These things is emphatic in the Greek sentence structure. It refers to the inevitability of persecution discussed in 15.18–16.4a.

At the beginning, though not the precise phrase used in 15.27, has the same meaning as the earlier phrase; that is, it refers to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus did not tell his disciples about future persecution at the beginning of his ministry, because he was then present to protect them, and because at that time the persecution was directed against him rather than against them. In some languages at the beginning may be rendered “when you began to follow me” or “when you first became my disciples” or “when I first began to teach you.”

But now of this verse contrasts with at the beginning in 4b.

I am going to him who sent me (as always, a reference to the Father) repeats the words of 7.33. The same theme is repeated again in 16.10,17,28 (see also 14.12). In some languages there is a subtle obscurity involved in rendering to him who sent me. This phrase might appear to be a kind of indefinite reference, and thus not the equivalent of “to my Father who sent me.” If a close correspondence to the Greek text is likely to lead to misunderstanding, it may be necessary to render this expression “to my Father who sent me.”

Although the Greek text has direct discourse (“Where are you going?”), it is often better to translate by indirect discourse, as in Good News Translation (note also Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “And none of you asked me where I am going”). Of course, here and in other such contexts, the translator should follow what is most natural in the receptor language.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .