John 14:17

17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.

John 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

John 14:17

Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,
&c.] These words explain who is meant by the Comforter, "even the Spirit of truth"; the true Spirit of God, the dictator of the Scriptures of truth, who leads men into the truths of the Gospel, confirms them in them, and gives boldness and freedom to own, and confess them before men:

whom the world cannot receive;
the men of the world, who are as they came into the world, carnal and natural men, can neither receive the Spirit nor the things of the Spirit, the truths and doctrines of the Gospel; they can neither receive them into their understandings, nor into their affections; and indeed, because they cannot understand them, therefore they do not love them, but despise and hate them:

because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him;
the world, and the men of it, can neither see him with their bodily eyes, because he is a "spirit"; nor know him with their understandings, because he is the "Spirit of truth", which they are ignorant of, for want of a spiritual discerning.

But ye know him;
as a spirit of illumination, regeneration, and conversion:

for he dwelleth with you;
he is an inhabitant in your hearts, he has taken up his residence in you as his temples:

and shall be in you;
as a Comforter, when I am gone from you; and as a spirit of truth to guide you into all truth, to stand by you, and assist you in preaching it, and to enable you to bear a faithful and glorious testimony for it.

John 14:17 In-Context

15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever,

17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.

18 "I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also.