Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

1 “aI am the true vine, and My Father is the bvinedresser.

2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He 1prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

3 “aYou are already 1clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

4 “aAbide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit 1of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he abears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is athrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, aask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 “My aFather is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so 1bprove to be My disciples.

9 “Just as athe Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

10 “aIf you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as bI have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11 “aThese things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your bjoy may be made full.

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

12 “This is aMy commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

13 “aGreater love has no one than this, that one blay down his life for his friends.

14 “You are My afriends if byou do what I command you.

15 “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for aall things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

16 “aYou did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bbear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that cwhatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.