John 15

1 I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the farmer.

"I am the Vine--the True Vine, and my Father is the vine-dresser.

2 Every branch in me not bearing fruit, he removes it. And every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it, so that it may bear more fruit.

Every branch in me--if it bears no fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

3 Now ye are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.

Already you are cleansed--through the teaching which I have given you.

4 Dwell in me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it dwells in the grapevine, so neither ye, if ye do not dwell in me.

Continue in me, and let me continue in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself--that is, if it does not continue in the vine--so neither can you if you do not continue in me.

5 I am the grapevine, ye are the branches. He who dwells in me, and I in him, this man bears much fruit, because without me ye can do nothing.

I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who continues in me and in whom I continue bears abundant fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If any man does not dwell in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and are burned.

If any one does not continue in me, he is like the unfruitful branch which is at once thrown away and then withers up. Such branches they gather up and throw into the fire and they are burned.

7 If ye dwell in me, and my sayings dwell in you, ye will ask whatever ye may want, and it will be done to you.

"If you continue in me and my sayings continue in you, ask what you will and it shall be done for you.

8 By this my Father is glorified, that ye may bear much fruit, and ye will become my disciples.

By this is God glorified--by your bearing abundant fruit and thus being true disciples of mine.

9 As the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Dwell ye in my love.

As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you: continue in my love.

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye will dwell in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments, and dwell in his love.

If you obey my commands, you will continue in my love, as I have obeyed my Father's commands and continue in His love.

11 These things I have spoken to you that my joy may dwell in you, and your joy may be full.

"These things I have spoken to you in order that I may have joy in you, and that your joy may become perfect.

12 This is my commandment, that ye love each other, just as I have loved you.

This is my commandment to you, to love one another as I have loved you.

13 Greater love has no man than this, that some man lay down his life for his friends.

No one has greater love than this--a man laying down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do as many things as I command you.

You are my friends, if you do what I command you.

15 I no longer call you bondmen, because the bondman does not know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, because all things that I heard from my Father, I made known to you.

No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because all that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you.

16 Ye did not choose out me, but I chose out you, and appointed you, so that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit may remain, so that anything whatever ye may ask of the Father in my name, he may give you.

It is not you who chose me, but it is I who chose you and appointed you that you might go and be fruitful and that your fruit might remain; so that whatever petition you present to the Father in my name He may give you.

17 These things I command you, so that ye may love each other.

"Thus I command you to love one another.

18 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you.

If the world hates you, remember that it has first had me as the fixed object of its hatred.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love its own, but because ye are not of the world (instead I chose you out of the world), because of this the world hates you.

If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own property. But because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world--for that reason the world hates you.

20 Remember the word that I said to you, A bondman is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also.

Bear in mind what I said to you, 'A servant is not superior to his master.' If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

21 But all these things they will do to you because of my name, because they have not known him who sent me.

But they will inflict all this suffering upon you on account of your bearing my name--because they do not know Him who sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.

"If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have had no sin; but as the case stands they are without excuse for their sin.

23 He who hates me hates my Father also.

He who hates me hates my Father also.

24 If I had not done among them the works that no other man has done, they would not have had sin, but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.

If I had not done among them, as I have, such miracles as no one else ever did, they would have had no sin; but they have in fact seen and also hated both me and my Father.

25 But, that the word that is written in their law may be fulfilled, They hated me without cause.

But this has been so, in order that the saying may be fulfilled which stands written in their Law, 'They have hated me without any reason.'

26 But when the helper comes whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, that will testify about me.

"When the Advocate is come whom I will send to you from the Father's presence--the Spirit of Truth who comes forth from the Father's presence--He will be a witness concerning me.

27 And ye also testify, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

And you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the first.