John 16:7

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

But I tell you the truth: It is for your benefit that I am going away. If I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Ἀλλʼ ἐγὼ τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγω ὑμῖν· Συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα ἐγὼ ἀπέλθω: ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἀπέλθω, ὁ Παράκλητος οὐκ ἐλεύσεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἐὰν δὲ πορευθῶ, πέμψω αὐτὸν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.

Transliteration

But I the alētheian legō to you; Sympherei to you hina I apelthō: if for not apelthō, the Paraklētos not eleusetai pros you; if but poreuthō, I will pempsō him pros you.

Grammar Details

• Ἀλλʼ: adversative conjunction - but
• ἐγὼ: personal pronoun, nominative, singular - I
• τὴν: definite article, accusative, feminine, singular - the
• *alētheian*: noun, accusative, feminine, singular - truth
• *legō*: present active indicative, 1st person singular - I tell/say
• ὑμῖν: personal pronoun, dative, plural - for you
• *Sympherei*: present active indicative, 3rd person singular - it is beneficial/profitable
• *hina*: conjunction introducing purpose clause - that
• *apelthō*: aorist active subjunctive, 1st person singular - I go away
• ἐὰν: conditional conjunction - if
• γὰρ: conjunction - for
• μὴ: negative particle - not
• ὁ: definite article, nominative, masculine, singular - the
• *Paraklētos*: noun, nominative, masculine, singular - Helper/Advocate/Comforter
• οὐκ: negative particle - not
• *eleusetai*: future middle indicative, 3rd person singular - will come
• *pros*: preposition with accusative - to
• ὑμᾶς: personal pronoun, accusative, plural - you
• δὲ: conjunctive particle - but/and
• *poreuthō*: aorist passive subjunctive, 1st person singular - I go/depart
• *pempsō*: future active indicative, 1st person singular - I will send
• αὐτὸν: personal pronoun, accusative, masculine, singular - him

Word Meanings

• *alētheian*: truth/reality
• *legō*: I tell/I say/I speak
• *Sympherei*: it is beneficial/it is advantageous/it is profitable
• *apelthō*: I go away/I depart
• *Paraklētos*: Helper/Advocate/Comforter/Counselor
• *eleusetai*: will come/will arrive
• *pros*: to/toward/with
• *poreuthō*: I go/I depart/I journey
• *pempsō*: I will send/I will dispatch

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is beneficial for you that I go away: for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I leave, I will send him to you.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  Nevertheless{G235} I{G1473} tell{G3004} you{G5213} the truth:{G225} It is expedient{G4851} for you{G5213} that{G2443} I{G1473} go away;{G565} for{G1063} if{G1437} I go{G565} not{G3361} away,{G565} the Comforter{G3875} will{G2064} not{G3756} come{G2064} unto{G4314} you;{G5209} but{G1161} if{G1437} I go,{G4198} I will send{G3992} him{G846} unto{G4314} you.{G5209}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Nevertheless{G235} I{G1473} tell{G3004}{(G5719)} you{G5213} the truth{G225}; It is expedient{G4851}{(G5719)} for you{G5213} that{G2443} I{G1473} go away{G565}{(G5632)}: for{G1063} if{G3362} I go{G565} not{G3362} away{G565}{(G5632)}, the Comforter{G3875} will{G2064} not{G3756} come{G2064}{(G5695)} unto{G4314} you{G5209}; but{G1161} if{G1437} I depart{G4198}{(G5680)}, I will send{G3992}{(G5692)} him{G846} unto{G4314} you{G5209}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Neverthelesse I tell you the trueth it is expedient for you that I goo awaye. For yf I goo not awaye that comforter will not come vnto you. But yf I departe I will sende him vnto you.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Neuertheles I tell you the trueth, It is better for you yt I go awaye: For yf I go not awaye that comforter commeth not vnto you: but yf I departe, I wil sende hi vnto you.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Yet I tell you the trueth, It is expedient for you that I goe away: for if I goe not away, that Comforter will not come vnto you: but if I depart, I will send him vnto you.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Neuerthelesse, I tell you the trueth, it is expedient for you that I go away. For yf I go not away, that comforter wyll not come vnto you: But yf I depart, I wyll sende hym vnto you.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ ‹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.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  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.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  `But I tell you the truth; it is better for you that I go away, for if I may not go away, the Comforter will not come unto you, and if I go on, I will send Him unto you;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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 go, I will send him unto you.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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 go, I will send him unto you.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But what I am saying is true: my going is for your good: for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  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.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you.

Referenced Verses

• John 14:26 : 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.
• John 15:26 : 26 When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.
• John 14:16-17 : 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever. 17 The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him, you know him, because he remains with you and will be in you.
• John 7:39 : 39 (He said this about the Spirit, which those who believed in Him were to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.)
• Rom 8:28 : 28 And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.
• Acts 2:33 : 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, He has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
• Ps 68:18 : 18 The chariots of God are tens of thousands, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them at Sinai in holiness.
• John 11:50-52 : 50 'You do not realize that it is better for you that one man should die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.' 51 He did not say this on his own; but as high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation. 52 And not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
• John 14:3 : 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am, you may be also.
• Luke 24:49 : 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high.
• John 8:45-46 : 45 But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Who among you can convict me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me?
• Acts 10:34 : 34 Then Peter began to speak: 'Now I truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
• 2 Cor 4:17 : 17 For our momentary and light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.
• Eph 4:8-9 : 8 Therefore it says: 'When he ascended on high, he took the captives captive; he gave gifts to people.' 9 But what does 'he ascended' mean except that he also descended to the lower parts of the earth? 10 The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things. 11 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, into a mature man, to the measure of the stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ.
• Acts 1:4-5 : 4 While He was with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, "You have heard from Me." 5 For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
• John 14:28 : 28 You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
• Luke 4:25 : 25 But I tell you the truth, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.
• Luke 9:27 : 27 Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.