John 15

1 “I am [the genuine, authentic] the true [real, genuine] vine, and My Father [the heavenly Parent, divine Caregiver] is the keeper [gardener, farmer, husbandman] of the vineyard. word study 2 He cuts off [takes away, removes] every branch [limb, shoot] in Me [in my presence, among my people] that bears [produces, yields] no fruit [spiritual results, righteous deeds], and every branch [twig, sprout] that does bear [produce, yield] fruit [spiritual results, righteous deeds], He prunes [cleanses, purges] to make it [cause it, enable it] even more [abundantly, plentifully] fruitful [productive, flourishing]. word study 3 You [as believers, disciples] are already [even now, at this moment] clean [purified, made holy] because of [through, by means of] the word [Logos, divine message] I have spoken [uttered, declared] to you [personally, directly]. word study 4 Remain [abide, stay connected] in Me [as the vine, the source of life], and I will remain [dwell, be present] in you. Just as no branch [limb, extension of the vine] can bear [produce, yield] fruit [the product of spiritual growth] by itself [alone, independently] unless it remains [stays, continues] in the vine [the source of nourishment], neither can you [as My followers, disciples] bear [produce, yield] fruit [the fruit of the Spirit] unless you remain [stay, abide] in Me [the true Vine, the source of spiritual life]. word study 5 I am the vine [the source of life and nourishment] and you are the branches [connected to and dependent on me]. The one who remains [abides, stays] in Me, and I in him, will bear [produce, yield] much fruit [the result of a thriving spiritual life]. For apart from [separate from, without] Me you can do [accomplish, achieve] nothing [no thing, not a single thing]. word study 6 If anyone [a person, someone] does not remain [stay, abide, dwell] in Me [in my presence, with me], he is like [similar to, comparable to] a branch [a limb, a shoot] that is thrown away [cast forth, discarded] and withers [dries up, becomes barren]. Such branches [these limbs, these shoots] are gathered up [collected, assembled], thrown into [cast into, tossed into] the fire [the flames, the blaze], and burned [consumed, destroyed]. word study 7 If [under the condition that, in the event that] you remain [stay, abide, dwell] in Me [in my presence, in union with me] and My words [declarations, teachings, commands] remain [stay, abide, dwell] in you [in your heart, in your mind], ask [request, petition, seek] whatever [anything, all things] you wish [desire, will, intend], and it will be done [accomplished, fulfilled, brought to pass] for you [on your behalf, in your favor]. word study 8 This is to My Father’s [heavenly, divine] glory, that you bear [produce, yield] much [abundant, plentiful] fruit, proving [demonstrating, showing] yourselves to be [becoming, being] My disciples [followers, learners]. word study 9 As [just as, in the same manner] the Father [the male parent, divine source] has loved [shown esteem and goodwill towards] Me, so [in the same way] have I [and I, the speaker] loved [shown love and affection] you. Remain [stay, abide, continue] in [within, surrounded by] My [belonging to Me] love [unconditional affection, divine care]. word study 10 If [under certain conditions, if it may be] you keep [obey, observe, watch over] My commandments [divine instructions, orders], you will remain [stay, abide, dwell] in My love [unconditional affection, agape], just as [in the same way, similarly] I have kept [observed, watched over] My Father’s [the heavenly Father’s] commandments [divine instructions] and remain [stay, abide] in His love [unconditional affection, agape]. word study 11 I have told [spoken, uttered] you these things [this specific message] so that My [belonging to Me] joy [deep and lasting happiness] may be [remain, stay] in you [within your hearts] and your [belonging to you] joy [complete happiness] may be [fulfilled, made complete] complete [full, satisfied]. word study 12 This [specific, particular] is My [belonging to Me] commandment [divine instruction], that you [as individuals] love [show esteem and goodwill] one another [mutually] as [in the same manner] I have loved [as I have demonstrated, just as I did] [shown love] you [with selfless devotion]. word study 13 Greater [unconditional, selfless] love has no one than this, that he lay down [sacrifice, give up] his life [soul, the breath of life] for his friends [those he cares about, his companions]. word study 14 You [as my direct