John16
New American Standard
1“These things I have spoken to you so that you will not be led into sin.
2They will ban you from the synagogue, yet an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to God.
3These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor Me.
4But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. However, I did not say these things to you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5“But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’
6But because I have said these things to you, grief has filled your heart.
7But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
8And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment:
9regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me;
10and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me;
11and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them at the present time.
13But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
14He will glorify Me, for He will take from Mine and will disclose it to you.
15All things that the Father has are Mine; this is why I said that He takes from Mine and will disclose it to you.
16“A little while, and you no longer are going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.”
17So some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”
18So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.”
19Jesus knew that they wanted to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’?
20Truly, truly I say to you that you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy!
21Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.
22Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one is going to take your joy away from you.
23And on that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.
24Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.
25“These things I have spoken to you in figures of speech; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
26On that day you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;
27for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
28I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
29His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and are not using any figure of speech.
30Now we know that You know all things, and that You have no need for anyone to question You; this is why we believe that You came forth from God.”
31Jesus replied to them, “Do you now believe?
32Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for John 16.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Persecution foretold. (1–6). The promise of the Holy Spirit, and his office. (7–15). Christ's departure and return. (16–22). Encouragement to prayer. (23–27). Christ's discoveries of himself. (28–33).
vv1-6
Our Lord Jesus, by giving his disciples notice of trouble, designed that the terror might not be a surprise to them. It is possible for those who are real enemies to God's service, to pretend zeal for it. This does not lessen the sin of the persecutors; villanies will never be changed by putting the name of God to them. As Jesus in his sufferings, so his followers in theirs, should look to the fulfilling of Scripture. He did not tell them sooner, because he was with them to teach, guide, and comfort them; they needed not then this promise of the Holy Spirit's presence. It will silence us to ask, Whence troubles come? It will satisfy us to ask, Whither go they? for we know they work for good. It is the common fault and folly of melancholy Christians to look only on the dark side of the cloud, and to turn a deaf ear to the voice of joy and gladness. That which filled the disciples' hearts with sorrow, was too great affection for this present life. Nothing more hinders our joy in God, than the love of the world, and the sorrow of the world which comes from it.
vv7-15
Christ's departure was necessary to the Comforter's coming. Sending the Spirit was to be the fruit of Christ's death, which was his going away. His bodily presence could be only in one place at one time, but his Spirit is every where, in all places, at all times, wherever two or three are gathered together in his name. See here the office of the Spirit, first to reprove, or to convince. Convincing work is the Spirit's work; he can do it effectually, and none but he. It is the method the Holy Spirit takes, first to convince, and then to comfort. The Spirit shall convince the world, of sin; not merely tell them of it. The Spirit convinces of the fact of sin; of the fault of sin; of the folly of sin; of the filth of sin, that by it we are become hateful to God; of the fountain of sin, the corrupt nature; and lastly, of the fruit of sin, that the end thereof is death. The Holy Spirit proves that all the world is guilty before God. He convinces the world of righteousness; that Jesus of Nazareth was Christ the righteous. Also, of Christ's righteousness, imparted to us for justification and salvation. He will show them where it is to be had, and how they may be accepted as righteous in God's sight. Christ's ascension proves the ransom was accepted, and the righteousness finished, through which believers were to be justified. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. All will be well, when his power is broken, who made all the mischief. As Satan is subdued by Christ, this gives us confidence, for no other power can stand before him. And of the day of judgment. The coming of the Spirit would be of unspeakable advantage to the disciples. The Holy Spirit is our Guide, not only to show us the way, but to go with us by continued aids and influences. To be led into a truth is more than barely to know it; it is not only to have the notion of it in our heads, but the relish, and savour, and power of it in our hearts. He shall teach all truth, and keep back nothing profitable, for he will show things to come. All the gifts and graces of the Spirit, all the preaching, and all the writing of the apostles, under the influence of the Spirit, all the tongues, and miracles, were to glorify Christ. It behoves every one to ask, whether the Holy Spirit has begun a good work in his heart? Without clear discovery of our guilt and danger, we never shall understand the value of Christ's salvation; but when brought to know ourselves aright, we begin to see the value of the Redeemer. We should have fuller views of the Redeemer, and more lively affections to him, if we more prayed for, and depended on the Holy Spirit.
vv16-22
It is good to consider how near our seasons of grace are to an end, that we may be quickened to improve them. But the sorrows of the disciples would soon be turned into joy; as those of a mother, at the sight of her infant. The Holy Spirit would be their Comforter, and neither men nor devils, neither sufferings in life nor in death, would ever deprive them of their joy. Believers have joy or sorrow, according to their sight of Christ, and the tokens of his presence. Sorrow is coming on the ungodly, which nothing can lessen; the believer is an heir to joy which no one can take away. Where now is the joy of the murderers of our Lord, and the sorrow of his friends?
Key Words
λαλέω (laléō): to talk, i.e. utter words
ταῦτα (taûta): these things
ὑμῖν (hymîn): to (with or by) you
ἵνα μή (hína mḗ): in order (or so) that not
σκανδαλίζω (skandalízō): to entrap, i.e. trip up (figuratively, stumble (transitively) or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure)
ποιέω (poiéō): to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
ὑμᾶς (hymâs): you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
ἀποσυνάγωγος (aposynágōgos): excommunicated
ἀλλά (allá): properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations)
ὥρα (hṓra): an "hour" (literally or figuratively)
Cross References
John 16Exaltation of Christ to the Father's right hand as the ultimate proof and seal of justifying righteousness.
Supported by JFB
Reinforces the promise and agency of Christ sending the Comforter (Spirit of truth) from the Father.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Direct parallel showing the judgment and casting out of the prince of this world through Christ's death.
Supported by JFB
Provides historical precedent in John's Gospel for being put out of the synagogue for confessing Christ.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Saul of Tarsus exemplifying those who kill Christians believing they are performing service to God.
Supported by JFB
Grounds the world's persecution in their ignorance of both Jesus and the Father who sent Him.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Prophetic background of the shepherd being smitten and the sheep/disciples being scattered to their own.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explains the theological necessity of Jesus being glorified before the Holy Spirit could be given.
Supported by JFB
The Old Testament prophetic basis for the Righteous Servant justifying many by bearing their iniquities.
Supported by JFB
Describes the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit, who guides and brings all things to remembrance.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Verbal parallel regarding the privilege and promise of asking the Father in Christ's name.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Parallels the disciples' confession of believing that Jesus came forth from God.
Supported by John Calvin
Links Christ's gift of peace with the overcoming of worldly tribulation and sorrow.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Historical demonstration of the Spirit's reproving/convincing work, pricking hearts on the day of Pentecost.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Theological exposition of how Christ's death destroyed him who had the power of death (Satan).
Supported by JFB