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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.

KJV

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.

Greek NT

Sed ego veritatem dico vobis : expedit vobis ut ego vadam : si enim non abiero, Paraclitus non veniet ad vos ; si autem abiero, mittam eum ad vos.

Vulgate

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.

ASV

But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go. For if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but if I go, I will send him to you.

Douay-Rheims

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In the original Greek

20 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

αὐτός
autos
pronoun · 5564×
γάρ
gar
conjunction · 1036×
δέ
de
conjunction · 2781×
λέγω
lego
verb · 2256×
μή
me
particle · 1033×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
πέμπω
pempo
verb · 79×
παράκλητος
parakletos
noun · 5×
πορεύομαι
poreuomai
verb · 155×
πρός
pros
preposition · 697×
συμφέρω
sumphero
verb · 17×
ἀλήθεια
aletheia
noun · 109×
ἀλλά
alla
conjunction · 636×
ἀπέρχομαι
aperchomai
verb · 117×
ἐάν
ean
conditional · 333×
ἐγώ
ego
pronoun · 1720×
ἔρχομαι
erchomai
verb · 627×
ἵνα
ina
conjunction · 665×
o
article · 19778×
ὑμεῖς
umeis
pronoun · 1828×

Textual variants

2 variant units attested by manuscript witnesses and modern critical editions.

notable
SBLGNT: γὰρ | WH/Treg/NIV: γὰρ | RP: + ἐγὼ
  • γὰρSBLGNT
  • γὰρWestcott-Hort, Tregelles, Reader's GNT (NA27)
  • + ἐγὼRobinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus
minor
SBLGNT: οὐ μὴ ἔλθῃ | WH/Treg: οὐ μὴ ἔλθῃ | NIV/RP: οὐκ ἐλεύσεται
  • οὐ μὴ ἔλθῃSBLGNT
  • οὐ μὴ ἔλθῃWestcott-Hort, Tregelles
  • οὐκ ἐλεύσεταιReader's GNT (NA27), Robinson-Pierpont
source: sblgnt-apparatus

Themes

Historic Christian voices

14 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

§729Only when the hour has arrived for his glorification does Jesus promise the coming of the Holy Spirit, since his Death and Resurrection will fulfill the promise made to the fathers.116 The Spirit of truth, the other Paraclete, will be given by the Father in answer to Jesus' prayer; he will be sent by the Father in Jesus' name; and Jesus will send him from the Father's side, sin…
§1287This fullness of the Spirit was not to remain uniquely the Messiah's, but was to be communicated to the whole messianic people.93 On several occasions Christ promised this outpouring of the Spirit,94 a promise which he fulfilled first on Easter Sunday and then more strikingly at Pentecost.95 Filled with the Holy Spirit the apostles began to proclaim "the mighty works of God," a…
The apostles teach that it was neither Christ nor the Saviour, but the Holy Spirit, who did descend upon Jesus. The reason for this descent. 1. It certainly was in the power of the apostles to declare that Christ descended upon Jesus, or that the so-called superior Saviour [came down] upon the dispensational one, or he who is from the invisible places upon him from the Demiurge…
1. We need everywhere works and actions, not a mere show of words. For to say and to promise is easy for any one, but to act is not equally easy. Why have I made these remarks? Because there are many at this time who say that they fear and love God, but in their works show the contrary; but God requires that love which is shown by works. Wherefore He said to the disciples, If y…
1. Great is the tyranny of despondency, and much courage do we need so as to stand manfully against the feeling, and after gathering from it what is useful, to let the superfluous go. It has somewhat useful; for when we ourselves or others sin, then only is it good to grieve; but when we fall into human vicissitudes, then despondency is useless. And now when it has overthrown t…
1. Full of feeling somehow is the female sex, and more inclined to pity. I say this, lest you should wonder how it could be that Mary wept bitterly at the tomb, while Peter was in no way so affected. For, The disciples, it says, went away unto their own home; but she stood shedding tears. Because hers was a feeble nature, and she as yet knew not accurately the account of the Re…
Summa Theologica · 2 passages
Did it belong for Christ to ascend into heaven? According to which nature did it become Him to ascend? Did He ascend by His own power? Did He ascend above all the corporeal heavens? Did He ascend above all spiritual creatures? The effect of the ascension Article 1. Whether it was fitting for Christ to ascend into heaven? Objection 1. It would seem that it was not fitting for Ch…
Is the Body of Christ in this sacrament truly, or figuratively? Do the substance of bread and wine remain in this sacrament after the consecration? Is it annihilated? Is it changed into the body and blood of Christ? Do the accidents remain after the change? Does the substantial form remain there? Is this change instantaneous? Is it more miraculous than any other change?}--> By …
Since God as Spirit is in essence invisible and immense, he cannot really be expressed by any art or image. For this reason we are not afraid to say with Scripture that images of God are mere lies. Therefore we reject not only the idols of the Gentiles, but also the images of Christians. Although Christ assumed human nature, yet he did not on that account assume it in order to …
Tertullian teaches that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son and is the third Person of the Trinity. The Spirit is the Vicar of Christ, sent to guide believers into all truth. The three Persons are distinct but inseparable in their operations.

Cross-references

  • 1Pet 1:12 — Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent d
  • 2Cor 4:17 — For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
  • 2Cor 12:1 — It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
  • 2Kgs 2:9 — And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy s
  • Acts 1:4 — And, 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.
  • Acts 1:4 — And, 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.
  • Acts 2:33 — Therefore 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.
  • Acts 2:33 — Therefore 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.
  • Acts 5:32 — And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.
  • Acts 10:34 — Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
  • Eph 1:13 — In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
  • Eph 4:8 — Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
  • Gal 4:6 — And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
  • 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.)
  • 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.)
  • John 8:45 — And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
  • John 11:50 — Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
  • John 14:3 — And 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.
  • John 14:12 — Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
  • John 14:13 — And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
  • John 14:16 — And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
  • John 14:16 — And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
  • John 14:26 — But 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 14:26 — But 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 14:28 — Ye 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.
  • John 14:28 — Ye 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.
  • John 15:26 — But 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:
  • John 15:26 — But 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:
  • John 20:22 — And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
  • Luke 9:27 — But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.
  • Luke 24:49 — And, 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.
  • Luke 24:49 — And, 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.
  • Ps 68:18 — Thou 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.
  • Ps 68:18 — Thou 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.
  • Rev 22:1 — And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
  • Rev 22:17 — And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
  • Rom 8:28 — And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
  • Titus 3:6 — Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;