Himself as the vine, i.e. the whole plant, including the branches, not just as the trunk to which the branches are attached. The branches are actually part of the vine, i.e. Christians are actually a part of Christ. 2 Every 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. Continuing His allegory of the vine, Jesus refers to two separate actions that may be taken in reference to the branches of a vine. In the
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