Ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγω ὑμῖν· συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα ἐγὼ ἀπέλθω. ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ ἀπέλθω, ὁ παράκλητος οὐκ ἐλεύσεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἐὰν δὲ πορευθῶ, πέμψω αὐτὸν πρὸς ὑμᾶς· (John 16:7)
But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
Declension Analysis Table
| Greek Word | Morphology | Case & Syntactic Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ἐγὼ (first occurrence) | 1st person pronoun, nominative singular | Subject of λέγω | Emphatic position — Jesus is the speaker |
| τὴν ἀλήθειαν | Noun, accusative feminine singular with article | Accusative direct object of λέγω | “The truth” — object of Jesus’ declaration |
| ὑμῖν (first occurrence) | 2nd person pronoun, dative plural | Dative of indirect object | To whom the truth is spoken — the disciples |
| ὑμῖν (second occurrence) | 2nd person pronoun, dative plural | Dative of advantage | “For your benefit” — marks the recipients of advantage |
| ἐγὼ (second occurrence) | 1st person pronoun, nominative singular | Subject of ἀπέλθω | Stresses Jesus’ agency in departure |
| ὁ παράκλητος | Noun, nominative masculine singular with article | Subject of ἐλεύσεται | “The Advocate” — title for the Holy Spirit |
| ὑμᾶς (first occurrence) | 2nd person pronoun, accusative plural | Accusative object of πρὸς | Target of the Spirit’s coming |
| αὐτόν | 3rd person pronoun, accusative masculine singular | Accusative direct object of πέμψω | Refers to the Advocate — the one sent |
| ὑμᾶς (second occurrence) | 2nd person pronoun, accusative plural | Accusative object of πρὸς | Again marks the recipients of the Spirit’s mission |
The Role of Datives in Relational Theology
The repetition of ὑμῖν highlights both the intimacy and the intentionality of the promise. The first is relational — the truth is spoken to them; the second is teleological — the advantage is for them.
Accusatives as Objects of Sending and Coming
The accusatives here are not merely grammatical; they are the direct touchpoints of divine action. The Advocate comes “to you” (πρὸς ὑμᾶς) and is sent “to you” — reinforcing the purposefulness of the Spirit’s mission.
Grammar Framing the Comfort
The declension patterns of this verse enclose a rich theological reality: Jesus’ departure is not abandonment but the necessary prelude to the Spirit’s arrival. Each case usage aligns perfectly with the relational flow of divine mission.
