John 16:8 kjv
And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
John 16:8 nkjv
And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
John 16:8 niv
When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
John 16:8 esv
And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
John 16:8 nlt
And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God's righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
John 16 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 16:8 | "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:" | Direct Fulfillment |
| 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." | Spirit's Teaching Role |
| Acts 2:37 | "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" | Effect of Conviction |
| Acts 5:3-4 | "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost... Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." | Sin and the Spirit |
| Romans 7:7 | "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." | Law Reveals Sin |
| Romans 8:16 | "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:" | Spirit's Witness |
| 1 Cor 2:10 | "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." | Spirit's Revelation |
| Eph 5:11-13 | "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light." | Spirit Manifesting Darkness |
| Heb 10:26-30 | "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins... of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" | Spirit's Warning |
| 1 John 3:20-21 | "For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." | Inner Conviction |
| Ps 139:23-24 | "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." | Prayer for Conviction |
| Isa 48:18 | "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:" | Righteousness as Blessing |
| Prov 16:2 | "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes: but the LORD weigheth the spirits." | Human Self-Deception |
| Acts 1:8 | "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." | Spirit's Enabling |
| John 3:18-21 | "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." | Light and Condemnation |
| Acts 24:25 | "And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." | Conviction in Action |
| 1 Pet 4:17-18 | "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" | Judgment's Beginning |
| Rom 1:18-20 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them." | God's Revelation |
| Eph 4:30 | "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." | Grieving the Spirit |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." | Spirit as God's Word |
John 16 verses
John 16 8 Meaning
The Holy Spirit, when He comes, will convict the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. This conviction is an internal persuasion, a divine exposing of truth that leads to a realization of wrongdoing, a longing for rightness, and an understanding of ultimate accountability.
John 16 8 Context
John 16 is part of Jesus' farewell discourse to His disciples. In this chapter, Jesus prepares His disciples for His impending departure, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and the challenges they will face. He explains that His physical absence will be beneficial because the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, will come to guide, teach, and empower them. Specifically, John 16:7-11 focuses on the Spirit's work in convicting the world. The verse in question, John 16:8, outlines the three key areas of this divine conviction: sin, righteousness, and judgment. This teaching serves to reassure the disciples that they will not be left alone and that the Spirit will continue Jesus' work in the world, revealing truth. The historical context involves Jesus speaking to His closest followers just before His crucifixion, anticipating the Pentecostal outpouring of the Spirit.
John 16 8 Word Analysis
"And when": Connects this action to the coming of the Comforter (John 16:7).
"he": Refers to the Holy Spirit.
"is come": The anticipated arrival and presence of the Holy Spirit.
"he will reprove": (Greek: elenxe) — This is a key term. It means to convict, to refute, to expose, to shame, to convince, or to demonstrate convincingly. It implies an authoritative and persuasive argument or revelation that leaves no room for doubt. It's not merely an external accusation but an internal illumination of truth that makes something undeniable.
"the world": Refers to humanity alienated from God, the system of unbelief. It includes those who will not believe in Jesus, as well as those who are outside of Christ's redemptive work.
"of sin": (Greek: hamartia) — Primarily refers to sin in the sense of an offense against God's law and character. The Spirit will particularly convict the world of its unbelief in Jesus Christ, which is the fundamental sin.
"and of righteousness": (Greek: dikaiosynē) — This righteousness refers to two aspects:
- The absolute righteousness of Jesus Christ Himself, which the world rejects by not believing in Him.
- The imputed righteousness that believers receive through faith in Jesus, which the world does not understand or possess because they are not united with Christ. The Spirit testifies to Jesus' perfect righteousness, proving His claims.
"and of judgment": (Greek: krisis) — This refers to the judicial sentence or condemnation that awaits the unrighteous. It signifies God's ultimate justice, the defeat of Satan (the ruler of this world), and the impending doom for those who reject Christ. The Spirit will reveal the certainty of this judgment for the world that opposes God.
Words-group analysis:
- "reprove the world of sin": The Holy Spirit convicts the world of its inherent sinful nature and its specific sins, the ultimate sin being their rejection of Jesus. This conviction is an evidence that their present way is wrong before God.
- "reprove the world of righteousness": The Spirit highlights Jesus' perfect righteousness and contrasts it with the world's unrighteousness, showing that true righteousness comes only through belief in Him.
- "reprove the world of judgment": The Spirit makes evident the inescapable consequence of rejecting God's offer of salvation through Jesus, revealing that judgment is real and imminent for the unbelieving world.
John 16 8 Bonus Section
The "reproof" or "conviction" by the Spirit is an ongoing work in the life of every human being who encounters the Gospel. While it has a salvific dimension towards the unbelieving, it also functions to correct and guide believers, conforming them more to the image of Christ. The three areas—sin, righteousness, and judgment—cover the spiritual bankruptcy of the fallen human condition, the divine solution available in Christ, and the ultimate consequence of rejecting that solution. Understanding these distinct, yet related, facets of the Spirit's work provides a complete picture of His mission to both draw sinners to God and to sustain saints in their walk of faith. The Spirit's work of conviction is fundamentally an act of love and mercy, as it brings the lost out of darkness into the light of salvation.
John 16 8 Commentary
The coming of the Holy Spirit signifies a new era of divine engagement with humanity. His primary role toward the unsaved world is that of a prosecutor and revealer of truth. He doesn't aim to condemn in the sense of causing spiritual death (that is already the state of the unbeliever), but to convict in the sense of bringing irrefutable evidence to bear upon their hearts and minds. The Spirit exposes the world's inherent sinfulness, their resistance to God's truth, and particularly their refusal to believe in Jesus Christ. He simultaneously testifies to the perfect righteousness of Jesus, both in His person and in the salvation He provides, which is the only means by which humanity can be made right with God. Finally, the Spirit confirms the reality of God's coming judgment upon all who reject this saving truth, making clear that the spiritual rebellion will ultimately face divine justice. This convicting work is essential for conversion, preparing the ground for repentance and faith in Christ.