Thematic Bible: What the holy spirit does


Thematic Bible



it appear'd by the water, and by the blood, who he was, even Jesus the Messiah; not by the water only, but by the water and by the blood: besides, the spirit is a witness too, now the spirit is truth itself.

I am the genuine vine, and my father is the vintager. every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he takes away: as for the branch that bears fruit, he prunes it clean, to make it more fruitful. you are already clean by the instructions I have given you. read more.
be attach'd to me, and I shall be so to you. as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self, except it be attach'd to the vine: so neither can you, except you continue attach'd to me. I am the vine, you are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for independent of me ye can do nothing. if a man abide not in me, he is cast away as withered branches that are gather'd up to be thrown into the fire, where they are burned. if ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask what ye will, and you shall obtain it. my father will be honour'd by your bearing much fruit, and you will have the honour of being my disciples. as the father has loved me, and I have loved you: so do you persevere in your love to me. your love to me will be in keeping my commandments: even as I love my father by keeping his commandments. These things have I spoken to you, that you might have some present comfort, and that hereafter your joy might be compleat. this is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. there cannot be greater love than that of a man, who lays down his life for his friends. you will be my friends, if you do what I have commanded you. henceforth I do not treat you as servants; for the servant is unacquainted with his master's affairs: but I have treated you as friends; for what I have learnt of my father, I have communicated to you. it was not you that chose me, but I that chose you, and establish'd you, that your travels may be fruitful, and your fruit be lasting: so that whatever ye shall ask of the father for my sake, he will give it you. Above all I enjoin you, to love one another. if the world hate you, consider that it hated me before it hated you. if you were of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world does hate you. remember what I told you, "the servant is not greater than his master." if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have been spies upon my discourse, they will be so upon yours. but all these things will they do unto you, out of hatred to my name, because they know not him that sent me. if I had not appear'd, and inform'd them, they would have been innocent: but now they have no excuse for their sin. he that hateth me, hateth my father also. if I had not done among them such works as no other ever did, they had been innocent: but though they have seen them, yet they hate both me and my father. so that the passage is fulfilled that is written in their law, "they hated me without a cause." but when the advocate is come, whom I will send to you from the father, even the spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the father, he shall testify of me.


The spirit likewise softens our afflictions: for being at a loss to apply for the most proper relief; the spirit it self affects us with those pious ejaculations, which we can't well express. and he that penetrates into the heart approves what the spirit desires, because what he demands for the saints is agreeable to the divine will. We know too, that all things co-operate for the good of those who love God, who, pursuant to his purpose, has now called them:

but, as it is written, "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." this is what God has revealed to us by his spirit: for the spirit penetrates into all things, even the profound counsels of God.

I have told you these things that ye may not be discouraged. they shall expel you out of the synagogues: yea, the time is coming, when it will be thought an agreeable sacrifice to God for any one to take away your lives. and thus will they treat you, because they have not known the father, nor me. read more.
but these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember what I now tell you. I did not tell you so much at the beginning, because, I was then to be with you. but now I am going to him that sent me; yet none of you ask me now, whither are you going? are your minds so overwhelm'd with sorrow at what I told you? nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I do not go away, the advocate will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him to you. and when he is come, he will convince the world of sin, of justice, of judgment: of sin, because they believ'd not on me; of justice, because I shall be with my father, and ye shall see me no more expos'd: of judgment, because the prince of this world is condemn'd. I have yet many things to tell you, but ye cannot bear them now; but when he, the spirit of truth shall come, he will inform you of all those truths: for he will not speak from himself; but the information he shall receive will he communicate: and acquaint you with what is to come. he shall glorify me: for he will commuincate to you, the information, which I shall give him.

It is by Christ that I have this confidence in God. not that I am sufficient of myself to effect any thing by the strength of my own reason: but my sufficiency is from God. who also hath enabled me to be a minister of the new covenant, not of the literal sense, but of the spiritual meaning: it is the letter that denounces death, but the spirit gives life.