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John 16 · a question people ask

"he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment" (16:8). What does that mean?

In the text

Jesus gives a reason for each of the three, and these notes give his words as the WEB has them and add no explanation of their own: "about sin, because they don’t believe in me" (16:9); "about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more" (16:10); "about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged" (16:11). He says who will do it: "When he has come" (16:8), the Counselor of 16:7. Favor's chapter on John 14 asks who "the prince of the world" is (14:30) and quotes 16:11 there; this chapter doesn't ask it again.

The verses

“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. When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment; about sin, because they don’t believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more; about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.”
John 16:7-11 · World English Bible
“I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me.”
John 14:30 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of John 16

John 16: Sorrow turned into joy

"A little while" comes seven times in four verses (16:16-19), as some of his disciples ask one another what he means, and Jesus speaks of a woman giving birth and then says, "you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice" (16:22). In the Greek, the verb of "sorrow has filled your heart" (16:6) is the verb of "that your joy may be made full" (16:24).

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Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions