14:29a–b

This verse is similar to 13:19. See how you translated that verse and let that help you know how to translate this verse.

14:29a

And now I have told you before it happens: These clauses indicate that Jesus told the disciples that he was going away before he actually left. In some languages it will be natural to make it explicit that the phrase it happens refers to Jesus leaving. For example:

I am telling you this before I leave. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I have told you this while I’m still with you. (God’s Word)

you: This pronoun is plural and refers to the disciples.

it: This word refers to Jesus’ going away. Jesus told the disciples that he was going to the Father (14:28).

14:29b

so that when it does happen, you will believe: These clauses indicate Jesus’ reason for telling the disciples that he was going to leave them. He told them that before it occurred (happened) so that when it did occur, they would believe in him. Here are other ways to translate these clauses:

so that when it happens you may believe (NET Bible)
-or-
so that when it does happen, you will have faith in me (Contemporary English Version)

so that: The connector the Berean Standard Bible has translated as so that means “in order that.” It indicates that the following clause gives the reason for the previous clause.

when it does happen: This expression again refers to Christ leaving his disciples. He was going to go away from them, as he had told them.

you will believe: When the word believe is used without an object, it is usually a short way of saying “believe in Jesus.” So this word includes the idea of believing who Jesus was and what he said. But it also includes the idea of trusting Jesus instead of trusting oneself or someone else. Both ideas are very closely related. If someone believes the truth about Jesus, it should result in trusting him. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

you will have faith in me (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
you may have faith (Revised English Bible)

This does not imply that the disciples did not believe in Jesus before. But this would help them to believe more strongly and surely.

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