7. But I tell you that I am going to do what is best for you. That is why I am going away. The Holy Spirit cannot come to help you until I leave. But after I am gone, I will send the Spirit to you.
8. The Spirit will come and show the people of this world the truth about sin and God's justice and the judgment.
9. The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn't have faith in me.
10. They are wrong about God's justice, because I am going to the Father, and you won't see me again.
11. And they are wrong about the judgment, because God has already judged the ruler of this world.
12. I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand.
13. The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn't speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen.
14. The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you.
15. Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.
16. Jesus told his disciples, “For a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me.”
17. They said to each other, “What does Jesus mean by saying that for a little while we won't see him, but after a while we will see him? What does he mean by saying that he is going to the Father?
18. What is this ‘little while’ that he is talking about? We don't know what he means.”
19. Jesus knew that they had some questions, so he said:You are wondering what I meant when I said that for a little while you won't see me, but after a while you will see me.
20. I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy.
21. When a woman is about to give birth, she is in great pain. But after it is all over, she forgets the pain and is happy, because she has brought a child into the world.
22. You are now very sad. But later I will see you, and you will be so happy that no one will be able to change the way you feel.
23. When that time comes, you won't have to ask me about anything. I tell you for certain that the Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name.
24. You have not asked for anything in this way before, but now you must ask in my name. Then it will be given to you, so that you will be completely happy.
25. I have used examples to explain to you what I have been talking about. But the time will come when I will speak to you plainly about the Father and will no longer use examples like these.