John 15:26 kjv
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 nkjv
"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
John 15:26 niv
"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.
John 15:26 esv
"But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.
John 15:26 nlt
"But I will send you the Advocate ? the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.
John 15 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 14:16-17 | And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter... even the Spirit of truth... for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. | Spirit as "another Comforter" who indwells believers. |
| Jn 14:26 | But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things... | Spirit sent by the Father, teaches all things. |
| Jn 16:7-8 | 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... | Jesus must depart for the Spirit to come, convicts world. |
| Jn 16:13-14 | Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth... he shall glorify me... | Spirit guides, reveals truth, and glorifies Jesus. |
| Lk 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... | Promise of the Spirit as divine power. |
| Acts 1:4-5 | ...wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost... | Waiting for the Spirit's baptism and promise. |
| Acts 1:8 | But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me... | Spirit's power enables believers to be witnesses. |
| Acts 2:32 | This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. | Apostles are witnesses, empowered by the Spirit. |
| 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. | Holy Spirit bears witness alongside human witnesses. |
| 1 Jn 4:6 | We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. | Distinguishes the Spirit of truth from spirits of error. |
| 1 Jn 5:6-8 | ...it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. | The Spirit inherently is truth and testifies. |
| Isa 11:2 | And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding... the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; | Spirit of the Lord in the OT, prophetic presence. |
| Joel 2:28-29 | And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh... | Prophecy of the universal outpouring of the Spirit. |
| Rom 8:16 | The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: | Internal witness of the Spirit confirming adoption. |
| 1 Cor 12:3 | ...no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. | The Spirit enables confession of Jesus as Lord. |
| Heb 2:4 | God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? | Spirit's testimony through miraculous gifts. |
| Eph 1:13-14 | In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth... ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise... | Spirit as a seal and guarantee of inheritance. |
| Titus 3:5-6 | ...according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly... | Spirit's role in regeneration and renewal. |
| Gal 4:6 | And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. | Spirit prompts intimacy with God as Father. |
| 2 Cor 1:21-22 | ...who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. | Spirit as a pledge or down payment of future blessings. |
John 15 verses
John 15 26 Meaning
John 15:26 announces Jesus' promise to send the Holy Spirit, identified as "the Comforter" and "the Spirit of truth." This divine Person originates from the Father and will be dispatched by Jesus to His disciples. The Spirit's primary mission, in this context, is to bear witness about Jesus, confirming His identity, message, and work. This assurance comforts the disciples, who will soon face Jesus' departure and the world's hostility.
John 15 26 Context
John 15:26 is part of Jesus' farewell discourse (John 13-16), spoken to His disciples in the Upper Room on the night before His crucifixion. This passage addresses the anxiety and confusion His disciples felt about His impending departure. Following Jesus' teachings on remaining in Him (the true vine) and the necessity of loving one another, He also warns them about the hatred they will face from the world. Against this backdrop of tribulation and separation, Jesus promises the coming of the Helper (Paraclete), who will not only comfort but also empower them and continue His ministry. The promise of the Spirit in verse 26 directly reassures them that they will not be left alone; a divine advocate will come to confirm Jesus' truth and strengthen their own witness. Historically, the original audience, Jewish disciples, would have understood "Spirit of God" as a source of divine revelation and power, active in prophecy and anointing leaders. The promise of a continued divine presence and testimony, especially from one whom Jesus sends and who proceeds from the Father, provided critical continuity and authority for their future mission in a hostile world.
John 15 26 Word analysis
- But (Δὲ - De): A conjunction, often implying a transition or contrast. Here, it introduces a comforting promise in contrast to the earlier warnings of the world's hatred and the disciples' tribulation (Jn 15:18-25).
- when (Ὅταν - Hotan): Signals a definite future event, establishing certainty for the disciples about the Spirit's arrival.
- the Comforter (ὁ Παράκλητος - ho Parakletos): Transliteration: Parakletos. Meaning: Helper, Advocate, Counselor, Intercessor. One "called alongside" for assistance, particularly in legal defense. This term implies strong support and active aid, not just passive comfort. Jesus had been their "Paraclete," and now He promises another.
- is come (ἔλθῃ - elthē): A verb of arrival, signifying a concrete, real manifestation of the Paraclete.
- whom I will send (ὃν ἐγὼ πέμψω - hon egō pempso): Jesus explicitly states His role in dispatching the Spirit, highlighting His authority and active participation in the Spirit's mission from the Father.
