Zytaris
- Oct 8, 2023
- 5 min read

The Book of John - Chapter 15:1-17 - (ESV)

I Am the True Vine - {Interlinear <Greek>}

15:1 - “I {Ἐγώ<egō>} am {εἰμι<eimi>} the {ἡ<ho>} true {ἡ ἀληθινή,<ho alēthinos>} vine, {ἄμπελος<ampelos>} and {καὶ<kai>} my {μου<egō>} Father {ὁ πατήρ<ho patēr>} is {ἐστιν. <eimi>} the {ὁ <ho>} vinedresser. {γεωργός<geōrgos>}

15:2 - Every {πᾶν<pas>} branch {κλῆμα<klēma>} in {ἐν<en>} me {ἐμοὶ<egō>} that • does → not {μὴ<mē>} bear {φέρον<pherō>} fruit {καρπὸν<karpos>} he takes away, {αἴρει<airō>} • {αὐτό,<autos>} and {καὶ<kai>} every {πᾶν<pas>} branch ← that {τὸ<ho>} does → bear {φέρον<pherō>} fruit {καρπὸν<karpos>} he → prunes, {καθαίρει <kathairō>} • {αὐτὸ<autos>} that {ἵνα<hina>} it → may → bear {φέρῃ. <pherō>} more {πλείονα<pleiōn>} fruit. {καρπὸν<karpos>}

15:3 - Already {ἤδη<ēdē>} you {ὑμεῖς<sy>} are {ἐστε<eimi>} clean {καθαροί <katharos>} because of {διὰ<dia>} the {τὸν <ho>} word {λόγον<logos>} that {ὃν<hos>} I → have → spoken {λελάληκα <laleō>} to → you. {ὑμῖν.<sy>}

15:4 - Abide {Μείνατε<menō>} in {ἐν<en>} me, {ἐμοὶ<egō>} and I {κἀγὼ<kagō>} in {ἐν<en>} you. {ὑμῖν.<sy>} As {καθὼς<kathōs>} the {τὸ<ho>} branch {κλῆμα<klēma>} cannot {οὐ δύναται <ou dynamai>} bear {φέρειν<pherō>} fruit {καρπὸν<karpos>} by {ἀφ᾽<apo>} itself, {ἑαυτοῦ<heautou>} unless {ἐὰν μὴ <ean mē>} it → abides {μένῃ <menō>} in {ἐν<en>} the {τῇ<ho>} vine, {ἀμπέλῳ,<ampelos>} • {οὕτως<houtōs>} neither {οὐδὲ <oude>} can • you, {ὑμεῖς<sy>} unless {ἐὰν μὴ <ean mē>} you → abide {μένητε.<menō>} in {ἐν <en>} me. {ἐμοὶ<egō>}

15:5 - I {ἐγώ<egō>} am {εἰμι<eimi>} the {ἡ<ho>} vine; {ἄμπελος,<ampelos>} you {ὑμεῖς <sy>} are • the {τὰ<ho>} branches. {κλήματα.<klēma>} Whoever {ὁ<ho>} abides {μένων<menō>} in {ἐν<en>} me {ἐμοὶ<egō>} and I {κἀγὼ<kagō>} in {ἐν<en>} him, {αὐτῷ,<autos>} he {οὗτος<houtos>} it • is • that • bears {φέρει<pherō>} much {πολύν·<polys>} fruit, {καρπὸν<karpos>} for {ὅτι<hoti>} apart from {χωρὶς <chōris>} me {ἐμοῦ<egō>} you → can {δύνασθε<dynamai>} do {ποιεῖν<poieō>} nothing. {οὐ οὐδέν.<ou oudeis>}

15:6 - If {ἐὰν<ean>} anyone {τις<tis>} does → not {μή<mē>} abide {μένῃ<menō>} in {ἐν <en>} me {ἐμοί,<egō>} he → is → thrown {ἐβλήθη<ballō>} away {ἔξω<exō>} like {ὡς <hōs>} a → branch {τὸ κλῆμα<ho klēma>} and {καὶ<kai>} withers; {ἐξηράνθη, <xērainō>} and {καὶ<kai>} the • branches • are • gathered, {συνάγουσιν <synagō>} • {αὐτὰ<autos>} • {καὶ <kai>} thrown {βάλλουσιν,<ballō>} into {εἰς<eis>} the {τὸ<ho>} fire, {πῦρ<pyr>} and {καὶ<kai>} burned. {καίεται.<kaiō>}

