John 16:14 · Bible study
John 16:14 Commentary: How the Spirit Glorifies Christ
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
John 16:14 reveals how the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus by taking from Christ’s truth and declaring it to believers. A study of the Spirit's teaching role.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The Holy Spirit's primary work is to glorify Jesus by taking from Christ's own truth and making it known to believers.
- Key words: “glorify” (δοξάσει), to honor and reveal the full worth of Christ; “take” (λήμψεται), to receive actively from Christ's resources; “declare” (ἀναγγελεῖ), to disclose fully.
- Main debate: Whether the Spirit's “taking” refers primarily to objective doctrinal content or to internal experiential illumination, and whether ongoing revelation beyond Scripture is implied.
- Theological theme: Trinitarian cooperation in revelation, the Father gives all to the Son, the Son sends the Spirit, and the Spirit glorifies the Son by applying his work to the church.
- Best use: A clear Christ-centered test for discernment; a comfort that the Spirit makes Christ real to believers; a caution against seeking spirit-led experiences that bypass Jesus.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
He will glorify Me by taking from what is Mine and disclosing it to you.
WEB World English Bible 2000
He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine and will declare it to you.
KJV King James Version 1769
He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
He shall glorify me: for he shall take of mine, and shall declare it unto you.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
He will glorify me, because of mine He will take, and will tell to you.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
He shall glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall announce [it] to you.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
He shall glorify me: because he shall receive of mine and shall shew it to you.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
El me glorificará: porque tomará de lo mío, y os lo hará saber.
Ele me glorificará, porque tomará do que é meu, e vos anunciará.
Il me glorifiera, parce qu’ il prendra de ce qui est à moi, et vous l’ annoncera.
Derselbe wird mich verklären; denn von dem Meinen wird er's nehmen und euch verkündigen.
Die zal Mij verheerlijken; want Hij zal het uit het Mijne nemen, en zal het u verkondigen.
Egli mi glorificherà perché prenderà del mio e ve l’annunzierà.
On mię uwielbi; bo z mego weźmie, a opowie wam.
Он прославит Меня, потому что от Моего возьмет и возвестит вам.
他 要榮耀 我，因為 他要將受 於 我的 告訴 你們。
He will give me glory, because he will take of what is mine, and make it clear to you.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 16:14
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 presents the Holy Spirit's central mission: to glorify Jesus Christ. Barnes states plainly that the Spirit's influence “shall be such as to exalt my character and work in view of the mind.” Calvin warns against those who separate the Spirit from Christ's word, insisting the Spirit does not “erect any new kingdom” but confirms Christ's glory. The Cambridge Bible notes both pronouns in the Greek are emphatic: “Me shall that Spirit of truth glorify.” Gill expands on how the Spirit glorifies Christ in the ministry of the Gospel, declaring Christ's divine nature, his work of salvation, and leading believers to live by faith in him. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown describe this as “the discovery to the souls of men of what is Christ outwardly.” Lange calls it “the inmost centre of the whole truth.” The unanimous thread: the Spirit neither adds new revelation beyond Christ nor works independently; he takes from what belongs to Christ (all that the Father has given the Son, v.15) and makes it known to believers.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Objective doctrinal teaching: The Spirit glorifies Christ by inspiring and illuminating the apostolic proclamation of Christ's person and work, with emphasis on the Spirit-not-speaking-from-himself (v.13).
- Subjective personal transformation: The Spirit glorifies Christ within believers by leading them to live by faith on Christ, applying his grace to their experience (Gill, Barnes highlight this experiential aspect).
- Ongoing prophetic revelation: The Spirit continues to take from Christ and declare new things that build up the church, not as additional canonical Scripture but as timely insight into Christ's will (continuationist readings).
