John 16:13 Study Bible: However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own; but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you things that are coming.

◄ John 16:13 ►

However, when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come.

Study Bible

However
This word serves as a transition, indicating a shift from the previous discussion. In the context of John 16, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. The use of "however" suggests a contrast between the disciples' current sorrow and the future guidance and comfort they will receive from the Holy Spirit.

when He, the Spirit of truth, comes
The "Spirit of truth" refers to the Holy Spirit, emphasizing His role in revealing and affirming the truth of God. The Greek word for "truth" is "aletheia," which implies not just factual accuracy but also divine reality. The coming of the Spirit marks a new era in God's redemptive plan, where the Spirit will dwell within believers, guiding them in understanding and living out God's truth.

He will guide you into all truth
The Greek word for "guide" is "hodegeo," meaning to lead or show the way. This phrase assures believers that the Holy Spirit will lead them into a deeper understanding of God's truth. The "all truth" encompasses the full revelation of God's will and purpose, as revealed in Scripture and through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. This guidance is continuous and personal, ensuring that believers are not left to navigate their spiritual journey alone.

For He will not speak on His own
This highlights the unity and harmony within the Trinity. The Holy Spirit does not act independently but communicates the will and message of the Father and the Son. This assurance underscores the reliability and divine origin of the Spirit's guidance, as it is not based on human wisdom but on the eternal counsel of God.

but He will speak what He hears
The phrase emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit as a divine messenger. The Spirit conveys the truths and instructions from the Father and the Son to the believers. This process ensures that the message is consistent with God's character and purposes, providing believers with confidence in the Spirit's guidance.

and He will declare to you what is to come
The Holy Spirit's role includes revealing future events and truths that are essential for the believers' faith and mission. This prophetic aspect of the Spirit's work is seen throughout the New Testament, where the Spirit provides insight into God's unfolding plan. The Greek word "anaggello" for "declare" implies a proclamation or announcement, indicating the Spirit's active role in communicating God's future purposes to His people.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Jesus Christ
The speaker in this passage, providing comfort and instruction to His disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit.

2. The Holy Spirit
Referred to as the "Spirit of truth," who will guide the disciples into all truth and reveal future events.

3. The Disciples
The immediate audience of Jesus' teaching, who are being prepared for His departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

4. The Upper Room
The setting of this discourse, where Jesus shares His final teachings with His disciples before His crucifixion.

5. The Future Revelation
The events and truths that the Holy Spirit will reveal to the disciples, including the unfolding of God's plan.

Teaching Points

The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is our guide into all truth, not just a source of comfort but an active teacher and revealer of God's will.

Dependence on Divine Guidance
Believers are called to rely on the Holy Spirit for understanding and discernment, rather than solely on human wisdom.

The Spirit's Consistency with Christ
The Holy Spirit speaks what He hears from the Father and the Son, ensuring that His guidance is consistent with the teachings of Christ.

Anticipation of Future Revelation
The Spirit's role includes revealing what is to come, encouraging believers to live with an eternal perspective and readiness for God's unfolding plan.

Active Listening and Obedience
As the Spirit speaks, believers must cultivate a posture of active listening and obedience to His guidance in their daily lives.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does understanding the role of the Holy Spirit as the "Spirit of truth" impact your daily walk with Christ?

2. In what ways can you actively seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in your decision-making processes?

3. How does the promise of the Holy Spirit's guidance into all truth provide comfort and assurance in times of uncertainty?

4. Reflect on a time when you felt the Holy Spirit revealing truth to you. How did it align with the teachings of Jesus?

5. How can you cultivate a deeper sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading in your life, and what practical steps can you take to ensure you are listening and obeying?

Connections to Other Scriptures

John 14:26
This verse also speaks of the Holy Spirit as a teacher who will remind the disciples of everything Jesus has said, emphasizing the Spirit's role in guiding and teaching.

1 Corinthians 2:10-13
Paul discusses how the Spirit reveals the deep things of God, aligning with the Spirit's role in guiding believers into truth.

Acts 2:1-4
The fulfillment of Jesus' promise as the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples at Pentecost, empowering them to speak and act in truth.

Romans 8:14
This verse highlights the role of the Spirit in leading believers, reinforcing the guidance aspect mentioned in John 16:13.

Revelation 1:1
The Spirit's role in revealing future events is echoed in the revelation given to John, showing the continuity of the Spirit's work.

