The concept of "convince" in the Bible often relates to the act of persuading or bringing someone to a point of belief or understanding, particularly in matters of faith and truth. The term is closely associated with the work of the Holy Spirit, the role of believers in evangelism, and the transformative power of the Gospel.

Biblical Usage and Context

1. Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in convincing individuals of their need for salvation and the truth of the Gospel. In John 16:8 , Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit's work: "And when He comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." Here, the term "convict" is synonymous with convincing, as the Spirit persuades individuals of their sinful state and the righteousness available through Christ.

2. Apostolic Preaching: The apostles often engaged in convincing others of the truth of the Gospel through their preaching and teaching. In Acts 18:4 , Paul is described as reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath, "trying to persuade Jews and Greeks." This persuasion was not merely intellectual but was empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring about a change of heart.

3. The Power of the Gospel: The message of the Gospel itself is a powerful tool for convincing individuals of the truth. Romans 1:16 states, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." The inherent power of the Gospel message works to convince and transform those who hear it.

4. Christian Witness: Believers are called to be witnesses of the truth, using their lives and words to convince others of the reality of Christ. 1 Peter 3:15 encourages believers to "always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you." This readiness involves a gentle and respectful approach to convincing others of the hope found in Jesus.

5. The Role of Reason and Evidence: While faith is central to the Christian life, reason and evidence also play a role in convincing others of the truth. Acts 17:2-3 describes Paul reasoning with the Jews from the Scriptures, "explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead." This method of using Scripture and reason is a model for how believers can engage in convincing others.

6. Challenges in Convincing: Despite the power of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit, not all will be convinced. Acts 28:24 notes that when Paul shared the Gospel, "some were convinced by what he said, but others refused to believe." This highlights the reality that human response to the Gospel can vary, and the ultimate work of convincing is in God's hands.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of convincing is multifaceted, involving the work of the Holy Spirit, the power of the Gospel, and the faithful witness of believers. It underscores the importance of both divine intervention and human responsibility in the process of bringing others to faith.1. (v. t.) To overpower; to overcome; to subdue or master.

2. (v. t.) To overcome by argument; to force to yield assent to truth; to satisfy by proof.

3. (v. t.) To confute; to prove the fallacy of.

4. (v. t.) To prove guilty; to convict.

CONVINCE

kon-vins' (elegcho): Another form etymologically of "convict," means to bring to a decision concerning the truth or the falsehood of a proposition (Job 32:12). As usually applied to what is of a more individual and private character, and having reference to what is either good or bad, or what is in itself without moral quality, it has given way in the Revised Version (British and American) to either "convict," "reprove" or "confute."

See CONVICT.

1827. exelegcho -- convince.
... 1826, 1827. exelegcho. 1828 . convince. Transliteration: exelegcho Phonetic
Spelling: (ex-el-eng'-kho) Short Definition: convince. ... convince. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1827.htm - 6k

4135. plerophoreo -- to bring in full measure, to fulfill
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: plerophoreo Phonetic Spelling: (play-rof-or-
eh'-o) Short Definition: I carry out fully, fully convince Definition: (lit ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4135.htm - 8k

1651. elegcho -- to expose, convict, reprove
... convict, convince, rebuke, reprove. Of uncertain affinity; to confute, admonish --
convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove. (elenxai) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1651.htm - 7k

4104. pistoo -- to make trustworthy, hence to establish
... make trustworthy, hence to establish. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pistoo
Phonetic Spelling: (pis-to'-o) Short Definition: I convince, give assurance ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4104.htm - 6k

1246. diakatelegchomai -- to confute completely
... convince. Middle voice from dia and a compound of kata and elegcho; to prove downright,
ie Confute -- convince. see GREEK dia. see GREEK kata. see GREEK elegcho ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1246.htm - 7k

3982. peitho -- to persuade, to have confidence
... A primary verb; to convince (by argument, true or false); by analogy, to pacify
or conciliate (by other fair means); reflexively or passively, to assent (to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3982.htm - 10k

3198. yakach -- to decide, adjudge, prove
... appoint, argue, chasten, convince, correction, dispute, judge,. A primitive root;
to be right (ie Correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively ...
/hebrew/3198.htm - 6k

