John 15 - New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Chapter 15

The Vine and the Branches. 1 [a]“I am the true vine,[b] and my Father is the vine grower.(A) 2 He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and every one that does he prunes[c] so that it bears more fruit. 3 You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.(B) 4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. 6 [d](C)Anyone who does not remain in me will be thrown out like a branch and wither; people will gather them and throw them into a fire and they will be burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.(D) 8 By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.(E) 9 As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.(F) 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.(G)

11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.(H) 12 This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.(I) 13 [e]No one has greater love than this,(J) to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends,[f] because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.(K) 16 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.(L) 17 This I command you: love one another.(M)

The World’s Hatred.[g] 18 “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.(N) 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.(O) 20 Remember the word I spoke to you,[h] ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.(P) 21 And they will do all these things to you on account of my name,[i] because they do not know the one who sent me.(Q) 22 If I had not come and spoken[j] to them, they would have no sin; but as it is they have no excuse for their sin.(R) 23 Whoever hates me also hates my Father.(S) 24 If I had not done works among them that no one else ever did, they would not have sin; but as it is, they have seen and hated both me and my Father.(T) 25 But in order that the word written in their law[k] might be fulfilled, ‘They hated me without cause.’(U)

26 “When the Advocate comes whom I will send[l] you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.(V) 27 And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.(W)

Footnotes

  1. 15:1–16:4 Discourse on the union of Jesus with his disciples. His words become a monologue and go beyond the immediate crisis of the departure of Jesus.
  2. 15:1–17 Like Jn 10:1–5, this passage resembles a parable. Israel is spoken of as a vineyard at Is 5:1–7; Mt 21:33–46 and as a vine at Ps 80:9–17; Jer 2:21; Ez 15:2; 17:5–10; 19:10; Hos 10:1. The identification of the vine as the Son of Man in Ps 80:15 and Wisdom’s description of herself as a vine in Sir 24:17 are further background for portrayal of Jesus by this figure. There may be secondary eucharistic symbolism here; cf. Mk 14:25, “the fruit of the vine.”
  3. 15:2 Takes away…prunes: in Greek there is a play on two related verbs.
  4. 15:6 Branches were cut off and dried on the wall of the vineyard for later use as fuel.
  5. 15:13 For one’s friends: or: “those whom one loves.” In Jn 15:9–13a, the words for love are related to the Greek agapaō. In Jn 15:13b–15, the words for love are related to the Greek phileō. For John, the two roots seem synonymous and mean “to love”; cf. also Jn 21:15–17. The word philos is used here.
  6. 15:15 Slaves…friends: in the Old Testament, Moses (Dt 34:5), Joshua (Jos 24:29), and David (Ps 89:21) were called “servants” or “slaves of Yahweh”; only Abraham (Is 41:8; 2 Chr 20:7; cf. Jas 2:23) was called a “friend of God.”
  7. 15:18–16:4 The hostile reaction of the world. There are synoptic parallels, predicting persecution, especially at Mt 10:17–25; 24:9–10.
  8. 15:20 The word I spoke to you: a reference to Jn 13:16.
  9. 15:21 On account of my name: the idea of persecution for Jesus’ name is frequent in the New Testament (Mt 10:22; 24:9; Acts 9:14). For John, association with Jesus’ name implies union with Jesus.
  10. 15:22, 24 Jesus’ words (spoken) and deeds (works) are the great motives of credibility. They have seen and hated: probably means that they have seen his works and still have hated; but the Greek can be read: “have seen both me and my Father and still have hated both me and my Father.” Works…that no one else ever did: so Yahweh in Dt 4:32–33.
  11. 15:25 In their law: law is here used as a larger concept than the Pentateuch, for the reference is to Ps 35:19 or Ps 69:5. See notes on Jn 10:34; 12:34. Their law reflects the argument of the church with the synagogue.
  12. 15:26 Whom I will send: in Jn 14:16, 26, the Paraclete is to be sent by the Father, at the request of Jesus. Here the Spirit comes from both Jesus and the Father in mission; there is no reference here to the eternal procession of the Spirit.

