John — Chapter 15

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1“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard.

2He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.

3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

4Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.

5I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.

6If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.

7If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.

9As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.

10If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

11I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

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

14You are My friends if you do what I command you.

15No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you.

16You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

17This is My command to you: Love one another.

18If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first.

19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.

20Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well.

21But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me.

22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.

23Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.

24If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.

25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’

26When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me.

27And you also must testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

9As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

12This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

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

14Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17These things I command you, that ye love one another.

18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

23He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

24If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

2Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit.

3Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you.

4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither can ye, except ye abide in me.

5I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.

6If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; and [so] shall ye be my disciples.

9Even as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love.

10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father`s commandments, and abide in his love.

11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and [that] your joy may be made full.

12This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.

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

14Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you.

15No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known unto you.

16Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17These things I command you, that ye may love one another.

18If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before [it hated] you.

19If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20Remember the word that I said unto 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 keep yours also.

21But all these things will they do unto you for my name`s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

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

23He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

24If I had not done among them the works which none other did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25But [this cometh to pass], that the word may be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

26But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall bear witness of me:

27and ye also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

1“I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.

2He takes away every branch that does not bear fruit in me. He prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit.

3You are clean already because of the word that I have spoken to you.

4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

5“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me—and I in him—bears much fruit because apart from me you can accomplish nothing.

6If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown out like a branch and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire and are burned up.

7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.

8My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples.

9“Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love.

10If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

11I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete.

12My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you.

13No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends.

14You are my friends if you do what I command you.

15I no longer call you slaves because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father.

16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.

17This I command you—to love one another.

18“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first.

19If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.

20Remember what I told you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too.

21But they will do all these things to you on account of my name because they do not know the one who sent me.

22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. But they no longer have any excuse for their sin.

23The one who hates me hates my Father too.

24If I had not performed among them the miraculous deeds that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen the deeds and have hated both me and my Father.

25Now this happened to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without reason.’

26When the Advocate comes, whom I will send you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me,

27and you also will testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

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, the same 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 is my Father 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 all these things will they do 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 have they 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.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and His Father as the gardener, explaining that fruitless branches are removed while fruitful branches are pruned to bear more (vv. 1-2). He calls the disciples to remain in Him as He remains in them, since apart from Him they can do nothing, while a branch that fails to remain withers and is burned (vv. 4-6). Their fruitfulness glorifies the Father and confirms their discipleship (v. 8), and keeping His commandments keeps them in His love, just as He keeps the Father's commandments (vv. 9-10). Jesus renews His command to love one another, calling the disciples friends rather than servants because He has shared with them all He heard from the Father (vv. 12-15), and reminds them that He chose and appointed them for lasting fruit (v. 16). The chapter closes with a warning that the world will hate them as it hated Him, since they are no longer of the world, though the Spirit of truth will come from the Father to testify about Him, and the disciples will testify as well (vv. 18-27).

