John 14:16 · Bible study
John 14:16 Commentary: Another Paraclete
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
John 14:16 promises the Spirit as another Paraclete, Advocate, Comforter, Helper, sent by Christ to abide with believers forever. A study of the meaning.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus, as Mediator, will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit as another Helper, just like Jesus himself, to remain with believers forever.
- Key words: erōtēsō (I will ask, used of Christ’s intercession); allon paraklēton (another of the same kind, called to one’s side as advocate/helper); eis ton aiōna (forever, into the age).
- Main debate: Whether “Paraclete” should be translated “Advocate” (legal helper) or “Comforter” (strengthener). The word is passive in form, “one summoned”, but early English tradition favored Comforter.
- Theological theme: The Trinity in redemption: the Father gives the Spirit at the Son’s request; the Spirit continues Jesus’ work; believers are never left alone.
- Best use: Assuring troubled hearts that Christ’s departure was not abandonment but the beginning of a more intimate, permanent divine presence through the Spirit.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
WEB World English Bible 2000
I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever:
KJV King James Version 1769
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever,
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and I will ask the Father, and another Comforter He will give to you, that he may remain with you--to the age;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And I will beg the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And I will ask the Father: and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y yo rogaré al Padre, y os dará otro Consolador, para que esté con vosotros para siempre:
E eu rogarei ao Pai, e ele vos dará outro Consolador, para que fique sempre convosco;
Et moi, je prierai le Père, et il vous donnera un autre consolateur, afin qu’ il demeure éternellement avec vous,
Und ich will den Vater bitten, und er soll euch einen andern Tröster geben, daß er bei euch bleibe ewiglich:
En Ik zal den Vader bidden, en Hij zal u een anderen Trooster geven, opdat Hij bij u blijve in der eeuwigheid;
E io pregherò il Padre, ed Egli vi darà un altro Consolatore, perché stia con voi in perpetuo,
A ja prosić będę Ojca, a innego pocieszyciela da wam, aby z wami mieszkał na wieki,
И Я умолю Отца, и даст вам другого Утешителя, да пребудет с вами вовек,
我 要求 父，父就 另外賜給 你們 一位 保惠師（或譯：訓慰師；下同），叫 他永 遠 與 你們 同在，
And I will make prayer to the Father and he will give you another Helper to be with you for ever,
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 14:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse promises a permanent divine Helper to replace Christ’s visible presence. The Greek verb erōtēsō (“I will ask”) is the word John always uses for Christ’s prayers to the Father (John 16:26; 17:9), marking this as a Mediator’s request rather than a mere petition (Cambridge Bible). The Spirit is called ἄλλον παράκλητον, allon (“another of the same kind,” not heteros = a different kind) and paraklēton, a passive adjective meaning “one summoned to the side of another to help,” especially as legal counsel (Vincent, Cambridge). This same title, Paraclete, is also used of Christ in 1 John 2:1. So the Spirit is “another Jesus” in role: present with believers forever, giving the instruction, comfort, and advocacy that Christ gave during his earthly ministry (Barnes, Calvin, Wesley). Calvin adds that Christ obtains the Spirit as Mediator but gives it as God; Clarke and Gill see the promise as linked to the keeping of Christ’s commandments (v.15) and as a guarantee of final perseverance. All traditions hold that the Spirit’s permanent indwelling is the answer to the disciples’ grief at Christ’s departure.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Advocate / Legal Helper: Focuses on the passive sense of <em>paraklētos</em> as 'one called to aid in court' — the Spirit pleads our cause, convicts the world, and speaks through us (Vincent, Cambridge Bible, 1 John 2:1).
- Comforter / Strengthener: Emphasizes the Spirit's role in consoling and strengthening the disciples' troubled hearts, consistent with the context of Christ's departure (Gill, KJV tradition, the Latin <em>confortare</em>).
