³¹ So when Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now is [the time for] the Son of Man [to be] glorified, and God is glorified in Him; ^32 [a][if God is glorified in Him,] God will also glorify Him (the Son) in Himself, and will glorify Him at once. ³³ Little children, I am with you [only] a little longer. You will look for Me and, as I told the Jews, so I tell you now, ‘Where I am going, you are not able to come.’^{(A) 34} I am giving you a new commandment, that you ^[b]love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”

³⁶ Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will be able to follow later.” ³⁷ Peter said to Him, “Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You!”^{(B) 38} Jesus answered, “Will you [really] lay down your life for Me? I assure you and most solemnly say to you, before a rooster crows you will deny and completely disown Me three times.

²⁷ Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away [and be ashamed and be afraid to be associated with Me as disciples], because it is written, ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’^{(A) 28} But after I have been raised [from the dead], I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” ²⁹ But Peter said to Him, “Even if they all fall away [and desert You, ashamed and afraid of being associated with You], yet I will not [do so]!” ³⁰ Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you will deny [that you even know] Me three times.”^{(B) 31} But Peter kept saying insistently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing as well.

³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of Me this night [disillusioned about Me, confused, and some even ashamed of Me], for it is written [in the Scriptures], ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’^{(A) 32} But after I am raised [to life], I will go ahead of you [leading the way] to Galilee.” ³³ Peter replied to Him, “Though they all fall away because of You [and doubt and disown You], I will never fall away!”^{(B) 34} Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, this night, before a rooster crows, you will [completely] deny Me three times.” ³⁵ Peter said to Jesus, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And all the disciples said the same thing.

³¹ “Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain;^{(A) 32} but I have prayed [especially] for you [Peter], that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith].” ³³ And Peter said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You both to prison and to death!”^{(B) 34} Jesus said, “I say to you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will [utterly] deny three times that you know Me.”

³⁵ And He said to them, “When I sent you out without a money belt and [provision] bag and [extra] sandals, did you lack anything?” They answered, “Nothing.” ³⁶ Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money belt is to take it along, and also his [provision] bag, and he who has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that this [Scripture] which is written must be completed and fulfilled in Me: ‘And He was counted with the criminals’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment [and is settled].”^{(C) 38} They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

14 “Do not let your heart be troubled (afraid, cowardly). Believe [confidently] in God and trust in Him, [have faith, hold on to it, rely on it, keep going and] believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And [to the place] where I am going, you know the way.” ⁵ Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; so how can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “^[a]I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Jesus’ Oneness with the Father

⁷ If you had [really] known Me, you would also have known My Father. From now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

⁸ Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied.” ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not say on My own initiative or authority, but the Father, abiding continually in Me, does His works [His attesting miracles and acts of power]. ¹¹ Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe [Me] because of the [very] works themselves [which you have witnessed]. ¹² I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. ¹³ And I will do whatever you ask in My name [^[b]as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son.^{(A) 14} If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.

¹⁵ “If you [really] love Me, you will keep and obey My commandments.

Role of the Spirit

¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another ^[c]Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive [and take to its heart] because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He (the Holy Spirit) remains with you continually and will be in you.

¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans [comfortless, bereaved, and helpless]; I will come [back] to you. ¹⁹ After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. ²⁰ On that day [when that time comes] you will know for yourselves that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. ²¹ The person who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him [I will make Myself real to him].” ²² Judas (not Iscariot) asked Him, “Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him. ²⁴ One who does not [really] love Me does not keep My words. And the word (teaching) which you hear is not Mine, but is the Father’s who sent Me.

²⁵ “I have told you these things while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the ^[d]Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.^{(B) 27} Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.] ²⁸ You heard Me tell you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’ If you [really] loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going [back] to the Father, for ^[e]the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does take place, you may believe and have faith [in Me]. ³⁰ I will not speak with you much longer, for the ruler of the world (Satan) is coming. And he has no claim on Me [no power over Me nor anything that he can use against Me]; ³¹ but so that the world may know [without any doubt] that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father has commanded Me [and act in full agreement with Him]. Get up, let us go from here.

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

15 “^[f]I am the true Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that continues to bear fruit, He [repeatedly] prunes, so that it will bear more fruit [even richer and finer fruit]. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you]. ⁴ Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me. ^5 [g]I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples. ⁹ I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you]. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. ¹¹ I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing.

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

¹² “This is My commandment, that you ^[h]love and unselfishly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. ¹⁶ You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. ¹⁷ This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.