John Chapter 14 — Jesus, the Way and the Counselor

Jesus reassures His disciples about His departure, promising to prepare a place for them and sending the Holy Spirit as a Counselor to guide and comfort them.

Divine ComfortThe Holy SpiritUnity with GodPeaceFaithfulness

1“Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me.

2In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you.

3If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also.

4You know where I go, and you know the way.”

5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

7If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on, you know him and have seen him.”

8Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”

9Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I tell you, I speak not from myself; but the Father who lives in me does his works.

11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me; or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

12Most certainly I tell you, he who believes in me, the works that I do, he will do also; and he will do greater works than these, because I am going to my Father.

13Whatever you will ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

14If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.

15If you love me, keep my commandments.

16I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, *Greek παρακλητον: Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, and Comforter. that he may be with you forever:

17the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive, for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

18I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you.

19Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also.

20In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

21One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”

22Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, what has happened that you are about to reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23Jesus answered him, “If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

24He who doesn’t love me doesn’t keep my words. The word which you hear isn’t mine, but the Father’s who sent me.

25“I have said these things to you while still living with you.

26But 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.

27Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

28You heard how I told you, ‘I am going away, and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced because I said ‘I am going to my Father;’ for the Father is greater than I.

29Now I have told you before it happens so that when it happens, you may believe.

30I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me.

31But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father commanded me, even so I do. Arise, let’s go from here.

WEB Translation

Notable Verses

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

This verse is a central claim of Jesus' identity and His role as the exclusive path to God the Father.

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.

Jesus explains the specific role of the Holy Spirit in teaching and guiding the disciples after His departure.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.

Jesus offers a unique form of divine peace to help His followers overcome fear and anxiety.

Chapter Summary

In John Chapter 14, Jesus speaks to His disciples during the Last Supper to provide comfort regarding His imminent departure. He reassures them that He is going to prepare a place in His Father's house and will return for them. When Thomas asks about the way, Jesus famously identifies Himself as the way, the truth, and the life, emphasizing that He and the Father are one. Philip asks to see the Father, and Jesus explains that seeing Him is seeing the Father. He promises that those who believe in Him will perform great works and that He will answer prayers made in His name. A central promise of this chapter is the coming of the Holy Spirit, or the Counselor, who will remain with the believers forever, teaching them and reminding them of Jesus' words. Jesus concludes by leaving His peace with them, encouraging them not to let their hearts be troubled despite the trials ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Jesus uses the imagery of many dwellings within His Father's house to assure His disciples that there is plenty of room for all in God's presence. He explains that His departure is intended to prepare a specific place for them.

The Counselor is the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus promises the Father will send in His name. The Spirit's role is to live within believers, teach them all things, and remind them of everything Jesus said.

Jesus asserts a deep unity with God, stating that He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. He tells His disciples that to have seen Him is to have seen the Father, as His works and words come from God.

In this verse, Jesus identifies Himself as the way, the truth, and the life, declaring that He is the exclusive path to the Father. It emphasizes His central role in reconciliation between humanity and God.

Study Note

The term 'Counselor' translates the Greek word 'parakletos', which refers to one called to one's side as an advocate, helper, or intercessor.

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