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The branches must stay in the vine

15 Jesus said, ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ^{[ a ]} ² Some branches that are part of me may have no fruit on them. My Father completely removes all those branches. But other branches do have fruit. My Father cuts all those branches to make them better. Then they will be good and make more fruit. ³ The words that I have spoken to you have made you good already. ⁴ Continue to live in me, and I will continue to live in you. A branch cannot make fruit by itself. It can make fruit only if it continues to be part of the vine. You are like that. You cannot make fruit unless you continue to live in me. ^{[ b ]}

⁵ I am the vine, and you are the branches. You must continue to live in me and I must continue to live in you. Only if you do that will you make plenty of fruit. That is because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, that person is like a dead branch. The gardener will throw that branch away and it will die. People throw all those dead branches into the fire so that they burn. ⁷ You must remain in me, and my teaching must remain in you. Then you may ask for anything that you want. God will do it for you. ⁸ If you make plenty of fruit, that will give honour to my Father. You will show that you are truly my disciples.

⁹ I have loved you in the same way that the Father has loved me. Continue to live in a way that shows my love. ¹⁰ If you obey what I have told you, you will be living in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed what my Father has told me to do. In that way, I live in his love. ¹¹ I want you to be completely happy, in the same way that I myself am happy. That is why I have told you these things.

¹² This is the rule that I give to you: You must love each other, in the same way that I have loved you. ¹³ A person really loves his friends if he dies so that they can live. Nobody could love anyone more than that. ¹⁴ And you are my friends, if you obey my message. ¹⁵ A servant does not know what his master is doing. So I do not call you servants any more. No, I call you my friends. This is because I have told you everything that I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you. I chose you to go and to make plenty of fruit. That kind of fruit will continue always. For that reason, the Father will help you with anything that you ask him. If you ask him in my name, he will do it for you. ^{[ c ]} ¹⁷ This is what I tell you to do: You must love each other.’

People will hate the disciples

¹⁸ ‘The people who belong to this world may hate you. But remember this: They hated me before they hated you. ¹⁹ If you belonged to this world, this world's people would love you. They would love you because you would belong with them. But I chose you so that you would be separate from this world's people. You do not belong with them, so they hate you. ²⁰ Remember what I told you: “No servant is more important than his master is.” If they have caused trouble for me, they will also cause trouble for you. But if they have obeyed my message, they will also obey your message. ²¹ They will do all these things to you because you belong to me. They will do them because they do not know the one who sent me.

²² I have come and I have spoken my message to them. If I had not done that, they would not have been guilty of their sin. But now they cannot say, “We have not done anything wrong.” ²³ Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. ²⁴ When I was with them, I did many great things. Nobody else ever did things like that. If I had not done those great things among them, they would not have known what is wrong. But they have seen what I did. As a result, they have hated me, and they have hated my Father too. ²⁵ Their book of God's Law says, “They hated me without any good reason.” ^{[ d ]} What that book already said long ago had to happen.

²⁶ When I return to my Father, I will send the Helper to you. The Helper is God's Spirit who speaks only true things. He comes to you from the Father. I will send him to you and he will speak true things about me. ²⁷ You also must speak to people about me, because you have been with me from the beginning.’

Footnotes

15:1 A vine is a plant that has many small, sweet fruits called grapes. People make wine from grapes.
15:4 Jesus speaks about fruit as a picture of the good things that will happen if we keep near to him, like a branch that belongs to a vine.
15:16 Jesus says that his disciples should ask for things ‘in his name’. This means ‘because they belong to him’. So they will ask only for things that God is happy to give to them.
15:25 See Psalms 35:19 ; 69:4 .

Jesus Is Like a Vine

15 Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch ^{[ a ]} of mine that does not produce fruit. ^{[ b ]} He also trims every branch that produces fruit to prepare it to produce even more. ³ You have already been prepared to produce more fruit by the teaching I have given you. ⁴ Stay joined to me and I will stay joined to you. No branch can produce fruit alone. It must stay connected to the vine. It is the same with you. You cannot produce fruit alone. You must stay joined to me.

