John 16:10 kjv
Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
John 16:10 nkjv
of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;
John 16:10 niv
about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;
John 16:10 esv
concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
John 16:10 nlt
Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more.
John 16 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 1:9-11 | ...while they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him... | Christ's ascension, a physical event |
| Heb 4:14 | Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens.. | Jesus' high priestly role through ascension |
| Heb 7:26 | ...a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners... | Highlights Christ's intrinsic righteousness |
| Heb 9:24 | For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands...but into h.. | Christ's entry into heaven, to appear before God |
| Heb 10:12 | But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, h... | His sacrifice complete, seated at God's right hand |
| 1 Tim 3:16 | ...was taken up in glory. | Christ's exaltation and glorification |
| Rom 8:34 | ...Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at th.. | Christ's intercessory role from heaven |
| Heb 1:3 | ...He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, | Christ's authority after purifying sins |
| Col 3:1 | ...seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right.. | Believer's spiritual position with ascended Christ |
| Eph 1:20 | ...seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places... | God's power exemplified in Christ's exaltation |
| Jn 14:19 | Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me.. | Distinction between world's and disciples' 'seeing' |
| Jn 20:29 | Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Bless.. | Emphasizes faith beyond physical sight |
| 1 Pet 1:8 | Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see Hi.. | Believing in unseen Christ out of love |
| Matt 28:20 | ...And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” | Christ's spiritual presence through the Spirit |
| Jn 16:8 | And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteous.. | Overview of the Spirit's convicting work |
| Acts 2:36-37 | “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has mad.. | Spirit-led conviction by Peter's sermon |
| Rom 1:4 | ...and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spiri.. | Resurrection as divine declaration |
| 2 Cor 5:21 | For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we m.. | Christ made our righteousness |
| Phil 3:9 | ...and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that come.. | Righteousness gained through faith in Christ |
| Rom 3:21-22 | But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law... | God's righteousness revealed through faith |
| Jn 7:33-34 | So Jesus said, “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going.. | Early prophecy of Jesus' departure |
| Jn 13:33 | “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, a.. | Jesus foreshadows His physical absence |
| Ps 119:137 | Righteous are You, O LORD, and upright are Your judgments. | God's inherent righteousness (Old Testament) |
| Isa 45:21 | Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who decl.. | God as the uniquely righteous Savior (Old Testament) |
John 16 verses
John 16 10 Meaning
This verse describes a specific aspect of the Holy Spirit's work of conviction: concerning righteousness. The Spirit will convince the world that Jesus is truly righteous, and the conclusive evidence for this is Jesus' ascension to His Father. His return to the Father, where He will no longer be physically seen by His disciples (and the world), signifies God's ultimate validation of His perfect life, atoning sacrifice, and complete work.
John 16 10 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' profound Farewell Discourse to His disciples, recorded in John chapters 13-17, just hours before His crucifixion. The disciples are deeply distressed and bewildered by His pronouncements of leaving them. Jesus, understanding their sorrow, assures them of the coming Holy Spirit (the Helper or Paraclete), whose arrival is contingent upon Jesus' departure (Jn 16:7). Chapter 16 focuses on the Holy Spirit's critical ministry to both the disciples and the world. Specifically, verses 8-11 detail the Spirit's threefold conviction of the world: concerning sin (because they do not believe in Jesus), righteousness (because Jesus goes to the Father), and judgment (because the ruler of this world has been judged). Verse 10 explicitly explains the basis for the conviction concerning righteousness.
John 16 10 Word analysis
- of righteousness (περὶ δικαιοσύνης - peri dikaiosynēs): The preposition "peri" with the genitive signifies "concerning" or "about" righteousness, indicating the topic of the Holy Spirit's conviction. Here, "righteousness" refers to Jesus' inherent and perfect obedience to God's will throughout His life, His sinless nature, and the ultimate validation of His finished redemptive work. It contrasts sharply with any human standard of righteousness.
- because (ὅτι - hoti): This conjunction introduces the substantiating reason. Jesus' impending journey to His Father serves as the divine proof or demonstration of the righteousness that the Spirit will proclaim and convict the world about.
- I go (ὑπάγω - hypagō): A specific Greek verb Jesus frequently used to speak of His departure, encompassing His death, resurrection, and ascension. It denotes a purposeful, willed movement toward a divine destination, signifying the completion of His earthly mission.
- to my Father (πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα - pros ton Patera): This phrase underscores the divine intimacy and origin of Jesus. His return to the Father's presence is the ultimate act of divine vindication, signifying God's full acceptance of His Son's perfect life and atoning sacrifice. It affirms His divine Sonship and successful accomplishment.
- and you will see me no longer (καὶ οὐκέτι θεωρεῖτέ με - kai ouketi theōreite me): Refers to the end of Jesus' physical, bodily presence and visible interaction on earth following His ascension. The disciples and the world will no longer gaze upon Him with their physical eyes. This physical absence is crucial for the transition to a new, spiritual mode of Christ's presence through the indwelling Holy Spirit, initiating the era of faith over sight.
Words-group analysis:
- "of righteousness, because I go to my Father": This phrase reveals the interconnectedness of Jesus' destiny and His perfect character. His return to the Father is the ultimate proof that His life, death, and resurrection perfectly fulfilled God's righteous demands. The Father's welcoming embrace vindicates Christ as the truly Righteous One, thereby exposing the world's inherent unrighteousness and its rejection of God's appointed standard.
- "I go to my Father and you will see me no longer": This encapsulates the transition from Christ's incarnate, visible ministry to His exalted, unseen, yet omnipresent, spiritual reign. His ascension ensures His continued work from a position of ultimate authority with the Father, while simultaneously necessitating a shift in the disciples' understanding from a tangible physical presence to a profound spiritual reality mediated by the indwelling Spirit.
John 16 10 Bonus section
The Spirit's conviction concerning Christ's righteousness (Jn 16:10) naturally flows into the provision of that righteousness to believers (Rom 3:21-22; 2 Cor 5:21). The Holy Spirit not only points to Christ as the standard but also works to apply the righteousness of Christ to those who believe. This implies that rejecting Christ's ascension and its implications is tantamount to rejecting God's definition of perfect righteousness and His pathway to salvation. The "seeing me no longer" is not abandonment, but a necessary transition for the broader outpouring of the Spirit and the establishment of Christ's kingdom across the earth through His church, without the limitations of a localized physical body.
John 16 10 Commentary
John 16:10 profoundly outlines how the Holy Spirit acts as a divine prosecutor, convicting the world concerning the righteousness of Jesus. This is not about the world's lack of righteousness initially, but about Jesus being righteousness itself, perfectly upheld and vindicated by God. The Spirit's conviction arises from the undeniable proof that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection were entirely righteous in God's eyes, demonstrated by His ascension to the Father. His departure, culminating in His glorification at the Father's right hand, validates every aspect of His messianic claims and completed redemptive work. This divine approval, rendered visible through His return to heaven, sets the unchallengeable standard of righteousness. The world, when confronted by the Spirit with Christ's perfect righteousness, is thus shown to be unrighteous by comparison, having rejected God's Son. The fact that the disciples (and the world) "will see me no longer" marks the shift from a physical, temporary presence to a spiritual, permanent one through the Spirit, through whom His righteousness can be embraced by faith.