Limitless Word
Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
John 16:11 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.
  • KJV Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
  • BSB and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world has been condemned.
  • NKJV of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
  • NASB and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The Spirit convicts concerning judgment because the prince of this world has been judged. Christ's victory guarantees coming judgment.

Overview

The cross and resurrection mean that Satan, 'the prince of this world,' has already been judged and defeated. This decisive verdict assures that final judgment is certain for all who side with him in rejecting Christ. The Spirit convicts the world that its ruler is condemned, calling people to flee to Christ before judgment falls.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 33

  • John 12:31Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out.
  • 1 Jn 3:8He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed: that he might destroy the works of the devil.
  • Col 2:15having stripped the principalities and the powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
  • John 14:30I will no more speak much with you, for the prince of the world comes, and he has nothing in me.
  • Heb 2:14Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
  • 2 Cor 4:4in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.
  • Rev 20:10–15The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
  • Rev 12:7–10There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.
  • Isa 49:24–26Shall the plunder be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives be delivered?
  • Matt 12:18“Behold, my servant whom I have chosen; my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him. He will proclaim justice to the nations.
  • Eph 2:2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience;
  • Ps 68:18You have ascended on high. You have led away captives. You have received gifts among men, yes, among the rebellious also, that Yah God might dwell there.
  • Acts 17:30–31The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,
  • Luke 10:18He said to them, “I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.
  • 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
  • Matt 12:36I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
  • Heb 9:27Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,
  • Rev 1:7Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, including those who pierced him. All the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
  • John 5:22–27For the Father judges no one, but he has given all judgment to the Son,
  • 2 Pet 2:4–9For if God didn’t spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
  • Heb 6:2of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
  • Acts 10:42He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that this is he who is appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead.
  • 2 Cor 5:10–11For we must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
  • Gen 3:15I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
  • 2 Pet 3:7But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
  • Rev 20:2–3He seized the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth, and bound him for a thousand years,
  • Rom 2:2–4We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
  • Acts 24:25As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”
  • 1 Cor 6:3–4Don’t you know that we will judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
  • Rom 16:20And the God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
  • Rom 2:16in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ.
  • Rom 14:10–12But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
  • Acts 26:18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 16:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.

How John 16:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.