What is clear: The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ by revealing him to believers, and this work is entirely dependent on Christ, not a separate or competitive revelation.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Spirit's relationship to Christ | The Spirit glorifies Christ and does not act independently; he takes from what belongs to Christ. | Christians who emphasize the Spirit's distinct personhood see this as revealing the eternal relationship of the Son and Spirit, while others focus more on the functional subordination of the Spirit in the economy of salvation. |
| Nature of 'taking from what is mine' | It refers to Christ's truth, teaching, and redemptive work being conveyed by the Spirit to believers. | Some traditions (especially Reformed) interpret this as the Spirit illuminating the already-given biblical revelation about Christ. Continuationist traditions may see this as including ongoing prophetic or charismatic insight into Christ's present activity. |
| Spirit's role in revelation | The Spirit reveals what is true about Christ, not new information contradictory to Christ's own teaching. | Catholic and Orthodox traditions couple this with the Spirit's guidance of the Church's teaching authority. Evangelical Protestants often stress the Spirit's work in personal understanding of Scripture. Pentecostal traditions allow for fresh words of knowledge or prophecy that build on this verse. |
| Trinitarian implications | This verse shows the mutual glorification within the Trinity: the Spirit glorifies the Son, and the Son glorifies the Father. | The verse has been used in debates about the Filioque (whether the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone or from the Father and the Son). Western churches generally see support for the double procession; Eastern churches interpret 'proceeds from the Father' (John 15:26) as the primary statement. |
Historical & Cultural Context
John 16:14 sits within Jesus' Farewell Discourse (chapters 13, 17), spoken to his disciples on the night before his crucifixion. The disciples are filled with sorrow and confusion; Jesus has just said he will leave them, and they cannot bear many things yet (v.12). In this setting, Jesus promises the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, who will guide them into all truth, declare things to come, and now specifically, glorify Christ.
First-century Judaism expected the Spirit to inspire prophets and perhaps to usher in the age of new covenant teaching. But Jesus reorients that expectation: the Spirit's work is tied entirely to him. The Spirit is not an independent agent of fresh revelation but the one who takes from “what is mine”, Jesus' own teaching, person, and completed work, and discloses it to the disciples. This fits the Gospel of John's high Christology, where the Son shares all that the Father has (v.15).
The phrase “take from what is mine” echoes the mutual indwelling of the Trinity. In a cultural world full of competing claims to divine inspiration, from Greek oracles to Jewish apocalyptic writings, Jesus provides a clear test: any spirit that glorifies Christ and speaks from him is the Spirit of truth (1 John 4:2-3). The promise also prepares the disciples for their post-Pentecost mission: they will not be left as orphans but will be taught by the Spirit who continually directs attention to Christ and his self-revelation.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources mention no significant textual variants for John 16:14. The reading is stable across the major Greek manuscripts and early translations. Some later manuscripts read lambanei (present tense) instead of the future lēmpsetai in some lines, but the future is well attested and makes better sense in context of Jesus' promise about the Spirit's future work.
Reception History
John 16:14 has been cited widely in Trinitarian theology, especially in debates about the relationship between the Son and the Holy Spirit. In the medieval West, the verse was used to support the Filioque clause (the Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son), as the Spirit takes from what is Christ's. The Reformers, particularly Calvin, appealed to this verse to argue against those who claimed new revelations from the Spirit that contradicted or superseded the Gospel; they insisted the Spirit always points to Christ, never away from him. In Pietist and Evangelical traditions, this verse became a key text for understanding the inner work of the Spirit in applying salvation. Pentecostal and charismatic movements have emphasized that the Spirit continues to “declare” Christ to the church through prophecy, teaching, and spiritual gifts. Across eras, the verse has comforted believers who felt the absence of Christ: the Spirit makes him present in a way that honors him.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Spirit’s central goal is to glorify Jesus, not himself. Unlike human preachers or religious movements that can draw attention to themselves, the Holy Spirit consistently points away from himself to the Son. This is the test of genuine spiritual influence.
- The Spirit draws from the full resources of Christ. He takes from “what is mine”, all the truth, grace, and power that belong to Jesus as the incarnate Son. He does not invent new material but applies the reality of Christ to the believer’s heart and mind.
- The Spirit declares this truth to believers so they can know and love Christ. “Declare” or “disclose” (ἀναγγελεῖ) means to report fully. The Spirit does not leave the truth abstract; he makes it personal and certain for each believer.
Five-point outline
- Christ is glorified when the Spirit makes him known. True glory is not self-promotion but being seen for who he is.
- The Spirit’s teaching never contradicts Christ’s own word. Because he takes from Christ, his work always aligns with the Gospel delivered by Jesus.
- The Father and the Son are united in this giving. Verse 15 shows the foundation: all the Father has belongs to the Son; the Spirit therefore takes from the shared divine treasure.
- The disciples’ role is to receive and pass on this declaration. The Spirit speaks to them so they can speak to the world (Acts 2:32-36).