Cross references

  1. 15:1 : Ps 80:9–17; Is 5:1–7; Jer 2:21; Ez 15:2; 17:5–10; 19:10.
  2. 15:3 : 13:10.
  3. 15:6 : Ez 15:6–7; 19:10–14.
  4. 15:7 : 14:13; Mt 7:7; Mk 11:24; 1 Jn 5:14.
  5. 15:8 : Mt 5:16.
  6. 15:9 : 17:23.
  7. 15:10 : 8:29; 14:15.
  8. 15:11 : 16:22; 17:13.
  9. 15:12 : 13:34.
  10. 15:13 : Rom 5:6–8; 1 Jn 3:16.
  11. 15:15 : Dt 34:5; Jos 24:29; 2 Chr 20:7; Ps 89:21; Is 41:8; Rom 8:15; Gal 4:7; Jas 2:23.
  12. 15:16 : 14:13; Dt 7:6.
  13. 15:17 : 13:34; 1 Jn 3:23; 4:21.
  14. 15:18 : 7:7; 14:17; Mt 10:22; 24:9; Mk 13:13; Lk 6:22; 1 Jn 3:13.
  15. 15:19 : 17:14–16; 1 Jn 4:5.
  16. 15:20 : 13:16; Mt 10:24.
  17. 15:21 : 8:19; 16:3.
  18. 15:22 : 8:21, 24; 9:41.
  19. 15:23 : 5:23; Lk 10:16; 1 Jn 2:23.
  20. 15:24 : 3:2; 9:32; Dt 4:32–33.
  21. 15:25 : Ps 35:19; 69:4.
  22. 15:26 : 14:16, 26; Mt 10:19–20.
  23. 15:27 : Lk 1:2; Acts 1:8.

You Might Also Like:

John 15 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

15 `I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman; 2 every branch in me not bearing fruit, He doth take it away, and every one bearing fruit, He doth cleanse by pruning it, that it may bear more fruit; 3 already ye are clean, because of the word that I have spoken to you; 4 remain in me, and I...
Read More

John 15 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

15 I am a very vine, and my Father is an earth-tiller. 2 Each branch in me that beareth not fruit, he shall take away it [he shall do it away]; and each that beareth fruit, he shall purge it, that it bear the more fruit [that it bear more fruit]. 3 Now ye be clean, for the word that I have spoken ...
Read More

John 15 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

15 I am the real fruit tree. My Father is the One who takes care of the tree. 2 He takes away from me every branch that does not bear fruit. And he cleans every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. 3 What I said to you has made you clean already. 4 But you must be in me and I wil...
Read More

John 15 - World English Bible (WEB)

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer. 2 Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I in you. As ...
Read More

John 15 - The Voice (VOICE)

15 Jesus: I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. 2 My Father examines every branch in Me and cuts away those who do not bear fruit. He leaves those bearing fruit and carefully prunes them so that they will bear more fruit; 3 already you are clean because you have heard My...
Read More

John 15 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Abiding in the Vine15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He trims so that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and ...
Read More

John 15 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Jesus the True Vine15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me,...
Read More

John 15 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Jesus the True Vine15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me,...
Read More

John 15 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

15 “I am the true Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. 2 “Every branch that does not bear fruit in Me, He takes away. And every one that bears fruit, He prunes it, so that it may bring forth more fruit. 3 “Now, you are clean, through the word which I have spoken to you. 4 “Abide in Me, and I in y...
Read More

John 15 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

The True Vine15 ‘I am the true vine’, said Jesus, ‘and my father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t bear fruit; and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it can bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean. That’s because of the word that I’ve spoken to you...
Read More

John 15 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Jesus the True Vine15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes[a] to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed[b] by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I abi...
Read More

John 15 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Jesus the True Vine15 ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes[a] to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed[b] by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me as I ab...
Read More

John 15 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jesus the True Vine15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2 He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes[a] to make it bear more fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed[b] by the word that I have spoken to you.(A)4 Abide in me as I abid...
Read More

John 15 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

The true vine. The husbandman and the branches. A doctrine of love. A sweet comfort against persecutions. 15 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch that does not bear fruit in me, he will take away. And every branch that bears fruit he will prune, so that it may bring f...
Read More

John 15 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus, the True Vine15 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 ...
Read More

John 15 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Vine and the Branches15 “I am the true Vine. My Father is the One Who cares for the Vine. 2 He takes away any branch in Me that does not give fruit. Any branch that gives fruit, He cuts it back so it will give more fruit. 3 You are made clean by the words I have spoken to you. 4 Get your life...
Read More

John 15 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The True Vine15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 (A)Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He [a]takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear (B)more fruit. 3 (C)You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 (D)Ab...
Read More