addresses] are My [belonging to Me] friends [having a deep affection] if you [as those I instruct] do [obey and fulfill] what [just as I command] I [as your Lord] command [give orders to] you [as those under My authority]. word study 15 No longer [not anymore, henceforth] do I call you [as my] servants [slaves, bondservants], for a servant [slave, one subject to another] does not understand [know, perceive] what his master [lord, one in authority] is doing. But I have called you friends [those dearly loved, intimate companions], because everything [all things, the full extent] I have learned [heard, received] from My Father [the One who is my source and origin] I have made known [revealed, disclosed] to you. word study 16 You did not choose Me [select or elect], but I chose [elected, appointed] you. And I appointed [ordained, designated] you to go [depart, proceed] and bear fruit [produce lasting results, bring forth spiritual offspring]—fruit that will remain [endure, abide]—so that whatever you ask [request, petition] the Father [the supreme Parent, God] in My name [My authority, character], He will give [bestow, grant] you. word study 17 This [specific command, instruction] is My command [order, instruction] to you: Love [show esteem and goodwill towards] one another [mutually, towards each other, as brothers and sisters]. word study 18 If [in the event that, assuming] the world [the system of humanity opposed to God, earthly realm] hates [detests, loves less] you, understand [recognize, perceive] that it hated [had a strong dislike for, was hostile towards] Me [I, the Messiah] first [before you, prior to its hatred for you]. word study 19 If you were of the world [world system, earthly realm], it would love you as its [own, private, intimate] own. Instead, the world hates [detests, has hostility towards] you, because you are not of the [same nature, spirit] world, but I [have chosen, selected, picked out] have chosen you out of the world [earthly sphere]. word study 20 Remember [keep in mind, recall to your thoughts] the word [Logos, message] that I spoke [said, declared] to you: ‘No servant [slave, bondservant] is greater [more important, superior] than his master [lord, ruler].’ If they persecuted [pursued, harassed] Me, they will persecute [cruelly treat, oppress] you as well; if they kept [obeyed, observed] My word [teachings, commands], they will keep [obey, follow] yours as well. word study 21 But they will treat you like this [in this manner, with such hostility] because of My name [My character, authority, and reputation], since they do not know [are unaware of, have no spiritual perception of] the One [Him who is the sender] who sent Me [commissioned and dispatched Me]. word study 22 If I had not [come and spoken personally] come and spoken [uttered words, proclaimed God’s message] to them, they would not be guilty of [missing the mark, falling short] sin [a principle of rebellion]. Now [at this present time], however, they have no [absolutely none] excuse [pretext, cloke] for their [own personal] sin [rebellion against God]. word study 23 Whoever [he who, anyone who] hates [detests, loves less] Me [I, the Son of God] hates [also detests, has hatred for] My [belonging to Me] Father [the male parent, God] as [also, in like manner] well [too, in the same way]. word study 24 If I had not done [performed, accomplished] among them the works [miracles, signs] that no one else [none, nobody] did, they would not be guilty of sin [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards]; but now [at this present time] they have seen [perceived, experienced] and hated [detested, loved less] both Me [the Son of God] and My Father [the Creator, the Almighty]. word study 25 But this is to fulfill [in order to complete, to bring to pass] what is written [recorded, inscribed] in their Law [the Mosaic law, the Torah]: ‘They hated [detested, loved less] Me without [for no reason, freely] reason [cause, justification].’ word study 26 When the Advocate [Counselor, Comforter] comes, whom I will send to you from the Father [the supreme heavenly Father]—the Spirit [the divine breath] of truth [reality, authenticity] who proceeds [comes forth, originates] from the Father—He will testify [bear witness, give evidence] about Me [regarding my person, work, and teachings]. word study 27 And you [in addition] also must testify [bear witness, give evidence], because you have been with [accompanied, in the presence of] Me from the [very, absolute] beginning [origin, starting point]. word study