John 16:9

Revised Standard Version

concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
About sin, because they do not believe in me;

King James Version (1611)
Of sinne, because they beleeue not on me.

King James Version
Of sin, because they believe not on me;

English Standard Version
concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

New American Standard Bible
regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me;

New Century Version
He will prove to them that sin is not believing in me.

Amplified Bible
about sin [and the true nature of it], because they do not believe in Me [and My message];

New American Standard Bible (1995)
concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

Legacy Standard Bible
concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

Berean Standard Bible
in regard to sin, because they do not believe in Me;

Contemporary English Version
The Spirit will show them that they are wrong about sin, because they didn't have faith in me.

Complete Jewish Bible
about sin, in that people don't put their trust in me;

Darby Translation
of sin, because they do not believe on me;

Easy-to-Read Version
He will prove that they are guilty of sin, because they don't believe in me.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Of sinne, because they beleeued not in me:

George Lamsa Translation
Concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

Good News Translation
They are wrong about sin, because they do not believe in me;

Lexham English Bible
concerning sin, because they do not believe in me,

Literal Translation
Concerning sin, because they do not believe into Me;

American Standard Version
of sin, because they believe not on me;

Bible in Basic English
Of sin, because they have not faith in me;

Hebrew Names Version
about sin, because they don't believe in me;

International Standard Version
of sin, because they do not believe in me;Acts 2:22-37;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
Of sin, because they believe not in me;

Murdock Translation
Of sin because they believe not in me:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Of sinne, because they beleue not on me.

English Revised Version
of sin, because they believe not on me;

World English Bible
of sin, because they don't believe in me;

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Weymouth's New Testament
of sin, because they do not believe in me;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Of synne, for thei han not bileued in me;

Update Bible Version
of sin, because they do not believe on me;

Webster's Bible Translation
Of sin, because they believe not on me;

New English Translation
concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

New King James Version
of sin, because they do not believe in Me;

New Living Translation
The world's sin is that it refuses to believe in me.

New Life Bible
He will show the world about sin, because they do not put their trust in Me.

New Revised Standard
about sin, because they do not believe in me;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Concerning sin, indeed, because they are not believing on me;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Of sin: because they believed not in me.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Of synne because they beleve not on me:

Young's Literal Translation
concerning sin indeed, because they do not believe in me;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Of synne, because they beleue not on me.

Mace New Testament (1729)
of sin,

Simplified Cowboy Version
The world's greatest sin is that they do not believe in who I am.

Contextual Overview

⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. ⁸ And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: ⁹ concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; ¹⁰ concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; ¹¹ concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. ¹² "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵ All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

John 3:18-21, John 5:40-44, John 8:23, John 8:24, John 8:42-47, John 12:47, John 12:48, John 15:22-25, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:22-38, Acts 3:14-19, Acts 7:51-54, Acts 26:9, Acts 26:10, Romans 3:19, Romans 3:20, Romans 7:9, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 2:16, 1 Timothy 1:13, Hebrews 3:12, Hebrews 10:28, Hebrews 10:29

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:12 - cover all Luke 9:55 - Ye know John 16:14 - glorify Romans 10:3 - God's righteousness 1 Timothy 3:16 - justified

Cross-References

Genesis 16:5
And Sar'ai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my maid to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!"

Genesis 16:6
But Abram said to Sar'ai, "Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her as you please." Then Sar'ai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for deference will make amends for great offenses.

Ephesians 5:21
Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Titus 2:9
Bid slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to be refractory,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Of sin, because they believe not on me. The "sin" here primarily intended, is that of the Jews, in disbelieving, rejecting, and crucifying Christ; and which the Spirit of God, by Peter, charged upon them on the day of "Pentecost", and fully proved against them; gave such clear evidence, and wrought such strong convictions of in their minds and consciences, that being pricked to the heart, they cried out, "what shall we do?" Acts 2:23; though as this passage may be applied to the ordinary work of the Spirit of God upon the souls of men, through the ministry of the word; so it may take in convictions of sin of all sorts, as of original and actual sins, and particularly the sin of unbelief: for the Spirit of God convinces of the sinfulness and corruption of nature, the wickedness and plague of a man's heart, the sin that dwells in him; how that has overspread all the powers and faculties of his soul, rendered both him and his services unacceptable to God, loathsome in his sight, and himself hopeless and helpless, and deserving of his wrath and displeasure: he also convinces of actual sins and transgressions, showing that they are breaches of the law of God, and are committed against God himself; that they are deserving of death, even eternal death; that the wrath of God is revealed against them, and for them comes upon the children of disobedience; and that there is no atonement for them, or cleansing from them, but by the blood of Christ: he likewise convinces of the sin of unbelief, here particularly mentioned: showing the evil nature and consequences of it, to persons enjoying a Gospel revelation; that such who disbelieve the Messiah, shall die in their sins; that whoever believes not in him shall be damned; and that faith in Christ is necessary to salvation, and that without it there is none.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of sin - The first thing specified of which the world would be convinced is sin. Sin, in general, is any violation of a law of God, but the particular sin of which men are here said to be convinced is that of rejecting the Lord Jesus. This is placed first, and is deemed the sin of chief magnitude, as it is the principal one of which men are guilty. This was particularly true of the Jews who had rejected him and crucified him; and it was the great crime which, when brought home to their consciences by the preaching of the apostles, overwhelmed them with confusion, and filled their hearts with remorse. It was their rejection of the Son of God that was made the great truth that was instrumental of their conversion. Acts 2:22-23, Acts 2:37; Acts 3:13-15; Acts 4:10, Acts 4:26-28; compare John 16:31-33. It is also true of other sinners. Sinners, when awakened, often feel that it has been the great crowning sin of their lives that they have rejected the tender mercy of God, and trampled on the blood of his Son; and that they have for months and years refused to submit to him, saying that they would not have him to reign over them. Thus is fulfilled what is spoken by Zechariah, Zechariah 12:10; “And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn.” Throughout the New Testament this is regarded as the sin that is pre-eminently offensive to God, and which, if unrepented of, will certainly lead to perdition, Mark 16:16; John 3:36. Hence, it is placed first in those sins of which the Spirit will convince men; and hence if we have not yet been brought to see our guilt in rejecting God’s tender mercy through his Son, we are yet in the gall of bitterness and under the bond of iniquity.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse John 16:9. Of sin — Of the sin of the Jews in not receiving me as the Messiah, though my mission was accredited by the very miracles which the prophets foretold: see Isaiah 35:3-6. This was literally fulfilled on the day of pentecost, when the Spirit was given; for multitudes of Jews were then convinced of this sin, and converted to God. See Acts 2:37.

If we take this prediction of our Lord in a more general sense, then we may consider that it is one of the grand offices of the Holy Spirit to convince of sin, to show men what sin is, to demonstrate to them that they are sinners, and to show the necessity of an atonement for sin; and in this sense the phrase, περι αμαρτιας, may be understood, and in this sense it is used in multitudes of places in the Septuagint, but the words, because they believe not in me, restrict the meaning particularly to the sin of the Jews in rejecting Jesus as the Messiah.