- unto you (πρὸς ὑμᾶς - pros hymas): Specifically directed to the disciples, and by extension, all future believers. The Spirit is given for their personal and corporate benefit.
- from the Father (παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς - para tou Patros): Indicates the ultimate divine source of the Spirit, emphasizing the Spirit's co-eternality and divine nature within the Trinity. "Para" suggests coming forth from the presence or side of.
- even the Spirit of truth (τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας - to Pneuma tēs alētheias): Identifies the Comforter by His essential nature. He embodies, reveals, and upholds truth. This is crucial as He will testify of Jesus, who is "the way, the truth, and the life" (Jn 14:6), guarding against deception and error.
- which proceedeth (ὃ παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται - ho para tou Patros ekporeuetai): "Proceedeth" (ekporeuetai) denotes an eternal, ontological procession, distinct from the temporal "sending." It describes the Spirit's origin within the Godhead, perpetually drawing His being from the Father.
- he shall testify (ἐκεῖνος μαρτυρήσει - ekeinos martyrēsei): "He" emphatically points to the Spirit as a distinct Person. "Testify" (martyreō) means to bear witness, give evidence, or confirm a truth. It is a powerful, authoritative witness.
- of me (περὶ ἐμοῦ - peri emou): The singular focus of the Spirit's testimony is Jesus Christ. All of the Spirit's work, including revealing truth and comforting, ultimately points to and glorifies Jesus.
- "But when the Comforter is come": Introduces a critical, assured future event that will provide profound help and guidance to the disciples during Jesus' absence.
- "whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth": This phrase links the Spirit's mission (sent by the Son) with His ultimate divine source (the Father) and His essential character (Truth). It affirms both the Son's active role and the Spirit's divine authority.
- "which proceedeth from the Father": This further clarifies the Spirit's divine origin, an eternal relationship within the Godhead, underpinning the authority of His witness. It sets the Spirit's essence firmly in the Father.
- "he shall testify of me": This statement directly reveals the core purpose of the Spirit's advent: to bear authoritative witness to Jesus, confirming His identity, divine nature, and redemptive work. This testimony provides an inner conviction and external enablement for the disciples' mission.
John 15 26 Bonus section
The distinction between the Spirit being "sent by Jesus" (temporal mission) and "proceeding from the Father" (eternal origin) in John 15:26 is critical in Trinitarian theology. The "proceedeth from the Father" forms a key part of the Nicene Creed. While the Western church later added the "Filioque" clause (and from the Son) to the Creed regarding the Spirit's procession, this verse specifically emphasizes the Father as the ultimate source of the Spirit's being, though the Son also actively sends the Spirit to earth. This reinforces the unity within the Trinity while clarifying the distinct roles of the Persons. The Spirit's testimony of Jesus is also directly connected to the concept of martyria (witness) that permeates John's Gospel. Just as John the Baptist witnessed to Jesus, and Jesus' works witnessed to Him, the Holy Spirit's testimony provides the divine confirmation necessary for believers to confidently carry on Jesus' mission, becoming His witnesses (Acts 1:8). The Spirit, as the Spirit of Truth, authenticates the truth of Christ against all falsehood and spiritual deception prevalent in the world, guiding believers into full understanding of the Person and work of Jesus.
John 15 26 Commentary
John 15:26 provides the foundational promise of the Holy Spirit as the divine Advocate for believers. Jesus assures His distressed disciples that despite His physical departure, they will not be abandoned. He will send another Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, echoing the truth Jesus Himself embodies. This Paraclete, originating eternally from the Father, brings with Him divine authority and unchallengeable veracity. His essential task is to bear powerful, undeniable witness concerning Jesus. This Spirit empowers disciples, validates their faith, clarifies Jesus' teachings, and strengthens their testimony in a world hostile to Christ. He provides an internal confirmation of truth that transcends human understanding or opposition, bridging the gap left by Jesus' physical absence. For believers, this means relying on the Spirit's guidance in discerning truth, receiving inner assurance of Christ's reality, and being empowered to proclaim Jesus effectively.
Practical usage:
- When confronted with doubts about Jesus' identity, one can pray for the Spirit of Truth to bear witness and confirm biblical truths.
- In times of hardship or spiritual struggle, remember the Holy Spirit is present as the Comforter and Advocate, interceding and supporting.
- Before sharing the gospel, ask for the Spirit to testify through your words and empower the message of Christ.