⁵ “I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. But separated from me you won’t be able to do anything. ⁶ If you don’t stay joined to me, you will be like a branch that has been thrown out and has dried up. All the dead branches like that are gathered up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ Stay joined together with me, and follow my teachings. If you do this, you can ask for anything you want, and it will be given to you. ⁸ Show that you are my followers by producing much fruit. This will bring honor ^{[ c ]} to my Father.

⁹ “I have loved you as the Father has loved me. Now continue in my love. ¹⁰ I have obeyed my Father’s commands, and he continues to love me. In the same way, if you obey my commands, I will continue to love you. ¹¹ I have told you these things so that you can have the true happiness that I have. I want you to be completely happy. ¹² This is what I command you: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³ The greatest love people can show is to die for their friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. But now I call you friends, because I have told you everything that my Father told me.

¹⁶ “You did not choose me. I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

Jesus Warns His Followers

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, remember that they hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as it loves its own people. But I have chosen you to be different from those in the world. So you don’t belong to the world, and that is why the world hates you.

²⁰ “Remember the lesson I told you: Servants are not greater than their master. If people treated me badly, they will treat you badly too. And if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too. ²¹ They will do to you whatever they did to me, because you belong to me. They don’t know the one who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to the people of the world, they would not be guilty of sin. But now I have spoken to them. So they have no excuse for their sin.

²³ “Whoever hates me also hates my Father. ²⁴ I did things among the people of the world that no one else has ever done. If I had not done those things, they would not be guilty of sin. But they have seen what I did, and still they hate me and my Father. ²⁵ But this happened to make clear the full meaning of what is written in their law: ‘They hated me for no reason.’ ^{[ d ]}

²⁶ “I will send you the Helper ^{[ e ]} from the Father. The Helper is the Spirit of truth ^{[ f ]} who comes from the Father. When he comes, he will tell about me. ²⁷ And you will tell people about me too, because you have been with me from the beginning.

Footnotes

John 15:2 branch The “branches” are Jesus’ followers. See verse 5.
John 15:2 produce fruit Meaning the way Jesus’ followers must live to show they belong to him. See verses 7-10.
John 15:8 honor Or “glory.” See “ glory ” in the Word List.
John 15:25 ‘They hated me for no reason’ These words could be from Ps. 35:19 or Ps. 69:4.
John 15:26 Helper Or “Comforter.” Also in 16:7, 8.
John 15:26 Spirit of truth The Holy Spirit (see “ Holy Spirit ” in the Word List). It was his work to help Jesus’ followers understand God’s truth. See Jn. 16:13.

15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

² Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

³ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

¹⁶ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another.

¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

²⁰ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

²¹ But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

²² If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

²³ He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

²⁵ But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

²⁶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

²⁷ And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

15 “ ^{( A )} I am the true vine, and My Father is the ^{( B )} vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He ^{[ a ]} prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. ³ ^{( C )} You are already ^{[ b ]} clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ ^{( D )} Remain in Me, ^{[ c ]} and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit ^{[ d ]} of itself ^{[ e ]} but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him ^{[ f ]} ^{( E )} bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in Me, he is ^{( F )} thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ^{( G )} ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My ^{( H )} Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so ^{[ g ]} ^{( I )} prove to be My disciples. ⁹ Just as ^{( J )} the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love. ¹⁰ ^{( K )} If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as ^{( L )} I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. ¹¹ ^{( M )} These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your ^{( N )} joy may be made full.

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

¹² “This is ^{( O )} My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³ ^{( P )} Greater love has no one than this, that a person will ^{( Q )} lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are My ^{( R )} friends if ^{( S )} you do what I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because ^{( T )} all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ ^{( U )} You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and ^{( V )} bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that ^{( W )} whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. ¹⁷ This ^{( X )} I command you, that you love one another.

