Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

15 (A)I am the true vine, and My Father is the (B)vinedresser. 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. (C)You are already [b]clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. (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. 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. 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. If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, (G)ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My (H)Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so [g](I)prove to be My disciples.

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Footnotes

  1. John 15:2 Lit cleans; used to describe pruning
  2. John 15:3 I.e., pruned like a branch
  3. John 15:4 Or I also remain in you
  4. John 15:4 Lit from
  5. John 15:4 Lit if it does not remain
  6. John 15:5 Lit this one bears
  7. John 15:8 Or become My disciples

15 I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the farmer. Every branch in Me not bearing fruit— He takes it away[a]. And every branch bearing fruit— He cleans[b] it in order that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean, because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide[c] in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch is not able to bear fruit from itself unless it is abiding in the grapevine, so neither are you able unless you are abiding in Me. I am the grapevine, you are the branches. The one abiding[d] in Me and I in him— this one bears much fruit. Because apart from Me, you can do nothing. If anyone is not abiding in Me— he was thrown[e] outside like the branch, and was dried-up. And they gather them together, and throw them into the fire. And they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. By this My Father is glorified— that you be bearing much fruit, and be[f] disciples to Me.

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Footnotes

  1. John 15:2 That is, He cuts it off and it eventually burns it up, v 6. Or, He lifts it up. That is, He lifts it up to the trellis in the spring, training and tending it so that it bears fruit next season.
  2. John 15:2 cleans... clean. Or, prunes... pruned. The agricultural metaphor and the human application are intertwined here, using the same root word in a play on words. The branches are pruned (the suckers are pruned off to allow the branch to bear more fruit), the apostles are clean (morally and spiritually purified).
  3. John 15:4 Or, Remain, Continue, Stay.
  4. John 15:5 abiding in Me and I in him. That is, having a living reciprocal relationship with Jesus.
  5. John 15:6 Jesus sums up the final state of the branch. He is found to be thrown out and dried up, as always with such branches.
  6. John 15:8 Or, prove-to-be.