴ [28 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Woman" is gyne, which means "woman (as opposed to man)," "wife," "spouse," "mortal woman (as opposed to a goddess)," and "female mate (among animals)."
ὅταν [70 verses](adv/conj) "When" is from hotan, which means "whenever (as a condition)," and "since (as a cause)."
τίκτῃ [1 verse](verb 3rd sg pres subj act) "She is in travail" is tikto, which means "to bring into the world", "to beget" (of the father), "to bring forth" (of the mother), and (of animals) "to breed" or "to bear young.". As a metaphor, it was used to mean "to generate", "to produce, and "to engender."
λύπην [4 verses](noun sg fem acc) "Sorrow" is from lype, which means "pain of the body", "sad plight", "sad condition", "pain of the mind," and "grief." -- The word translated as "sorrow" is better translated as "pain." In John 16:21, it is associated with childbirth, which is a pain, not sorrow.
ἔχει: [181 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Hath" is echo, which means "to have," "to hold," "to possess," "to keep," "to have charge of," "to have due to one," "to maintain," "to hold fast," "to hold in," "to bear," "to carry," "to keep close," "to keep safe," and "to have means to do." In aorist, it can mean "acquire," or "get." The main sense when it has an object is "to have" or "to hold." It can also mean "to without" or "keep back" a thing.
ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) "Because" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
ἦλθεν [198 verses](verb 3rd sg aor ind act) "Is come" is erchomai, which means "to start," "to set out," "to come," "to go," and any kind of motion. It means both "to go" on a journey and "to arrive" at a place.
ἡ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -
ὥρα [37 verses](noun sg fem nom ) "Time" is hora, which means "any period," "season," (especially springtime), "year' (generally), "climate" (as determined by seasons), "duration," "the twelve equal parts into which the period of daylight was divided," "the fitting time" (for a task).
αὐτῆς: [720 verses](adj sg fem gen) "Her" is autos, which means "the same," and the reflexive pronouns, "myself," "yourself," "himself," "herself," "itself," or the oblique case of the pronouns, "him," "her," and "it." In the plural, "they," "them," and "their." It also means "one's true self," that is, "the soul" as opposed to the body and "of one's own accord." In the adverbial form, it means "just here" or "exactly there."
ὅταν [70 verses](adv/conj) "When" is from hotan, which means "whenever (as a condition)," and "since (as a cause)."
δὲ [446 verses](conj) "But" is de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of indirect cause ("so"). In an "if" (εἰ ) clause or temporal "when" (ὅταν) clause the sense is "if/when... then." In a series begun by men, its means "on the other hand." In a series begun by men, its means "on the other hand."
γεννήσῃ [10 verse](verb 3rd sg aor subj act) "Is delivered" is gennao, which means "to beget," "to bring forth," "to produce from oneself," "to create," and "to engender." This is the causal form of gignomai, which is translated as "done" in the NT, but which comes closer in meaning to "become."
τὸ [821 verses](article sg masc nom) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
παιδίον, [6 verses](noun sg neut nom/acc) "Child" is paidion. which means "little child" or "young child," (up to seven years) "infant" or "young slave."
οὐκέτι [17 verses](adv) "No more" is ouketi, which means "no more," "no longer," "no further" and generally, "not now."
μνημονεύει [6 verses](verb 3rd sg pres ind act) "She remembers" is mnemoneuo, which means to "call to mind," "to remember," and "to think of." It accepts both accusative or genitive objects.
τῆς [821 verses](article sg fem gen) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
θλίψεως [9 verses](noun sg fem gen) "Anguish" is thlipsis, which means "pressure," "crushing," and "castration." It is a metaphor for "affliction"and "oppression."
διὰ [88 verses](prep) "For" is dia, which means with the genitive "through," "in the midst of," "in a line (movement)," "throughout (time)," "by (causal)," "for (causal)," "among," and "between." With the accusative, it can also be "thanks to," "because of," "by reasons of," and "for the sake of."
τὴν [821 verses](article sg fem acc) "Her" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
χαρὰν [14verses](noun sg fem acc) "Joy" is chara, which means "joy" and "delight."
ὅτι [332 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore."
ἐγεννήθη [10 verse](verb 3rd sg aor ind pass) "Is born" is gennao, which means "to beget," "to bring forth," "to produce from oneself," "to create," and "to engender." This is the causal form of gignomai, which is translated as "done" in the NT, but which comes closer in meaning to "become."
ἄνθρωπος [209 verses](noun sg masc nom) "Of man" is anthropos, which is "man," and, in plural, "mankind." It also means "humanity" and that which is human and opposed to that which is animal or inanimate.
εἰς [325 verses](prep) "Into" is eis, which means "into (of place)," "up to (of time)," "until (of time)," "as much as (of measure or limit)," "as far as (of measure or limit)," "towards (to express relation)," "in regard to (to express relation)," "of an end or limit," and "for (of purpose or object)."
τὸν [821 verses](article sg masc acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
κόσμον. [63 verses](noun sg masc acc) "World" is kosmos, which mean "order," "good order," "ruler," "civilization," "world order," "universe," and "the world of men." It is a form of the is verb kosmeô, which means "to order," "to arrange," "to rule," "to adorn" (especially women), and "to equip." It especially means controlling and arranging an army.
There is a connection here between the birth of a child and the birth of the kingdom.