Sermons

Divine Guidance	The Evangelist	John 16:13
How to Get At the Fullness of Truth	D. Young	John 16:13
The Heavenly Teacher	T. Whitelaw, D. D.	John 16:13
The Holy Ghost -- the Great Teacher	Charles Haddon Spurgeon	John 16:13
The Holy Ghost the Great Teacher	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 16:13
The Holy Spirit Our Guide	L. O. Thompson.	John 16:13
The Necessity of the Spirit's Teaching to the Right Understanding of the Scriptures	C. Hodge, D. D.	John 16:13
The Progressive Revelation of Truth by the Spirit	Archdeacon Hare.	John 16:13
The Spirit Guiding into All Truth	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 16:13
The Spirit of Truth	J. C. Jones, D. D.	John 16:13
The Spirit of Truth	Family Churchman	John 16:13
The Spirit of Truth	J. C. Jones, D. D.	John 16:13
Christ's Gradual Teaching by His Providence	Canon Liddon.	John 16:12-15
Christ's Gradual Teaching in the Church	Canon Liddon.	John 16:12-15
Christ's Reticence in Teaching Truth	J. Ker, D. D.	John 16:12-15
Divine Teaching Gradual	Canon Liddon.	John 16:12-15
Human Capacity the Measure of Divine Communication	J. Parker, D. D.	John 16:12-15
Teaching Should be Adapted to the Condition of the Mind	Canon Liddon.	John 16:12-15
The Guide into All Truth	A. Maclaren, D. D.	John 16:12-15
The New Theology	T. V. Tymms.	John 16:12-15
The Reserve of Christ	T. Hughes.	John 16:12-15
The Wisdom of Delayed Revelation		John 16:12-15
Yet Many Things to Say	W. J. Dawson.	John 16:12-15
The Guidance of the Spirit	J.R. Thomson	John 16:13, 14

People

Jesus, Disciples

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

TRUE, Authority, Clear, Declare, Disclose, Future, Guide, Hearing, Hears, Howbeit, However, Initiative, Originating, Says, Shew, Soever, Speak, Spirit, Truth, Whatever, Whatsoever, Yet

Dictionary of Bible Themes

John 16:13

     1155   God, truthfulness
     1462   truth, in NT
     1614   Scripture, understanding
     3045   Holy Spirit, sovereignty
     3110   Holy Spirit, titles of
     3120   Holy Spirit, descriptions
     3212   Holy Spirit, and mission
     3263   Holy Spirit, guidance
     5263   communication
     5698   guardian
     5779   advice
     5780   advisers
     5815   confusion
     6146   deceit, and God
     6650   finding
     7028   church, life of
     8115   discipleship, nature of
     8128   guidance, receiving
     8316   orthodoxy, in NT
     8412   decisions
     8674   study

John 16:5-21

3215 Holy Spirit, and peace

John 16:7-15

3040 Holy Spirit, promise of

John 16:12-15

1444 revelation, NT

John 16:13-14

     3130   Holy Spirit, Counsellor
     3275   Holy Spirit, in the church
     3293   Holy Spirit, witness of

John 16:13-15

     1512   Trinity, equality of
     2423   gospel, essence
     3015   Holy Spirit, divinity
     3025   Holy Spirit, personality
     3140   Holy Spirit, teacher
     3236   Holy Spirit, and Scripture
     3269   Holy Spirit, in Christ
     4804   breath
     7708   apostles, function
     8164   spirituality
     8355   understanding
     8409   decision-making, and providence
     8648   enquiring of God

John 16:13-16

4966 present, the

Library

Presence in Absence
Eversley, third Sunday after Easter. 1862. St John xvi. 16. "A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father." Divines differ, and, perhaps, have always differed, about the meaning of these words. Some think that our Lord speaks in them of His death and resurrection. Others that He speaks of His ascension and coming again in glory. I cannot decide which is right. I dare not decide. It is a very solemn thing--too solemn …
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

November 6 Evening
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me--PSA. 25:5. When . . . the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth.--Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.--All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

November 29 Evening
Do ye now believe?--JOHN 16:31. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? Faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead.--Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Ye see then how that …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

May 14 Morning
The fellowship of His sufferings.--PHI. 3:10. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.--In the world ye shall have tribulation.--Because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none.--At my …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

December 21 Morning
The days of thy mourning shall be ended.--ISA. 60:20. In the world ye shall have tribulation.--The whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.--We that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

June 15 Evening
The Spirit . . . maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.--ROM. 8:27. Verily, verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.--Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us; and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

August 15. "He Will Guide You into all Truth" (John xvi. 13).
"He will guide you into all truth" (John xvi. 13). The Holy Ghost does not come to give us extraordinary manifestations, but to give its life and light, and the nearer we come to Him, the more simple will His illumination and leading be. He comes to "guide us into all truth." He comes to shed light upon our own hearts, and to show us ourselves. He comes to reveal Christ, to give, and then to illumine, the Holy Scriptures, and to make Divine realities vivid and clear to our spiritual apprehension. …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

October 29. "Whatsoever Ye Shall Ask the Father in My Name, He Will Give it You" (John xvi. 23).
"Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, He will give it you" (John xvi. 23). Two men go to the bank cashier, both holding in their hands a piece of paper. One is dressed in expensive style, and presents a gloved and jeweled hand; the other is a rough, unwashed workman. The first is rejected with a polite sentence, and the second receives a thousand dollars over the counter. What is the difference? The one presented a worthless name; the other handed in a note endorsed by the president of …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

