⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit;^(A) 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.^{(B) 7} If you remain in me^(C) and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.^{(D) 8} This is to my Father’s glory,^(E) that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.^(F)

⁹ “As the Father has loved me,^(G) so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands,^(H) you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^(A)

BOOK I

Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1

²² But the fruit^(A) of the Spirit is love,^(B) joy, peace,^(C) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.^(D) Against such things there is no law.^(E)

¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.^(A)

⁶ Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.^{(A) 7} So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down!^(B) Why should it use up the soil?’

⁸ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”