The Meaning of John 14:18 Explained

John 14:18

KJV: I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

YLT: 'I will not leave you bereaved, I come unto you;

Darby: I will not leave you orphans, I am coming to you.

ASV: I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

I will  not  leave  you  comfortless:  I will come  to  you. 

What does John 14:18 Mean?

Context Summary

John 14:12-24 - The Spirit Of Truth
There is no adequate translation for the word Paraclete. It may be rendered "interpreter," "comforter," "advocate," but no one word suffices. The Greek means "one whom you call to your side in the battle or law-court." His advent depends upon the praying Christ (I will pray the Father), and upon the praying Church (ye shall ask). The Holy Spirit must be a person, or He could not be compared as "another" to Christ. It is characteristic of this dispensation that He shall be in us, and His indwelling brings with it that of the Father and the Son.
"We will"¦ make our abode." That word abode is the same Greek word as is rendered mansions in the former part of this chapter. God prepares a mansion for those who believe in Christ, and asks in return that we shall prepare our hearts as guest chambers for Him to dwell in. As He enters the loving, cleansed, and believing heart, we hear Him say: "This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it," Psalms 132:14. And what a word is that, my Father will love him. That He should love the world is wonderful, but that He should love us would be incredible, were He not infinite, and did He not see us in Jesus Christ our Lord. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 14

1  Jesus comforts his disciples with the hope of heaven;
5  professes himself the way, the truth, and the life, and one with the Father;
13  assures their prayers to be effectual;
15  requires obedience;
16  promises the Comforter;
27  and leaves his peace with them

Greek Commentary for John 14:18

I will not leave [ουκ απησω]
Future active of απιημι — aphiēmi to send away, to leave behind. Desolate Old word The only other N.T. example is in James 1:27 where it means “fatherless.” I come Futuristic present as in John 14:3. [source]
Leave [ἀφήσω]
See on John 4:3. [source]
Comfortless [ὀρφανούς]
Literally, bereft or orphans. Only here and James 1:27, where it is rendered fatherless. Compare my little children (John 13:33). “He hath not left us without a rule (John 13:34); nor without an example (John 13:15); nor without a motive (John 14:15); nor without a strength (John 15:5); nor without a warning (John 15:2, John 15:6); nor without a Comforter (John 14:18); nor without a reward (John 14:2) (James Ford, “The Gospel of St. John Illustrated”). [source]
I will come [ἔρχομαι]
Present tense, I come. See on John 14:3. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 14:18

