Section 15:18–16:4b The world would hate the disciples

Jesus warned the disciples that the world would hate them because they did not belong to the world. They now belonged to Jesus and because the world hated Jesus it would also hate them. And because the world hated Jesus, it also hated the Father. When the Holy Spirit came, he would tell about Jesus, and the disciples should tell what they know about him too. Jesus told them these things so that their faith would stay strong.

Here are some other possible section headings:

The world’s hate
-or-
The world’s hate for Jesus and his disciples

Paragraph 15:18–21

Jesus warned his followers that people will hate them and persecute them because they belong to him.

15:18a

If the world hates you: This clause assumes that the people of the world would hate Jesus’ followers. In some languages it is more natural to make that clear. For example:

If the unbelievers hate you, and they will
-or-
When the unbelievers hate you

the world: This phrase here refers to the unbelievers in the world. These people would hate Christ’s followers. They did not understand them or sympathize with them.

15:18b

understand that it hated Me first: These clauses reminded Jesus’ disciples that people had hated him. Here are other ways to translate these clauses:

realize that it hated me before it hated you (God’s Word)
-or-
remember that it hated me first (New Living Translation (2004))

understand: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translated as understand means “continue to remember.” (It can also be a statement, “you know,” rather than a command. A few translations follow that meaning.) Here are other ways to translate this word:

know (English Standard Version)
-or-
just remember (Good News Translation)
-or-
realize (God’s Word)
-or-
never forget

it: This word refers to the world. If you have translated the word “world” as a plural such as “unbelievers,” then it will need to be translated as a plural such as “they.”

General Comment on 15:18b

In some languages it may be natural to translate the information in this verse as more than one sentence. For example:

You know how unbelievers have hated me. Well, now they will hate you (plur.) also.

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