March 5. "I have Overcome the World" (John xvi. 33).
"I have overcome the world" (John xvi. 33). Christ has overcome for us every one of our four terrible foes--Sin, Sickness, Sorrow, Satan. He has borne our Sin, and we may lay all, even down to our sinfulness itself, on Him. "I have overcome for thee." He has borne our sickness, and we may detach ourselves from our old infirmities and rise into His glorious life and strength. He has borne our sorrows, and we must not even carry a care, but rejoice evermore, and even glory in tribulations also. And …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Self-Help
ST. JOHN xvi. 7. 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. This is a deep and strange saying. How can it be expedient, useful, or profitable, for any human being that Christ should go away from them? To be in Christ's presence; to see his face; to hear his voice;--would not this be the most expedient and profitable, yea, the most blessed and blissful of things which could befall us? Is it not …
Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other Sermons

From' and 'to'
'I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.'--JOHN xvi. 28. These majestic and strange words are the proper close of our Lord's discourse, what follows being rather a reply to the disciples' exclamation. There is nothing absolutely new in them, but what is new is the completeness and the brevity with which they cover the whole ground of His being, work, and glory. They fall into two halves, each consisting of two clauses; the former half …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

Peace and victory
'These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.'--JOHN xvi. 33. So end these wonderful discourses, and so ends our Lord's teaching before His passion. He gathers up in one mighty word the total intention of these sweet and deep sayings which we have so long been pondering together. He sketches in broad outline the continual characteristics of the disciples' life, and closes all with the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

Why Christ Speaks
'These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me. But these things have I told you, that, when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go My way to Him that …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

The Guide into all Truth
'I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and shall show it unto you.'--JOHN xvi. 12-15. This is our Lord's …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

Christ's 'little Whiles'
'A little while, and ye shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see Me, because I go to the Father. Then said some of His disciples among themselves, What is this that He saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see Me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that He saith, A little while? we cannot tell what He saith. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask Him, and said unto them, Do ye inquire …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

'In that Day'
'And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.'--JOHN xvi. 23, 24. Our Lord here sums up the prerogatives and privileges of His servants in the day that was about to dawn and to last till He came again. There is nothing absolutely new in the words; substantially the promises contained in them have appeared in …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

The Joys of 'that Day'
'These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. At that day ye shall ask in My Name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God.'--JOHN xvi. 25-27. The stream which we have been tracking for so long in these discourses has now nearly reached its close. Our Lord, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

Glad Confession and Sad Warning
'His disciples said unto Jesus, Lo! now speakest Thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that Thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask Thee: by this we believe that Thou earnest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.' --JOHN xvi. 29-32. The first words of these wonderful …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

The Departing Christ and the Coming Spirit
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. And when He is come, He will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.'--JOHN xvi. 7, 8. We read these words in the light of all that has gone after, and to us they are familiar and almost thread-bare. But if we would appreciate their sublimity, we must think away nineteen centuries, and all Christendom, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

The Convicting Facts
'Of sin, because they believe not on Me; Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.'--JOHN xvi. 9-11. Our Lord has just been telling His disciples how He will equip them, as His champions, for their conflict with the world. A divine Spirit is coming to them who will work in them and through them; and by their simple and unlettered testimony will 'convict,' or convince, the mass of ungodly men of error and crime in regard …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture: St. John Chaps. XV to XXI

Nevertheless I Tell You the Truth; it is Expedient for You that I Go Away; for if I Go not Away
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. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them …
Charles G. Finney—Lectures to Professing Christians

June the Second Our Spiritual Guide
"When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth." --JOHN xvi. 7-14. How great is the difference between a guide-post and a guide! And what a difference between a guide-book and a companion! Mere instructions may be very uninspiring, and bare commandments may be very cold. Our Guide is an inseparable Friend. And how will He guide us? He will give us insight. "He will guide you into all truth." He will refine our spirits so that we may be able to distinguish "things that …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Loved in the Beloved.
(Third Sunday in Advent, 1831.) TEXT: JOHN xvi. 27. "For the Father Himself loveth you, be cause ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father." THAT was a great word of the Saviour about Himself on which we lately spoke together, in which He represented Himself as from of old the one object of desire and longing to all the best part of mankind, to those who were nearest to God and had received most teaching from Him: but this is a still greater saying, in which He sets Himself …
Friedrich Schleiermacher—Selected Sermons of Schleiermacher

The Spirit not Striving Always.
"And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man."-Gen. vi. 3. IN speaking from this text I shall pursue the following outline of thought, and attempt to show: I. What is implied in the assertion, My Spirit shall not always strive with man; II. What is not intended by the Spirit's striving; III. What is intended by it; IV. How it maybe known when the Spirit strives with an individual; V. What is intended by His not striving always; VI. Why He will not always strive; and, VII. Some consequences …
Charles G. Finney—Sermons on Gospel Themes

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