Bible dictionaries
Comfortless
What Bible dictionaries say about “Comfortless”, one article after the other.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary & Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
Comfortless - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)
COMFORTLESS, a. Without comfort; without any thing to alleviate misfortune, or distress.
I will not leave you comfortless. John 14.
Matthew George Easton, Easton’s Bible Dictionary; Noah Webster, American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)
The article in Easton + Webster 1828International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE 1915)
kum'-fert-les (orphanous, "orphans"): The Greek original is found but twice in the New Testament; rendered "comfortless" in Joh 14:18, the Revised Version (British and American) "desolate"; "fatherless" in Jas 1:27 (compare Ps 68:5). The term signifies bereft of a father, parents, guardian, teacher, guide, and indicates what must be the permanent ministry of the Holy Spirit to the disciples of Jesus, in comforting their hearts. In harmony with these parting words Jesus had called the chosen twelve "little children" (Joh 13:33); without Him they would be "orphans," comfortless, desolate. The coming of the Holy Spirit would make Christ and the Father forever real to them, an abiding spiritual presence.
Dwight M. Pratt
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia — James Orr, general editor and contributors; CrossWire SWORD module ISBE 2.2
The article in ISBE 1915