KJV King James Version
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.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
John 16:7
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.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
But I tell you the truth, it is for your benefit 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.
WEB World English Bible
Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
ASV American Standard Version
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 go, I will send him unto you.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
‘But I tell you the truth; it is better for you that I go away, for if I may not go away, the Comforter will not come unto you, and if I go on, I will send Him unto you;
Surrounding context — John 16
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
7 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.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
ἀλλ᾽G235 · allabutἐγὼG1473 · egōI/weτὴνG3588 · hothe/this/whoἀλήθειανG225 · alētheiatruthλέγωG3004 · legōto sayὑμῖν·G4771 · suyouσυμφέρειG4851 · sumpherōbe profitableὑμῖνG4771 · suyouἵναG2443 · hinain order that/toἐγὼG1473 · egōI/weἀπέλθω·G565 · aperchomaito go awayἐὰνG1437 · eanifγὰρG1063 · garforμὴG3361 · mēnotἀπέλθω,G565 · aperchomaito go awayὁG3588 · hothe/this/whoπαράκλητοςG3875 · paraklētoscounsellorπρὸςG4314 · prosto/withὑμᾶς·G4771 · suyouἐὰνG1437 · eanifδὲG1161 · dethenπορευθῶ,G4198 · poreuōto travelπέμψωG3992 · pempōto sendαὐτὸνG846 · autosit/s/heπρὸςG4314 · prosto/withὑμᾶς.G4771 · suyou
Cross-references
John 14:26But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.John 14:16-17And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;John 15:26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:Acts 2:33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.John 7:39(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet [given]; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)Acts 1:4-5And, being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, [saith he], ye have heard of me.Luke 24:49And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.Psalm 68:18Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, [for] the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell [among them].Ephesians 4:8-13Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.John 14:3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.Acts 10:34Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:John 14:28Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.Luke 9:27But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.John 8:45-46And because I tell [you] the truth, ye believe me not.John 11:50-52Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.2 Corinthians 4:17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory;Luke 4:25But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
CLASSIC COMMENTARY & PREACHING
Spurgeon on John 16:7
Read Charles H. Spurgeon material whose primary Scripture is this verse or passage.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
Compare classic commentaries on John 16:7
Put Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Calvin, Wesley, Barnes, Jamieson–Fausset–Brown, Aquinas’ Catena and other public-domain sources beside the passage.
Compare commentaries →