- This pattern protects the church from false revelations. Any teaching that claims to be from the Spirit but diminishes or bypasses Christ is to be rejected (Calvin’s warning).
Illustration hooks
- A guide in a museum who stands not in front of the art but to the side, holding a light that reveals the brushstrokes, colors, and details of each painting, never drawing attention to himself but making the masterpiece seen.
- A teacher who gives a student the complete notes from a master lecturer, expecting the student to study those notes and thereby learn from the master himself. The teacher does not add his own opinions.
- The way sunlight reflects off the moon: the moon has no light of its own, but it faithfully reflects the sun’s rays, showing the sun’s glory even when the sun itself is hidden from direct view (Christ has gone to the Father, yet the Spirit reflects him).
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I tell if a spiritual experience or teaching is really from the Holy Spirit?
- If Jesus is glorified through the Spirit, why do so many Christians struggle to feel close to Christ?
- Does the Spirit still speak new things today, or does he only illuminate the Bible?
Leading a Discussion
Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would not leave his disciples without guidance. Instead, the Spirit would take from Christ’s own truth and share it with them. But this verse also raises practical questions: how does this happen, and how can we experience it? The following questions help a small group explore the Spirit’s role and our response.
Discussion questions
- Read John 16:12-15. What is the connection between the Spirit's guidance “into all truth” (v.13) and the Spirit's taking from “what is mine” (v.14)?
- The Greek word λήμψεται (will take) implies an active receiving. How does this shape your understanding of the Spirit's relationship to Jesus and to the Father?
- In what ways have you seen the Holy Spirit glorify Jesus in your own life or in your church? Can you give a concrete example?
- Calvin warned against those who separate the Spirit from the written word of Christ. Where do you think the line lies between Spirit-led insight and merely human opinion?
- Why do you think Jesus emphasized that the Spirit glorifies him? What would be missing if this were not the Spirit's focus?
- How does knowing that the Spirit declares Christ to you change the way you pray, study Scripture, or worship?
- What is one practical step you can take this week to rely more on the Spirit to reveal Christ rather than relying on your own effort?
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)
| Zechariah 12:10 | I will pour on David’s house and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and of supplication. They will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for his firstborn. |
| John 7:39 | But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified. |
| 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 16:9 | about sin, because they don’t believe in me; |
| John 16:10 | about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more; |
| Acts 2:32 | This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses. |
| Acts 2:36 | “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” |
| Acts 4:10 | may it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands here before you whole in him. |
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.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that the Spirit glorifies Christ by serving as his ambassador, taking from Christ and revealing it to believers. The Spirit's work consistently leads people to the Savior, showing them their need for him and drawing them to entrust their eternal interests to Christ alone, which serves as the test of genuine spiritual impressions.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin warns against separating the Spirit from Christ's written word. The Spirit's role is to confirm and glorify Christ, not to replace him with new revelations or a higher doctrine. Any claim that the Spirit leads beyond Scripture opens the door to delusion, as seen in false teachers who put their own revelations above the Gospel.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Spirit glorifies Christ not by adding anything new but by taking what belongs to Christ and making it known. This act of revealing is itself glorifying, because the more the truth of Christ is known, the more He is loved and honored. The word "take" implies the Spirit actively draws from Christ's own truth.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Spirit glorifies Christ by taking from Christ's own truth and showing it to believers. The work of the Spirit is not independent or self-originating; it draws from what belongs to Christ and makes that known. In this way the Spirit does not point to himself but to the Son.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the Spirit glorifies Christ in two ways: through the Gospel ministry, which declares Christ's full divinity and saving work, and in believers' experience, by leading them to depend on Christ alone for righteousness, grace, and every spiritual blessing. The Spirit takes what belongs to Christ and reveals it to them.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
The Spirit's work is not to add new truths but to throw light within the soul on what Christ already is, taught, and did. He glorifies Christ by taking what belongs to Him and making believers see it clearly, yet never going beyond what Christ accomplished on earth.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry compares the promise of the Spirit to how the Old Testament prophets comforted Israel with the promise of the Messiah. He stresses that Christ's departure was absolutely necessary for the Comforter to come, a strange truth that yet brings comfort and shows the disciples their sorrow was misplaced.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Shall receive [ ληψεται] . Rev., take. See on 3 32.