John 15
The True Vine
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 aEvery branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear bmore fruit. 3 aYou are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 aAbide 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 afruit; for without Me you can do bnothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, ahe 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 aabide in you, byou will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 aBy this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; bso you will be My disciples.
Love and Joy Perfected
9 “As the Father aloved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 aIf 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 athat your joy may be full. 12 aThis is My bcommandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 aGreater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 aYou 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, afor all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 aYou did not choose Me, but I chose you and bappointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father cin My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
The World’s Hatred
18 a“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 aIf you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet bbecause 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, a‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. bIf they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But aall these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 aIf I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, bbut now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 aHe who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them athe works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have bseen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, a‘They hated Me without a cause.’
The Coming Rejection
26 a“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, bHe will testify of Me. 27 And ayou also will bear witness, because byou have been with Me from the beginning.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
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