John 16:9

Of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged.

Of sin ... See under John 16:8. The soul that does not believe in Jesus Christ is convicted of sin.

Of righteousness ... The world is convicted of this by: (1) Christ's return to God, and (2) the absolute finality of Christ's work - "ye behold me no more." Jesus' resurrection and ascension to God were irrefutable proof that his total message was from God; and his remaining thus at God's right hand signaled the total completion of the righteousness which he wrought. As Westcott said:

This revelation once given was final, because nothing could be added to it (I go to the Father); because after Christ was withdrawn from human eyes (Ye see me no more), there was fixed for all time that by which men's estimate of righteousness might be tried.[11]

Of judgment, because the prince of this world ... Calvary was intended by Christ's enemies as their judgment of him; but God made it the judgment of his enemies, particularly of Satan, the prince of this world. The cross indeed bruised the heel of the seed of woman, but it bruised the head of Satan. Christ's death, burial, and resurrection condemned the value-judgments of men. Wicked men, living lives of conformity to the will of their prince (Satan) behold in Christ the rejection by Almighty God of their principles of judgment. The way of Christ was declared by his resurrection to be the right way. The Spirit of God would never cease from Pentecost and ever afterward to convict the world of what righteousness really is. The world's traditional values were set aside by God's judgment of the cross; and the prince of this world has been summarily judged and condemned, and all who follow him shall partake of his judgment and destiny.

Turning, now, from the work of the Spirit as it concerned the world, Christ spoke of the work of the Spirit within the apostles.