Jesus told his disciples that he would send the Holy Spirit to them. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter ([John 16:7](../../jhn/16/07.md)) who is always with God's people to help them and to speak to God for them. He is also the Spirit of truth ([John 16:13](../../jhn/16/13.md)) who tells God's people what is true about God so they know him better and serve him well. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/holyspirit]])
Jesus used these words to begin prophecies about times that could be shorter or longer than sixty minutes. "The hour" in which people would persecute his followers ([John 16:2](../../jhn/16/02.md)) was days, weeks, and years long, but "the hour" in which his disciples would scatter and leave him alone ([John 16:32](../../jhn/16/32.md)) was less than sixty minutes long. (See: [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/prophet]])
Jesus said that just as a woman is in pain as she gives birth to a baby and his followers would be sad when he died. But the woman is glad after the baby is born, and his followers would be happy when he became alive again. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile]])