John 16:9 (DRB)

Passage

Of sin: because they believed not in me.

Nearby Context

John 16:7 But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go. For if I go not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but if I go, I will send him to you.

John 16:8 And when he is come, he will convince the world of sin and of justice and of judgment.

John 16:9 Of sin: because they believed not in me.

John 16:10 And of justice: because I go to the Father: and you shall see me no longer.

John 16:11 And of judgment: because the prince of this world is already judged.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "believed". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "believed" and "the identity of Jesus", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 8's "And when he is come he will..." into verse 10's "And of justice because I go to...", so "believed" and "the identity of Jesus" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "believed" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.