Disciples’ Relation to the World

¹⁸ “ ^{( Y )} If the world hates you, ^{[ h ]} you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but ^{( Z )} I chose you out of the world, ^{( AA )} because of this the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘ ^{( AB )} A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, ^{( AC )} they will persecute you as well; if they ^{( AD )} followed My word, they will follow yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you ^{( AE )} on account of My name, ^{( AF )} because they do not know the One who sent Me. ²² ^{( AG )} If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have ^{[ i ]} sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ The one who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ ^{( AH )} If I had not done among them ^{( AI )} the works which no one else did, they would not have ^{[ j ]} sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. ²⁵ But this has happened so that the word that is written in their ^{( AJ )} Law will be fulfilled: ‘ ^{( AK )} They hated Me for no reason .’

²⁶ “When the ^{[ k ]} ^{( AL )} Helper comes, ^{( AM )} whom I will send to you from the Father, namely , ^{( AN )} the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, ^{( AO )} He will testify about Me, ²⁷ and ^{[ l ]} ^{( AP )} you are testifying as well, because you have been with Me ^{( AQ )} from the beginning.

Footnotes

John 15:2 Lit cleans ; used to describe pruning
John 15:3 I.e., pruned like a branch
John 15:4 Or I also remain in you
John 15:4 Lit from
John 15:4 Lit if it does not remain
John 15:5 Lit this one bears
John 15:8 Or become My disciples
John 15:18 Or (command) know that
John 15:22 I.e., guilt
John 15:24 I.e., responsibility for their sin
John 15:26 Or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor
John 15:27 Or (command) testify, you as well

The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am ^{( A )} the true vine, ^{( B )} and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, ^{( C )} while every branch that does bear fruit ^{( D )} he prunes ^{[ a ]} so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ^{( E )} ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. ^{( F )} No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; ^{( G )} apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ^{( H )} ⁷ If you remain in me ^{( I )} and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ^{( J )} ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, ^{( K )} that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. ^{( L )}

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, ^{( M )} so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands, ^{( N )} you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ^{( O )} ¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ^{( P )} ¹³ Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ^{( Q )} ¹⁴ You are my friends ^{( R )} if you do what I command. ^{( S )} ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ^{( T )} ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you ^{( U )} so that you might go and bear fruit ^{( V )} —fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ^{( W )} ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other. ^{( X )}

The World Hates the Disciples

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, ^{( Y )} keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹ If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you ^{( Z )} out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ^{( AA )} ²⁰ Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ ^{[ b ]} ^{( AB )} If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. ^{( AC )} If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹ They will treat you this way because of my name, ^{( AD )} for they do not know the one who sent me. ^{( AE )} ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, ^{( AF )} they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. ^{( AG )} ²³ Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works no one else did, ^{( AH )} they would not be guilty of sin. ^{( AI )} As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ^{( AJ )} ‘They hated me without reason.’ ^{[ c ]} ^{( AK )}

The Work of the Holy Spirit

²⁶ “When the Advocate ^{( AL )} comes, whom I will send to you from the Father ^{( AM )} —the Spirit of truth ^{( AN )} who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. ^{( AO )} ²⁷ And you also must testify, ^{( AP )} for you have been with me from the beginning. ^{( AQ )}

Footnotes

John 15:2 The Greek for he prunes also means he cleans .
John 15:20 John 13:16
John 15:25 Psalms 35:19; 69:4

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BibleStudyIt John 15

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Table of Contents

The branches must stay in the vine

People will hate the disciples

Footnotes

Jesus Is Like a Vine

Jesus Warns His Followers

Footnotes

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

Disciples’ Relation to the World

Footnotes

Cross references

The Vine and the Branches

The World Hates the Disciples

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Footnotes

Cross references

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BibleStudyIt John 15

John 15's Chapter Tabs Scroll past these tabs to continue or click on one of them to navigate out of this webpage.

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Your Private Notes

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The branches must stay in the vine

People will hate the disciples

Footnotes

Jesus Is Like a Vine

Jesus Warns His Followers

Footnotes

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

Disciples’ Relation to the World

Footnotes

Cross references

The Vine and the Branches

The World Hates the Disciples

The Work of the Holy Spirit

Footnotes

Cross references

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John 15's Chapter Tabs
Scroll past these tabs to continue or click on one of them to navigate out of this webpage.