What is clear: The Spirit is another divine Helper, distinct from yet similar to Christ, given permanently to dwell with and in believers as a result of Christ's intercession.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The Holy Spirit as 'another Paraclete' | The Spirit is a helper who continues the role Jesus had with his disciples, teaching, guiding, strengthening, and interceding. | Whether the primary image is a court Advocate (legal defense) or a Comforter (consoling presence). The Eastern Orthodox tradition emphasizes the Spirit as 'the Comforter' in a liturgical sense; Western traditions often read 'Advocate' through the lens of 1 John 2:1. |
| Duration of the Spirit's presence | The Spirit abides with believers permanently, not just for a season or for specific tasks. | Whether 'forever' applies to all believers (Reformed/Pentecostal emphasis on perseverance and sealing) or if it primarily referred to the apostles and extends to the Church as a whole (some Protestant traditions). All affirm the Spirit does not leave true believers. |
| Christ's role in sending the Spirit | Jesus intercedes as Mediator, and the Father sends the Spirit. Both Father and Son are involved. | Whether the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone (Eastern Orthodox) or from both Father and Son (Filioque, Western churches). This verse is cited on both sides: Jesus 'asks' the Father (suggesting the Father as source), yet also says he will 'send' the Spirit (John 16:7). |
| The condition of obedience | The promise of the Spirit is linked to loving Jesus and keeping his commandments (v.15). | Whether this obedience is the condition for receiving the Spirit (Arminian/Wesleyan view: the Spirit is given to those who obey) or the evidence of already having the Spirit (Reformed view: the Spirit enables obedience). Both affirm that a life of faith and obedience accompanies the Spirit's work. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Jesus speaks these words during the Last Supper, in the upper room, on the night he is betrayed. The disciples are troubled (John 14:1): their Master is about to leave them, and they face a hostile world. In Jewish tradition, the departure of a teacher was devastating, a student lost his access to wisdom and his advocate before God. Jesus meets this crisis head-on.
The verb translated “pray” or “ask” (erōtaō) is distinct from the word for a subordinate’s request (aiteō). In John’s Gospel, erōtaō is used only of Christ’s prayers to the Father (John 16:26; 17:9, 15, 20). It carries the weight of an intercessor speaking with his equal, not a beggar pleading with a superior (Cambridge Bible). Jesus has just told his disciples that whatever they ask in his name, he will do (John 14:13-14). Now he says he will ask, and the Father will give another Helper.
The word paraklētos was a familiar term in Hellenistic courts, the legal advocate summoned to speak for a defendant. But it also carried a wider sense of one who strengthens, exhorts, or comforts (Clarke). The Jews even called the Messiah “Menahem”, the Comforter (Gill). Jesus has been that Comforter for his disciples; now he promises another, one who will not be limited by time or space. Where Christ’s physical presence could only be in one place at one time, the Spirit is omnipresent (Barnes). And the promised duration, “with you forever”, goes far beyond the temporary stay of Jesus in the flesh.
Literarily, this verse is the hinge of a three-part exchange: Jesus calls for obedience (v.15), promises the Spirit on the basis of his own intercession (v.16), and then describes the Spirit’s nature and indwelling (v.17). The disciples are being reoriented from a visible Master to an invisible but permanent Presence.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for John 14:16. The Greek text is stable across the major Alexandrian and Byzantine manuscript families. The only variant of note is minor: a few late manuscripts read erōtēsōmai (future middle) instead of erōtēsō (future active), but this does not change the meaning. The verse is well attested and not in dispute.
Reception History
John 14:16 has shaped Christian understanding of the Holy Spirit from the earliest centuries. The Greek term Paraklētos was taken into Latin as Paracletus and became a title for the Spirit in creeds and hymns. The Western church’s translation “Comforter” (Wycliffe, Tyndale, KJV) influenced English piety, especially during times of persecution and grief. The verse is cited in the liturgy for Pentecost and in the confirmation rite in Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the title “Paraclete” is central to the worship of the Spirit, and this passage is read at Vespers of Pentecost. In the renewal movements of the 20th century, John 14:16 grounded the expectation of the Spirit’s personal, ongoing ministry in the life of every believer. Across traditions, the verse is treasured as Christ’s farewell promise of a permanent Helper.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Pattern of Intercession, Jesus “asks” the Father as Mediator. His intercession secures every blessing (Heb 7:25). The Spirit comes because Christ prayed, not because we earn it.
- The Nature of the Paraclete, “Another” of the same kind: the Spirit continues Christ’s work of teaching, guiding, strengthening, and defending. The legal image (Advocate) and the personal image (Comforter) both hold.
- The Promise of Permanence, “With you forever.” Unlike Jesus’ temporary physical presence, the Spirit indwells believers permanently, sealing them for the age to come (Eph 1:13-14).
Five-point outline
- Love and obedience come first (v.15). The promise is given to those who keep Christ’s commandments.
- Jesus prays from heaven (v.16a). His ascension does not mean inactivity; he intercedes.
