I Am the True Vine

1 “I am the ^rtrue vine, and my Father is ^sthe vinedresser. 2 ^tEvery branch in me that does not bear fruit ^uhe takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, ^vthat it may bear more fruit. 3 Already ^wyou are clean ^xbecause of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 ^yAbide ^zin me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; ^ayou are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that ^bbears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me, ^che is thrown away like a branch and withers; ^dand the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If ^eyou abide in me, and my words abide in you, ^fask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 ^gBy this my Father is glorified, that you ^hbear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 ⁱAs the Father has loved me, ^jso have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 ^kIf you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as ^lI have kept ^mmy Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, ⁿthat my joy may be in you, and that ^oyour joy may be full.

12 ^p“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 ^qGreater love has no one than this, ^rthat someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are ^smy friends ^tif you do what I command you. 15 ^uNo longer do I call you servants,¹ for the servant ^wdoes not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for ^xall that I have heard from my Father ^yI have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but ^zI chose you and appointed you that you should go and ^abear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that ^bwhatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, ^cso that you will love one another.

The Hatred of the World

18 ^d“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 ^eIf you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because ^fyou are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ^g‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, ^hthey will also persecute you. ⁱIf they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But ^jall these things they will do to you ^kon account of my name, ^lbecause they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, ^mthey would not have been guilty of sin,² but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 ⁿWhoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 ^oIf I had not done among them the works that no one else did, ^mthey would not be guilty of sin, but now they have ^pseen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But ^qthe word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ^r‘They hated me without a cause.’

Warning Against Adultery