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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.

Context of John 16:7

5but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 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. 8When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because people do not believe in me;

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 8:45Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
• Luke 4:25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.
• Luke 9:27“Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
• Acts 10:34Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism
• John 11:50You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
• John 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
• Romans 8:28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
• 2 Corinthians 4:17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
• John 7:39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
• John 14:16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—
• John 15:26“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me.
• Psalms 68:18When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, Lord God, might dwell there.
• Luke 24:49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
• Acts 1:4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
• Acts 2:33Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
• Ephesians 4:8This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”

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