- The Father gives the Spirit (v.16b). All three persons of the Trinity are active in our salvation.
- Another Helper just like Jesus (v.16c). The Spirit replaces Christ’s visible ministry with an invisible, universal, permanent one.
- Forever, not for a season (v.16d). The Spirit does not come and go. He remains for the entire Church age.
Illustration hooks
- A child afraid of the dark after a parent leaves the room. The parent’s voice from another room still comforts, not the same as a hug, but a real presence.
- An employee given a temporary supervisor for a project, then a permanent mentor who stays for the whole career. The Spirit is the permanent mentor.
- A legal assistant who prepares a client’s whole case and stands by them in court. The Spirit is that Advocate, always present, always arguing for us.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “If Jesus is in heaven, how is he really with us? I feel alone in my struggles.”
- “Is the Holy Spirit just a vague force, or someone I can know personally?”
- “Can I lose the Spirit if I sin? This verse says he stays forever, what about those who fall away?”
Leading a Discussion
Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure by promising a permanent Helper. This promise still stands for every believer. As you go through these questions, pay attention to the specific Greek words Jesus used: “ask” (not a beggar’s request), “another” (the same kind), and “Paraclete” (someone summoned to your side).
Discussion questions
- Read John 14:15-17. Why does Jesus connect keeping his commandments with the promise of the Spirit?
- The word for “ask” here (erōtaō) is used elsewhere in John for Jesus’ prayers to the Father (e.g., John 17). What does this tell us about how Jesus secures the Spirit for us?
- “Another Paraclete”, another of the same kind. How is the Spirit like Jesus? How is his role different from Jesus’ earthly ministry?
- The Greek word paraklētos can mean Advocate, Comforter, or Helper. Which translation speaks most to your current situation, and why?
- Jesus says the Spirit will be with you “forever.” How does this promise affect your view of God’s commitment to you, especially when you struggle with doubt or sin?
- Compare this verse with John 14:26 and John 16:7. What are the specific roles of the Spirit described there? How do they expand what you see here?
- How can you rely more intentionally on the Holy Spirit this week, rather than feeling abandoned by Christ’s physical absence?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 28:20 | teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. |
| John 4:14 | but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” |
| John 14:14 | If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it. |
| John 14:18 | I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. |
| John 14:26 | But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you. |
| John 15:26 | “When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. |
| John 16:7 | Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. |
| John 16:15 | All things that the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine and will declare it to you. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws a sharp distinction between the two advocates: Christ pleads our cause with the Father, while the Holy Spirit pleads God's cause with us. The Spirit counsels, teaches, and defends believers, continuing that work until the end of time, just as Christ's atonement remains necessary.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights a twofold work of Christ: as Mediator he prays to the Father for the Spirit, and as God he bestows the Spirit himself. The Spirit is called another Comforter because Christ's visible, temporary protection yields to the Spirit's permanent, invisible guardianship.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentator argues that "Paraclete" should be translated "Advocate" rather than "Comforter," since the Greek word has a passive sense: one summoned to plead a cause. The Holy Spirit's role here is that of a counsel who argues, convinces, and instructs, not primarily one who comforts.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note emphasizes that Christ's prayer to the Father obtains a Comforter who is another Advocate like Christ himself. The promise is that this Spirit will dwell with believers permanently, not just for a season, securing his constant presence forever.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill sees Trinitarian proof here: the Father is prayed to, the Son in human nature prays, and the Holy Spirit is the Comforter given through the Son's mediation. He notes the Jewish expectation of the Messiah as "the Comforter" and says the Spirit is another Comforter of a different kind, one who stays forever.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry stresses that true love for Christ is shown by obeying him, not by emotional grief over his departure. Comfort comes through faithful obedience, not through tears or weak passions. Keeping Christ's commandments is the proper way to prove love and to receive the comfort he promises.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent argues that the word usually rendered "Comforter" actually means "Advocate"—one called alongside to help, like a legal counsel. He points out the Holy Spirit is a Paraclete just as Jesus is, and the Greek word for "another" implies one similar, not different. Three prepositions describe the Spirit's relation: with, by, and in.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points out that the Greek word translated Comforter also means advocate, instructor, or encourager. He stresses that Jesus calls the Spirit "another" Comforter because Christ himself was the first. This new Comforter is given to remain with believers and their successors permanently, until the end of the world.