John 14:18 Comfortless [ὀρφανούς]
Literally, bereft or orphans. Only here and James 1:27, where it is rendered fatherless. Compare my little children (John 13:33). “He hath not left us without a rule (John 13:34); nor without an example (John 13:15); nor without a motive (John 14:15); nor without a strength (John 15:5); nor without a warning (John 15:2, John 15:6); nor without a Comforter (John 14:18); nor without a reward (John 14:2) (James Ford, “The Gospel of St. John Illustrated”). [source]
2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit []
Κύριος theLord is used in Exodus 34:34for Jehovah. The Lord Christ of 2 Corinthians 3:16is the Spirit who pervades and animates the new covenant of which we are ministers (2 Corinthians 3:6), and the ministration of which is with glory (2 Corinthians 3:8). Compare Romans 8:9-11; John 14:16, John 14:18. [source]
Galatians 4:6 The Spirit of his Son []
The Holy Spirit which animated Jesus in his human life, and which, in the risen Christ, is the life-principle of believers. See 1 Corinthians 15:45, and comp. Romans 8:9-11. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Christ, Romans 8:9, Romans 8:10, where Paul uses Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ and Christ as convertible terms. The phrase Spirit of Jesus Christ only Philemon 1:19. In John 3:34Christ is represented as dispensing the Spirit. He is fully endowed with the Spirit (Mark 1:10; John 1:32): he sends the Spirit from the Father to the disciples, and he is the burden of the Spirit's testimony (John 15:26; John 16:7, John 16:9, John 16:10, John 16:15). The Paraclete is given in answer to Christ's prayer (John 14:16). Christ identifies his own coming and presence with those of the Spirit (John 14:17, John 14:18). Paul identifies him personally with the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17). [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Being taken from you [ἀπορφανισθέντες]
N.T.oolxx. Rev. better, being bereaved of you. From ὀρφανός bereftSee Mark 12:40, John 14:18; James 1:27. The word suggests the intimate personal fellowship of the writer with his readers. The separation was like that between parents and children. Comp. 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:8. [source]
James 1:27 Before our God and Father [παρα τωι τεωι και πατρι]
By the side of Αμιαντος — Amiantos (compound verbal adjective, alpha privative, μιαινω — miainō to defile), puts in negative form (cf. James 1:4, James 1:6) the idea in καταρα — kathara (pure, clean). This Feminine demonstrative pronoun in the predicate agreeing with τρησκεια — thrēskeia visit Epexegetic (explaining αυτη — hautē) present middle infinitive of επισκεπτομαι — episkeptomai common verb to go to see, to inspect, present tense for habit of going to see. See Matthew 25:36, Matthew 25:43 for visiting the sick.The fatherless and widows (ορπανους και χηρας — orphanous kai chēras). “The natural objects of charity in the community” (Ropes). Ορπανος — Orphanos is old word for bereft of father or mother or both. In N.T. only here and John 14:18. Note order (orphans before widows).Unspotted Old adjective (alpha privative and σπιλος — spilos spot), spotless. This the more important of the two illustrations and the hardest to execute.To keep (τηρειν — tērein). Present active infinitive, “to keep on keeping oneself un-specked from the world” (a world, κοσμος — kosmos full of dirt and slime that bespatters the best of men). [source]
James 1:27 The fatherless and widows [ορπανους και χηρας]
“The natural objects of charity in the community” (Ropes). Ορπανος — Orphanos is old word for bereft of father or mother or both. In N.T. only here and John 14:18. Note order (orphans before widows). [source]
1 John 3:5 Was manifested []
See on John 21:1. Including Christ's whole life on earth and its consequences. The idea of manifestation here assumes the fact of a previous being. John various terms to describe the incarnation. He conceives it with reference to the Father, as a sending, a mission. Hence ὁ πέμψας με Hethat sent me (John 4:34; John 6:38; John 9:4; John 12:44, etc.): ὁ πέμψας με πατήρ theFather that sent me (John 5:37; John 8:18; John 12:49, etc.): with the verb ἀποστέλλω tosend as an envoy, with a commission; God sent ( ἀπέστειλεν ) His Son (John 3:17; John 10:36; 1 John 4:10; compare John 6:57; John 7:29; John 17:18). With reference to the Son, as a coming, regarded as a historic fact and as an abiding fact. As a historic event, He came ( ἧλθεν , John 1:11); this is He that came ( ὁ ἐλθὼν , 1 John 5:6). Came forth ( ἐξῆλθον ; John 8:42; John 16:27, John 16:28; John 17:8). As something abiding in its effects, am come, hath come, is come, marked by the perfect tense: Light is come ( ἐλήλυθεν , John 3:19). Jesus Christ is come ( ἐληλυθότα , 1 John 4:2). Compare John 5:43; John 12:46; John 18:37). In two instances with ἥκω Iam come, John 8:42; 1 John 5:20. Or with the present tense, as describing a coming realized at the moment: whence I come ( ἔρχομαι , John 8:14); compare John 14:3, John 14:18, John 14:28; also Jesus Christ coming ( ἐρχόμενον , 2 John 1:7). With reference to the form: in flesh ( σάρξ ). See John 1:14; 1 John 4:2; 2 John 1:7. With reference to men, Christ was manifested (1 John 1:2; 1 John 3:5, 1 John 3:8; John 1:31; John 21:1, John 21:14).|To take away ( ἵνα ἄρῃ )|See on John 1:29.|Our sins ( τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν )|Omit ἡυῶν ourCompare John 1:29, τὴν ἁμαρτίαν , the sin. The plural here regards all that is contained in the inclusive term the sin: all manifestations or realizations of sin.|In Him is no sin ( ἁμαρτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν )|Lit., in Him sin is not. He is essentially and forever without sin. Compare John 7:18.| [source]

What do the individual words in John 14:18 mean?

Not I will leave you as orphans I am coming to
Οὐκ ἀφήσω ὑμᾶς ὀρφανούς ἔρχομαι πρὸς

ἀφήσω  I  will  leave 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἀφίημι 
Sense: to send away.
ὀρφανούς  as  orphans 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ὀρφανός  
Sense: bereft (of a father, of parents).
ἔρχομαι  I  am  coming 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 1st Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.