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John 15

World English Bible

WEB

1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. 2Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. 5I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6If a man doesn’t remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you. 8“In this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples. 9Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full. 12“This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. 15No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you. 16You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17“I command these things to you, that you may love one another. 18If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21But they will do all these things to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23He who hates me, hates my Father also. 24If I hadn’t done among them the works which no one else did, they wouldn’t have had sin. But now they have seen and also hated both me and my Father. 25But this happened so that the word may be fulfilled which was written in their law, ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 26“When the Counselor has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will testify about me. 27You will also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

John Chapter 15 presents a profound teaching from Jesus about the relationship between Himself, His followers, and the Father. Jesus begins with the metaphor of the vine and the branches, declaring, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener" (John15:1). This imagery emphasizes the necessity of remaining connected to Christ for spiritual vitality and fruitfulness. Just as branches cannot bear fruit unless they abide in the vine, believers are called to abide in Jesus to produce lasting fruit, which reflects their faith and obedience. The chapter highlights the importance of this connection, stating, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John15:5). This underscores the dependence of believers on Christ for their spiritual lives and effectiveness in ministry.

The chapter continues with Jesus commanding His followers to love one another as He has loved them, establishing love as the defining characteristic of His disciples. He states, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends" (John15:13), foreshadowing His own sacrificial death. Jesus also speaks of the joy that comes from obedience to His commands, promising that their joy may be complete. Furthermore, He warns them of the world's hatred, reminding them that they are chosen and set apart. This chapter encapsulates the essence of Christian discipleship, emphasizing love, obedience, and the vital connection to Christ as the source of life and strength.

Study

14 dimensions

Referenced by

  1. Genesis 44:18v13Judah's willingness to sacrifice himself for Benjamin in Genesis 44:18 foreshadows the ultimate act of love described in John 15:13, where Jesus speaks of laying down one's life for friends.
  2. Genesis 49:22v5Genesis 49:22 describes Joseph as a fruitful bough, which parallels Jesus' teaching in John 15:5 about being the vine and believers as branches, emphasizing fruitfulness through divine connection.
  3. 1 Samuel 18:1v131 Samuel 18:1 describes the deep friendship and love between Jonathan and David, which is a reflection of the selfless love Jesus speaks of in John 15:13, where He describes the greatest love as laying down one's life for friends.
  4. Psalms 1:3v5Psalm 1:3 compares the righteous to a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season, which echoes Jesus' teaching in John 15:5 about abiding in Him to bear much fruit.
  5. Psalms 4:7v11Psalm 4:7 speaks of joy in the heart given by God, similar to the joy Jesus promises to His followers in John 15:11, highlighting the fullness of joy found in a relationship with God.
  6. Psalms 35:19v25Psalm 35:19 speaks of enemies who hate without cause, a sentiment Jesus refers to in John 15:25 as being fulfilled in His own experience.
  7. Psalms 69:4v25Psalm 69:4 speaks of being hated without cause, which Jesus refers to in John 15:25 as a fulfillment of the Scriptures concerning Himself.
  8. Proverbs 17:17v13Proverbs 17:17 highlights the constancy of a friend and the love of a brother. John 15:13 speaks of the greatest love being shown by laying down one's life for friends, exemplifying ultimate friendship and love.
  9. Proverbs 18:24v13Proverbs 18:24 speaks of a friend who sticks closer than a brother, which is exemplified in John 15:13 where Jesus speaks of the greatest love being to lay down one's life for friends.
  10. Song of Solomon 2:16v5Song of Solomon 2:16 expresses mutual belonging, 'My beloved is mine, and I am his.' This is echoed in John 15:5, where Jesus speaks of abiding in Him, emphasizing unity and dependence.
  11. Song of Solomon 5:16v15Song of Solomon 5:16 refers to the beloved as 'altogether lovely' and 'friend,' which resonates with John 15:15 where Jesus calls His disciples friends, emphasizing the deep, personal relationship.
  12. Isaiah 27:2-3v1Isaiah 27:2-3 describes a fruitful vineyard that the Lord watches over and waters continually. This imagery is paralleled in John 15:1-5, where Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and His followers as branches, emphasizing the need for abiding in Him to bear fruit.
  13. Ezekiel 15:2-3v5Ezekiel 15:2-3 uses the metaphor of a vine that is useless if it does not bear fruit, similar to Jesus' teaching in John 15:5-6 where He describes Himself as the vine and His followers as branches that must bear fruit to remain in Him.
  14. Amos 3:7v15Amos 3:7 reveals that God does nothing without revealing His plan to His prophets, similar to John 15:15 where Jesus tells His disciples that He has made known to them everything He heard from the Father.
  15. Matthew 10:22v18Matthew 10:22 speaks of being hated for Jesus' name, which is echoed in John 15:18-19 where Jesus tells His disciples that the world will hate them because it hated Him first.
  16. 2 Timothy 3:12v202 Timothy 3:12 states that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution, which aligns with Jesus' words in John 15:20, where He reminds His disciples that if they persecuted Him, they will also persecute His followers.
  17. 1 John 3:16v131 John 3:16 defines love by Christ's sacrificial death, which is similarly expressed in John 15:13 where Jesus states that greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
  18. 1 John 4:19v161 John 4:19 states that we love because He first loved us, which is echoed in John 15:16 where Jesus says He chose us, emphasizing the initiative of God's love.
  19. 2 John 1:9v42 John 1:9 speaks about abiding in the doctrine of Christ, which is similar to Jesus' teaching in John 15:4-6 about abiding in Him to bear fruit, highlighting the importance of remaining in Christ's teachings.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

  • John 14HelperLove in ActionDivine Assistance
  • 1 John 2AbideLove and ObedienceAbiding
  • Isaiah 27Abiding in ChristAbiding in ChristVineyard
  • 1 John 3Abiding in ChristThe WorldLove One Another
  • Isaiah 5VineyardFruitfulness
  • 1 John 4AbidingThe WorldLove One Another
  • Ezekiel 15Fruit of the SpiritThe VineVineyard
  • Galatians 5Spiritual ConflictFruit of the SpiritChristian Music
  • Psalms 80The VineVineyardFruitfulness
  • John 16OvercomeDisciplesChristian Music
  • Philippians 4Joy in ChristStrength in ChristFruit of the Spirit
  • Matthew 10DisciplesPersecutionDiscipleship

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