John 14:18 kjv
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 14:18 nkjv
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:18 niv
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:18 esv
"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:18 nlt
No, I will not abandon you as orphans ? I will come to you.
John 14 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 14:16 | And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper... | The promise of the Spirit, the Helper. |
| John 14:26 | But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send... | Identifies the Helper as the Holy Spirit. |
| John 15:26 | When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father... | Jesus sends the Spirit from the Father. |
| John 16:7 | ...unless I go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. | Necessity of Jesus' departure for the Spirit's coming. |
| Acts 1:8 | But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you... | Spirit empowers for witness. |
| Gal 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance... | The Spirit's active presence in believers. |
| Matt 28:20 | ...And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. | Jesus' continual spiritual presence. |
| Heb 13:5 | ...for He has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." | God's enduring faithfulness. |
| Deut 31:6 | Be strong and courageous... for the LORD your God goes with you. He will not leave you... | Old Testament promise of God's constant presence. |
| Josh 1:5 | No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you... | God's promise to Joshua. |
| Ps 27:10 | For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in. | God as a protector of the vulnerable. |
| Ps 68:5 | Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in His holy habitation. | God's care for orphans and the vulnerable. |
| Isa 41:10 | Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God... | God's comforting presence during fear. |
| Phil 4:9 | What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things... and the God of peace will be with you. | God's presence through obedience and peace. |
| Col 1:27 | ...Christ in you, the hope of glory. | Christ's indwelling presence in believers. |
| Jer 31:33 | But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel... I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. | The New Covenant enabling inner spiritual connection. |
| Ezek 36:27 | And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes... | God's Spirit enabling obedience. |
| 1 Cor 2:10 | ...for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. | The Spirit's role in revelation and understanding. |
| Eph 2:22 | ...in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. | Believers as the temple of the Holy Spirit. |
| 1 Pet 5:7 | casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. | God's personal care for His children. |
| John 14:3 | And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself... | Promise of His physical return. |
| Acts 1:11 | ...This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. | Confirmation of Jesus' second coming. |
John 14 verses
John 14 18 Meaning
John 14:18 serves as a profound promise from Jesus to His disciples, assuring them that despite His physical departure through crucifixion and ascension, they will not be left helpless or abandoned, like orphans bereft of their protective parent. The promise "I will come to you" signifies His continued presence and intimate relationship with them, primarily through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who is described as another Helper (Jn 14:16). This verse offers deep comfort and underlines the enduring nature of Christ's presence in the lives of His followers, providing guidance, protection, and companionship.
John 14 18 Context
This verse is situated within Jesus' Farewell Discourse (John chapters 13-17), a profoundly intimate conversation with His disciples on the eve of His crucifixion. He is preparing them for His physical departure and the subsequent challenges they will face. The disciples are distressed by the news of His impending absence, as they have relied heavily on His physical presence, teaching, and protection. Against this backdrop of fear and confusion, Jesus offers them assurance of continuous divine companionship and guidance. He explains that His departure is not an abandonment but a necessary step for the sending of the Holy Spirit, who will act as their Advocate and maintain His presence among them. The term "orphans" (Greek: orphanous) captures their current state of vulnerability and anticipated loss, making Jesus' promise particularly comforting and impactful, as He contrasts the uncertainty of human protection with His steadfast divine provision.
John 14 18 Word analysis
- I: Refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, emphasizing His divine authority and personal promise to His disciples.
- will not leave: From the Greek οὐκ ἀφήσω (ouk aphēsō), a strong double negative ("not" and "will let go") that expresses an emphatic assurance of non-abandonment. Jesus solemnly commits to remaining with His followers.
- you: Refers to the disciples present at the Farewell Discourse, but by extension, to all who believe in Him throughout history. It is a personal and direct address.
- as orphans: From the Greek ὀρφανούς (orphanous), meaning "fatherless," "bereaved," or "helpless." In the ancient world, an orphan was utterly vulnerable, lacking protection, provision, and legal standing. This vivid imagery powerfully conveys the disciples' fear of being left exposed and without their divine protector and guide.
- I will come: From the Greek ἔρχομαι (erchomai), indicating an arrival or presence. This "coming" is multi-faceted: it points to His resurrection appearances, the coming of the Holy Spirit (as the Spirit of Christ dwelling in believers), and ultimately, His glorious Second Coming. It assures continued, albeit transformed, presence.
- to you: Denotes a personal and direct relationship, implying proximity, communion, and an intimate connection with His disciples, both individually and corporately.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "I will not leave you as orphans": This phrase directly addresses the disciples' immediate fear and deepest anxieties regarding Jesus' imminent departure. It uses a deeply emotional and culturally significant image of a child left without a protective parent. Jesus here reassures them that His departure is not equivalent to the abandonment an orphan experiences; rather, it will lead to a new form of His presence. This promise underscores His compassion and faithfulness.
- "I will come to you": This concise statement outlines the method of His continued presence. It directly counters the notion of abandonment and foreshadows the empowering coming of the Holy Spirit. It also points to the broader scope of Jesus' "comings," including His resurrection and future glorious return. The personal pronoun "I" underscores that it is Jesus Himself, not merely a substitute, who will maintain connection with them.
John 14 18 Bonus section
The promise of Jesus "coming to you" being linked with the coming of the Holy Spirit signifies the organic unity within the Godhead. The Spirit's advent is not a substitute for Jesus but rather His continuing, intimate, and powerful presence within believers. This teaches us about the interconnected work of the Trinity: the Father sends the Son, the Son goes to the Father and sends the Spirit from the Father, thereby manifesting Christ's presence and ministry in the church and the world. This relationship ensures believers are perpetually indwelt, guided, and empowered, effectively transcending geographical and temporal limitations of Jesus' earthly ministry.
John 14 18 Commentary
John 14:18 provides profound assurance of God's abiding presence, transforming the anxiety of separation into a promise of deeper intimacy. Jesus directly confronts the disciples' dread of being left without Him by using the poignant metaphor of "orphans"—a state of utter vulnerability and destitution. His pledge, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you," is foundational to understanding the New Covenant reality. It clarifies that His physical departure does not signify absence but a shift in the mode of His presence: from physical to spiritual through the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16, 26). This indwelling presence of Christ through the Spirit provides ongoing comfort, guidance, and power, enabling believers to live in confident expectation and communion with their Lord, never truly abandoned.