John 14 — In My Father's House Are Many Rooms
Jesus' farewell discourse — the way, the truth, the life, the promise of the Spirit, and a peace the world cannot give.
1Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God, believe also in me.
2In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4And whither I go, ye know the way.
5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; how know we the way?
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.
7If ye had known me, ye would have known my Father also: from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
8Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father?
10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I say unto you I speak not from myself: but the Father abiding in me doeth his works.
11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.
13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do.
15If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments.
16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever,
17even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.
18I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you.
19Yet a little while, and the world beholdeth me no more; but ye behold me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20In that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.
22Judas (not Iscariot) saith unto him, Lord, what is come to pass that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24He that loveth me not keepeth not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s who sent me.
25These things have I spoken unto you, while yet abiding with you.
26But the Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
28Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.
29And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe.
30I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world cometh: and he hath nothing in me;
31but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.
Historical context
John 14 opens the Upper Room Discourse (John 14-17), the longest stretch of Jesus' private teaching to his disciples, given on the night before the crucifixion. Judas has just left to betray him; Peter has just been told he will deny him. Into that anxious room Jesus speaks the words 'Don't let your heart be troubled' and lays out four promises that have steadied the church ever since.
Commentary
Verses 1-6: the promise of a place. 'In my Father's house are many homes… I go to prepare a place for you.' Thomas asks how to find the way; Jesus answers, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.' This is the New Testament's most exclusive sentence and its most generous — the only door is also a door that opens.
Verses 7-14: the promise of access. To see Jesus is to see the Father. Whoever believes will do greater works, and 'whatever you ask in my name, that will I do.' Prayer in Jesus' name is not a verbal formula but asking from union with him.
Verses 15-26: the promise of the Spirit. Jesus pledges another Helper (paraklētos — advocate, comforter) who will be with the disciples forever and 'teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.' The trinitarian shape of the chapter — Father, Son, Spirit — is plain.
Verses 27-31: the promise of peace. 'Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives.' The world's peace is the absence of conflict; Christ's peace is his own settled rest given to a heart that has every reason to be troubled.