< John 15 >
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me not producing fruit, He takes it away: and every one producing fruit, He purifies it, that it may produce more fruit.
3 So ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch is not able to produce fruit of itself, unless it may abide in the vine; so you are not able, unless you may abide in me.
5 I am the vine, and ye are the branches. The one abiding in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit: because you are not able to do anything without me.
6 If any one may not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch, and withered; and they gather it, and cast it into the fire, and it is burnt.
7 If you may abide in me, and my words may abide in you, ask whatsoever you may wish, and it shall be done unto you.
8 In this my Father is glorified, that you may bear much fruit; and ye shall be my disciples.
9 As the Father loved me, I also loved you: abide in my love.
10 If you may keep my commandments, abide in my love; as I have kept the commandments of my Father, and I abide in His love.
11 I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 This is my commandment, that you may love one another, as I loved you.
13 No one has greater love than this, that he may lay down his soul for his friends.
14 You are my friends, if you may do those things which I command you.
15 No longer do I call you servants; because the servant knows not what his lord is doing: but I have called you friends; because all things which I heard with my Father, I made known unto you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you, and placed you in your position, that you may go forth and bear fruit, and your fruit may abide: in order that He may give you whatsoever you may ask in my name.
17 I command these things unto you, that you must love one another with divine love.
18 If the world hates you, know that it first hated me.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.
20 Remember the word which I spoke to you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
21 But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know Him that sent me.
22 If I did not come and speak to them, they had not sin: now they have no excuse for their sin.
23 The one hating me hates my Father also.
24 If I did not works among them which no other did: they had not sin: but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.
25 But in order that the word having been written in their law may be fulfilled, That they hated me gratuitously.
26 When the Comforter, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, may come, He will witness concerning me,
27 but you indeed are witnesses, because you are with me from the beginning.