Authorship & Background

Author: The Apostle John (see Chapter 1 notes for full authorship details).
Historical Context: Chapter 15 continues the Upper Room Discourse. Jesus uses the image of the vine and branches — deeply familiar to His Jewish audience. Israel was frequently depicted as God's vine in the Old Testament (Psalm 80:8-16, Isaiah 5:1-7, Ezekiel 15, Hosea 10:1). Israel had failed as God's vine. Jesus declares Himself the "true vine" — the fulfillment of what Israel was meant to be.
The Vine and Branches: This is the seventh and final "I AM" statement in John's Gospel. The image is agricultural — a grapevine produces fruit only through branches that remain connected to the vine. Disconnected branches wither and are burned. The key word of the chapter is "abide" (Greek: meno) — used 11 times.
Classification: Gospel — Narrative and Discourse
Key Themes: A seventh and final I AM saying that places the hearers inside the image, abide repeated as the word that carries the whole passage, pruning done by the same hand whether or not a branch bears fruit, servants reclassified as friends because everything has been disclosed, and a world's hatred explained as hatred of Christ passed on to those who follow Him
I Am the True Vine (vv.1-8): The last of the I am sayings, and the only one that assigns the hearers a place inside the image: I am the vine, ye are the branches. Two kinds of pruning are described with the same hand doing both, every branch that beareth not fruit he taketh away, and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. The verb that carries the passage is abide, used eight times, and the argument is stated as a plain impossibility in both directions, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, and without me ye can do nothing.
Continue Ye in My Love (vv.9-11): The chain is set out in order, as the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you, continue ye in my love. Then the mechanism, if ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, with his own obedience offered as the pattern rather than as a contrast. And the stated purpose, which is easy to read past in a passage about pruning, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Ye Are My Friends (vv.12-17): Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Then the reclassification, henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth, but I have called you friends, and the reason given is disclosure, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. The initiative is put beyond doubt, ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and the section closes by repeating the one command the chapter has, that ye love one another.
World Hatred (vv.18-27): Jesus transitions from the intimacy of abiding to the reality of persecution. The world's hatred of believers is not incidental — it flows from the world's hatred of Christ. Disciples should expect opposition, not be surprised by it.

Map & Geography

  • The Upper Room / en route to Gethsemane: This teaching may have been given in the Upper Room or as they walked from the Upper Room toward the Mount of Olives (cf. 14:31, "Arise, let us go hence").
  • The vine imagery reflects the vineyards that covered the Judean hillsides — and possibly the golden vine that adorned the Temple entrance.

Places on this map

  • GethsemaneJerusalemAn olive grove at the foot of the Mount of Olives, just across the Kidron from the temple. The name means oil press. It was outside the walls but minutes from them, which is why an arrest there could be made quietly at night. Wikipedia
  • Mount of OlivesJerusalemA limestone ridge just east of Jerusalem, separated from the city by the Kidron Valley and about 250 feet higher, so it looks straight down into the temple courts. The road to Jericho and Bethany crosses it, which is why Jesus is so often on it. Wikipedia
  • Judeasouthern Israel and the West BankThe southern hill country around Jerusalem, high, stony and dry, with the wilderness on one side and the Philistine plain on the other. Poor farming and hard access are what let it stay independent longest. Wikipedia

Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik examines the meaning of "abide," the pruning process (v.2), the nature of fruitlessness and its consequences, and the transition from servants to friends (v.15).
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

John 14-16 | The Promise of the Spirit | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

David Guzik — Enduring Word Video Series (John)

YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_QIfO0mxbX4zgQH4vuK6q1q7gu8Ok6tz John 15:1-11 - Prepared to Abide: John 15:12-16:4 - Prepared for Persecution:

Prepared To Abide - John 15:1-11
David Guzik

Prepared for Persecution - John 15:12-16:4
David Guzik

Articles

  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of John -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • The Father's Pruning (v.2) — God prunes even fruitful branches to make them more fruitful. What in your life right now feels like loss but might actually be His pruning?
  • Abiding Is the Key to Fruit (vv.4-5) — Jesus says apart from Him, "you can do nothing." Where are you striving to produce good fruit — in marriage, parenting, work — in your own strength instead of abiding in Him?
  • Love Defined by Sacrifice (vv.12-13) — Jesus defines the greatest love as laying down one's life for another. In your closest relationships, what is love currently costing you?
  • Called Friends, Not Servants (v.15) — Jesus brings His disciples into His confidence rather than leaving them as servants following orders. How does being called a friend of Christ shape how you relate to Him in prayer?
  • Chosen Before You Chose Him (v.16) — Jesus reminds His disciples that He chose them, not the reverse. How does being chosen by God shape your sense of identity and security?
  • Expect the World's Hostility (vv.18-19) — Jesus warns that the world's hatred toward Him will extend to His followers. Is your life producing any friction with the world because of your faith, or has it become indistinguishable from it?