John 16:7

John 16:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
• New International Version (NIV)But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

Context of John 16:7

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, sorrow has filled your hearts [and taken complete possession of them]. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you]. 8And He, when He comes, will convict the world about [the guilt of] sin [and the need for a Savior], and about righteousness, and about judgment: 9about sin [and the true nature of it], because they do not believe in Me [and My message];

John 16:7 word by word

ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγω ὑμῖν· συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα ἐγὼ ἀπέλθω· ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἀπέλθω, ὁ παράκλητος οὐκ ἐλεύσεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἐὰν δὲ πορευθῶ, πέμψω αὐτὸν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Neverthelessἀλλάalla · butG235
• Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• tellλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• youσύsu · youG4771
• the truthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the truthἀλήθειαalētheia · truthG225
• It is expedientσυμφέρωsumpherō · be profitableG4851
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• go awayἀπέρχομαιaperchomai · to go awayG565
• forγάρgar · forG1063
• ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• notμήmē · notG3361
• the Comforterπαράκλητοςparaklētos · counsellorG3875
• willἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• notοὐou · noG3756
• untoπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• butδέde · thenG1161
• I departπορεύωporeuomai · to travelG4198
• I will sendπέμπωpempō · to sendG3992
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846

Cross-references for John 16:7

• John 8:45But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me [and continue in your unbelief].
• Luke 4:25But in truth I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was closed up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;
• Luke 9:27But I tell you truthfully, there are some among those standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
• Acts 10:34Opening his mouth, Peter said: “Most certainly I understand now that God is not one to show partiality [to people as though Gentiles were excluded from God’s blessing],
• John 11:50Nor do you understand that it is expedient and politically advantageous for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”
• John 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.
• Romans 8:28And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.
• 2 Corinthians 4:17For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]!
• John 7:39But He was speaking of the [Holy] Spirit, whom those who believed in Him [as Savior] were to receive afterward. The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).
• John 14:16And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever—
• John 15:26“But when the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of Truth who comes from the Father, He will testify and bear witness about Me.
• Psalms 68:18You have ascended on high, You have led away captive Your captives; You have received gifts among men, Even from the rebellious also, that the Lord God may dwell there.
• Luke 24:49Listen carefully: I am sending the Promise of My Father [the Holy Spirit] upon you; but you are to remain in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are clothed (fully equipped) with power from on high.”
• Acts 1:4While being together and eating with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Of which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak.
• Acts 2:33Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this [blessing] which you both see and hear.
• Ephesians 4:8Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And He bestowed gifts on men.”

Commentaries on John 16:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7It is expedient - that I go away - In other places he had showed them the absolute necessity of his death for the salvation of men: see Matthew 20:19; Matthew 26:2; Mark 9:31; Mark 10:33, Luke 9:44; Luke 18:32. This he does not repeat here, but shows them that, by the order of God, the Holy Spirit cannot come to them, nor to the world, unless he first die; and consequently men cannot be saved but in this way.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7It is expedient for you … - The reason why it was expedient for them that he should go away, he states to be, that in this way only would the Comforter be granted to them. Still, it may be asked why the presence of the Holy Spirit was more valuable to them than that of the Saviour himself? To this it may be answered: 1. That by his departure, his death, and ascension - by having these great facts before their eyes they would be led by the Holy Spirit to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-15Verses 7-15 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7the Advocate: This title refers to the Holy Spirit. The word can mean helper, comforter, or one who speaks on behalf of another. Jesus taught that the Spirit would come after his departure and glorification (his death, resurrection, and return to the Father; see 7:37–39; 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:12–14). The Spirit was a promised gift. After Jesus returned to the Father, the Spirit would guide, teach, and strengthen his followers.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-76-7. But because I have said these things ... sorrow hath filled your heart--Sorrow had too much paralyzed them, and He would rouse their energies.Read the comment

Topics related to John 16:7

• Conviction
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Trinity
• Trouble

In the dictionaries

• Advocate
• Apostle
• Comforter
• Desirous
• Holy Ghost
• Reprove
• Sure
• Tribulation
• Aenon
• Ascension

Commentaries on John 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings