John 15
New King James Version
The True Vine
15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 (A)Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [a]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear (B)more fruit. 3 (C)You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 (D)Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much (E)fruit; for without Me you can do (F)nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, (G)he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words (H)abide in you, (I)you[b] will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 (J)By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; (K)so you will be My disciples.
Love and Joy Perfected
9 “As the Father (L)loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 (M)If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and (N)that your joy may be full. 12 (O)This is My (P)commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 (Q)Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 (R)You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, (S)for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 (T)You did not choose Me, but I chose you and (U)appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father (V)in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
The World’s Hatred
18 (W)“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 (X)If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet (Y)because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, (Z)‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. (AA)If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But (AB)all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 (AC)If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, (AD)but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 (AE)He who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them (AF)the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have (AG)seen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, (AH)‘They hated Me without a cause.’
The Coming Rejection
26 (AI)“But when the [c]Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, (AJ)He will testify of Me. 27 And (AK)you also will bear witness, because (AL)you have been with Me from the beginning.
Footnotes
- John 15:2 Or lifts up
- John 15:7 NU omits you will
- John 15:26 Comforter, Gr. Parakletos
John 15
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am(A) the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes,(B) and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean(C) because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.(D)
5 “I am the vine;(E) you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit,(F) because you can do nothing without Me. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside(G) like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire,(H) and they are burned.(I) 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you.(J) 8 My Father is glorified(K) by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be[a] My disciples.
Christlike Love
9 “As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love.(L) 10 If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.(M)
11 “I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.(N) 12 This is My command: Love one another as I have loved(O) you. 13 No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life(P) for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn’t know what his master[b](Q) is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you.(R) I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask(S) the Father in My name,(T) He will give you.(U) 17 This is what I command you: Love one another.
Persecutions Predicted
18 “If the world hates(V) you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen(W) you out of it, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’(X) If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word,(Y) they will also keep yours. 21 But they will do all these things to you on account of My name,(Z) because they don’t know(AA) the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin.[c](AB) Now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates Me also hates My Father.(AC) 24 If I had not done the works(AD) among them that no one else has done,(AE) they would not have sin.(AF) Now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened so that the statement written in their scripture might be fulfilled:(AG) They hated Me for no reason.(AH)[d]
Coming Testimony and Rejection
26 “When the Counselor(AI) comes, the One I will send to you from the Father(AJ)—the Spirit of truth(AK) who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me. 27 You also will testify,(AL) because you have been with Me from the beginning.
Footnotes
- John 15:8 Or and become
- John 15:15 Or lord
- John 15:22 To have sin is an idiom that refers to guilt caused by sin.
- John 15:25 Ps 69:4
John 15
English Standard Version
I Am the True Vine
15 “I am the (A)true vine, and my Father is (B)the vinedresser. 2 (C)Every branch in me that does not bear fruit (D)he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, (E)that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already (F)you are clean (G)because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 (H)Abide (I)in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; (J)you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that (K)bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me, (L)he is thrown away like a branch and withers; (M)and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If (N)you abide in me, and my words abide in you, (O)ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 (P)By this my Father is glorified, that you (Q)bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 (R)As the Father has loved me, (S)so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 (T)If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as (U)I have kept (V)my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, (W)that my joy may be in you, and that (X)your joy may be full.
12 (Y)“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 (Z)Greater love has no one than this, (AA)that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are (AB)my friends (AC)if you do what I command you. 15 (AD)No longer do I call you servants,[a] for the servant (AE)does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for (AF)all that I have heard from my Father (AG)I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but (AH)I chose you and appointed you that you should go and (AI)bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that (AJ)whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, (AK)so that you will love one another.
The Hatred of the World
18 (AL)“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 (AM)If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because (AN)you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: (AO)‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, (AP)they will also persecute you. (AQ)If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But (AR)all these things they will do to you (AS)on account of my name, (AT)because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, (AU)they would not have been guilty of sin,[b] but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 (AV)Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 (AW)If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, (AX)they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have (AY)seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But (AZ)the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: (BA)‘They hated me without a cause.’
26 “But (BB)when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, (BC)he will bear witness about me. 27 And (BD)you also will bear witness, (BE)because you have been with me (BF)from the beginning.
Footnotes
- John 15:15 Or bondservants, or slaves (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface); likewise for servant later in this verse and in verse 20
- John 15:22 Greek they would not have sin; also verse 24
John 15
King James Version
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.
John 15
Contemporary English Version
Jesus Is the True Vine
15 Jesus said to his disciples:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of what I have said to you.
4 Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me. 5 I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. 6 If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire.
7 Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered. 8 When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. 9 I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. 10 If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.
11 I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am. 12 (A) Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. 13 The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. 14 And you are my friends, if you obey me. 15 Servants don't know what their master is doing, and so I don't speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything my Father has told me.
16 You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name.[a] 17 So I command you to love each other.
The World's Hatred
18 If the people of this world[b] hate you, just remember that they hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, its people would love you. But you don't belong to the world. I have chosen you to leave the world behind, and this is why its people hate you. 20 (B) Remember how I told you that servants are not greater than their master. So if people mistreat me, they will mistreat you. If they do what I say, they will do what you say.
21 People will do to you exactly what they did to me. They will do it because you belong to me, and they don't know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 Everyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 I have done things no one else has ever done. If they had not seen me do these things, they would not be guilty. But they did see me do these things, and they still hate me and my Father too. 25 (C) This is why the Scriptures are true when they say, “People hated me for no reason.”
26 I will send you the Spirit who comes from the Father and shows what is true. The Spirit will help[c] you and will tell you about me. 27 Then you will also tell others about me, because you have been with me from the beginning.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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