Twelfth Day for the Spirit to Convince the World of Sin
... TWELFTH DAY For the Spirit to convince the World of Sin. WHAT TO PRAY."For the Spirit
to convince the World of Sin ="I will send the Comforter to you. ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/twelfth day for the spirit.htm

My First Attempt Therefore, Upon any Man, to Convince Him of the ...
... [Way-1-60] My first attempt therefore, upon any man, to convince him of
the fall? My first attempt therefore, upon any man, to ...
/.../law/the way to divine knowledge/way-1-60 my first attempt therefore.htm

What if the Holy and True Church of Christ were to Convince And...
... Book I. Chapter 22. " 24. What if the holy and TRUE Church of Christ
were to convince and? "24. What if the holy and true ...
/.../writings in connection with the donatist controversy /chapter 22 24 what.htm

I Think what Has Been Stated is Enough to Convince any one that ...
... Chapter LXXV. I think what has been stated is enough to convince any one
that the unbelief? I think what has been stated is enough ...
/.../origen/origen against celsus/chapter lxxv i think what.htm

On the Same Words of the Gospel, John xvi. 8, "He Will Convict the ...
... 1. When our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was speaking at length of the coming of
the Holy Ghost, He said among the rest, "He shall convince the world of sin ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xciv on the same.htm

The Holy Spirit Convicting the World of Sin, of Righteousness and ...
... convict men of sin. That is, to so convince of their error in respect to sin
as to produce a deep sense of personal guilt. We have the ...
/.../torrey/the person and work of the holy spirit/chapter vii the holy spirit.htm

Keeping the Commandments a Test of Love.
... he says. A husband can not convince his wife of his love by a mere profession
of love, but he can convince her by his acts. We are ...
/.../orr/how to live a holy life/keeping the commandments a test.htm

Destruction and Help
... This pathetic pleading is the voice of a divine Father trying to convince His son
of misery and danger; and the obscurity of the text is as if that voice was ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/destruction and help.htm

The Internal Witness of the Holy Spirit
... "But that attesting witness of the Spirit which is revealed in us, cannot
convince others of the truth of the Divine word." What then? ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/9 the internal witness of.htm

But that You May not Suppose this to be a Novel Doctrine Peculiar ...
... from the ground, and dead wood again restored to life, they imagine their own case
to have no likeness to that of wood or trees?" But to convince you that ...
/.../44 but that you may.htm

Convince (7 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To prove guilty; to convict. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CONVINCE. ...
Multi-Version Concordance Convince (7 Occurrences). ...
/c/convince.htm - 9k

Persuade (20 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To try to influence. 3. (vt) To convince by argument, or by reasons offered
or suggested from reflection, etc.; to cause to believe. ...
/p/persuade.htm - 15k

Reprove (35 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To convince. 2. (vt) To disprove; to refute. 3.
(vt) To chide to the face as blameworthy; to accuse as guilty; to censure. ...
/r/reprove.htm - 18k

Persuasion (2 Occurrences)
... per-swad', per-swazhun: (1) In the older English "persuade" need not mean "convince"
(although this is its usual sense in the King James Version: Matthew 27:20 ...
/p/persuasion.htm - 9k

Reproof (29 Occurrences)
... re-proof', re-proov': "Reprove" in Elizabethan English had a variety of meanings
("reject" "disprove" "convince," "rebuke"), with "put to the proof" (see 2 ...
/r/reproof.htm - 15k

Conviction (10 Occurrences)
... vik'-shun (elegcho and compounds, "to prove guilty"): Usual translation of English
Versions of the Bible, where the King James Version has "convince," as in ...
/c/conviction.htm - 12k

Convict (12 Occurrences)
... vik'-shun (elegcho and compounds, "to prove guilty"): Usual translation of English
Versions of the Bible, where the King James Version has "convince," as in ...
/c/convict.htm - 12k

Convinced (26 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Convince. Multi-Version Concordance
Convinced (26 Occurrences). Luke 16:31 "He said to him ...
/c/convinced.htm - 13k

Zealous (40 Occurrences)
... 2 Timothy 4:2 proclaim God's message, be zealous in season and out of season; convince,
rebuke, encourage, with the utmost patience as a teacher. (WEY). ...
/z/zealous.htm - 18k

Nicodemus (5 Occurrences)
... in the Sanhedrin and the other hostile Jews (John 3:2). In answer to the veiled
question which the words of Nicodemus implied, and to convince him of the ...
/n/nicodemus.htm - 14k

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