BOOK 43 OF 66 · GOSPELS · KING JAMES BIBLE

John 15

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John 15 Overview

Jesus identifies Himself as the true vine and His Father as the husbandman. His disciples are branches called to abide in Him, bear fruit, keep His commandments, and love one another. He warns that the world will hate them because it hated Him first, and promises that the Comforter will testify of Him while the disciples also bear witness.

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15Chapter

27Verses

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Before you read John 15

Coming from

John 14 promised the Father’s house, Christ as the only way, the indwelling Comforter, and peace amid approaching trouble.

In this chapter

The farewell discourse now emphasizes fruitfulness, fellowship, obedience, love, and witness under hostility.

Leads into

John 16 continues with persecution warnings, explains the Spirit’s convicting and guiding ministry, and prepares the disciples for sorrow that will turn to joy after Jesus’ resurrection.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The vine-and-branches passage addresses Jesus’ disciples in a fruit-bearing context. John’s Gospel has already stated the condition of eternal life repeatedly as belief in Christ; abiding language should not be used to redefine eternal life as maintained by performance.

The burned branches are a serious warning about fruitlessness and uselessness. Interpretations differ on the exact judgment represented, so the overview should preserve the warning without casually overturning John’s explicit eternal-security promises in chapter 10.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Fruitfulness depends on abiding fellowship with Christ

Branches do not produce by independent effort.

Love and obedience belong at the heart of discipleship

Jesus’ command is that disciples love one another as He loved them.

Chosen disciples are sent to bear lasting fruit

Election here is connected directly to mission and fruitfulness.

The world’s hatred should not surprise Christ’s followers

Opposition follows the pattern already directed at their Master.

The Spirit and disciples testify together

Christian witness operates under the Spirit’s testimony concerning Christ.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Isaiah 5:1–7

Israel as God’s vineyard provides prophetic background, while Jesus now identifies Himself as the true vine.

Galatians 5:22–23

Paul later describes fruit produced by the Spirit in believers’ lives.

1 John 2:5–6

John’s letter also connects abiding with walking in a manner consistent with Christ.

2 Timothy 3:12

Paul likewise warns that godly life in Christ meets persecution.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not make fruit-bearing the price of eternal life

The discourse addresses discipleship, usefulness, fellowship, and mission among those already with Christ.

Do not equate every use of ‘abide’ with initial saving faith

John uses relational and discipleship language that must be read in context.

Do not assume hatred from the world means Christians should provoke hostility

The opposition described comes because disciples belong to Christ and bear truthful witness.

Do not isolate verse 16 from the apostolic setting

Jesus is speaking directly to the men He chose and appointed for mission.

Read John 15 watching for…

Every command and promise attached to abiding.

The Father’s work of purging fruitful branches.

The relationship between love, commandments, and joy.

The transition from friends to witnesses.

Why the world hates the disciples.

The joint testimony of the Spirit and the disciples.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-8Jesus is the true vine, and fruitful branches must abide in him 9-17Jesus commands the disciples to continue in his love and love one another 18-25Jesus warns that the world will hate them as it hated him 26-27The Comforter and the disciples will bear witness of Jesus

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

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.

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

Abide 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.

I 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.

If 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Henceforth 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.

Ye 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.

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

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

If 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.

Remember 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.

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

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

He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

If 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.

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

But 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:

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

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John 15:19

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