John 16:12-13
What is written? (ESV)
I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all 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.
What does it say?
I [Jesus] have many other things to teach you [apostles], but you are not ready for them yet. But when the Spirit of Truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, not speaking from His own authority, but what He hears He will speak, declaring to you the things to come.
What is its immediate context?
This entire section of Scripture (John 13-17) is Jesus in the upper room with the twelve apostles. He speaks to them directly and gives them instructions about his coming death and what will follow. The “Spirit of truth” is the Holy Spirit, also referred to by Jesus in the “upper room” exchange with the apostles as the Helper (vs 14:26 & 15:26).
How John 16:12-13 is applied across Bible answers
Is the Bible the complete revelation of God?
The apostles were guided into "all truth" by the Holy Spirit, and they proclaimed4 the "whole counsel of God".7
What ‘all truth’ did the apostles receive (John 16:13)?
Jesus repeats what He said earlier2. He now qualifies the "all truth", or "all things"2, the apostles were to receive, albeit somewhat cryptically, as "things that are to come" and only things that the Holy Spirit "hears".
A further qualification is provided by Jesus in the next two verses by disclosing that the Holy Spirit will hear from the Father and that "he will take what is mine [Jesus'] and declare it to you [apostles]" (vss 14-15).
What does the Holy Spirit do for the Christian today?
Continuing from the last passage,5 Jesus expands on the same thought regarding the apostles' special office and the role of God's messenger that they will play after He is gone. Therefore, this has no bearing on Christians today.
What is the promise of the Holy Spirit?
The coming of the Spirit of Truth4 included the apostles having "all truth".7