15:7 - If {ἐὰν<ean>} you → abide {μείνητε<menō>} in {ἐν<en>} me, {ἐμοὶ<egō>} and {καὶ <kai>} my {μου<egō>} words {τὰ ῥήματά<ho rhēma>} abide {μείνῃ,<menō>} in {ἐν<en>} you, {ὑμῖν<sy>} ask {αἰτήσασθε,<aiteō>} whatever {ὃ ἐὰν<hos ean>} you → wish, {θέλητε<thelō>} and {καὶ <kai>} it → will → be → done {γενήσεται<ginomai>} for → you. {ὑμῖν.< sy>}

15:8 - By {ἐν<en>} this {τούτῳ<houtos>} my {μου,<egō>} Father {ὁ πατήρ<ho patēr>} is → glorified, {ἐδοξάσθη<doxazō>} that {ἵνα<hina>} you → bear {φέρητε<pherō>} much {πολὺν<polys>} fruit {καρπὸν<karpos>} and so {καὶ<kaiprove>} → to → be {γένησθε <ginomai>} my {ἐμοὶ<emos>} disciples. {μαθηταί.< mathētēs>}

15:9 - As {καθὼς<kathōs>} the {ὁ<ho>} Father {πατήρ,<patēr>} has → loved {ἠγάπησέν <agapaō>} me, {με<egō>} so → have → I {κἀγὼ<kagō>} loved {ἠγάπησα·<agapaō>} you. {ὑμᾶς<sy>} Abide {μείνατε<menō>} in {ἐν<en>} my {τῇ ἐμῇ.<ho emos>} love. {τῇ n ἀγάπῃ <ho agapē>}

15:10 - If {ἐὰν <ean>} you → keep {τηρήσητε, <tēreō>} my {μου <egō>} commandments, {τὰς ἐντολάς<ho entolē>} you → will → abide {μενεῖτε<menō>} in {ἐν<en>} my {μου·<egō>} love, {τῇ ἀγάπῃ <ho agapē>} just as {καθὼς<kathōs>} I {ἐγὼ<egō>} have → kept {τετήρηκα,<tēreō>} my {μου<egō>} Father’s {τοῦ πατρός <ho patēr>} commandments {τὰς ἐντολὰς<ho entolē>} and {καὶ<kai>} abide {μένω<menō>} in {ἐν<en>} his {αὐτοῦ <autos>} love. {τῇ ἀγάπῃ. <ho agapē>}

15:11 - These {Ταῦτα <houtos>} things ← I → have → spoken {λελάληκα<laleō>} to → you, {ὑμῖν<sy>} that {ἵνα<hina>} my {ἡ ἐμὴ<ho emos>} joy {ἡ χαρὰ <ho chara>} may → be {ᾖ<eimi>} in {ἐν<en>} you, {ὑμῖν<sy>} and {καὶ<kai>} that • your {ὑμῶν <sy>} joy {ἡ χαρὰ <ho chara>} may → be → full. {πληρωθῇ.<plēroō>}

15:12 - “This {αὕτη <houtos>} is {ἐστὶν <eimi>} my {ἡ ἐμὴ <ho emos>} commandment, {ἡ ἐντολὴ<ho entolē>} that {ἵνα<hina>} you → love {ἀγαπᾶτε <agapaō>} one another {ἀλλήλους<allēlōn>} as {καθὼς<kathōs>} I → have → loved {ἠγάπησα<agapaō>} you. {ὑμᾶς.<sy>}

15:13 - Greater {μείζονα<meizōn>} love {ἀγάπην<agapē>} has {ἔχει<echō>} no one {οὐδεὶς <oudeis>} than → this, {ταύτης<houtos>} that {ἵνα<hina>} someone {τις <tis>} lay {θῇ <tithēmi>} down ← his {αὐτοῦ<autos>} life {τὴν ψυχὴν< ho psychē>} for {ὑπὲρ<hyper>} his {αὐτοῦ.<autos>} friends. {τῶν φίλων<ho philos>}

15:14 - You {ὑμεῖς<sy>} are {ἐστὲ<eimi>} my {μου<egō>} friends {φίλοι<philos>} if {ἐὰν <ean>} you → do {ποιῆτε<poieō>} what {ἃ <hos>} I {ἐγὼ<egō>} command {ἐντέλλομαι {entellomai>} you. {ὑμῖν.<sy>}

15:15 - No longer {οὐκέτι<ouketi>} do → I → call {λέγω<legō>} you {ὑμᾶς<sy>} servants, {δούλους,<doulos>} for {ὅτι <hoti>} the {ὁ<ho>} servant {δοῦλος<doulos>} does → not {οὐκ<ou>} know {οἶδεν<oida>} what {τί<tis>} his {αὐτοῦ<autos>} master {ὁ κύριος·<ho kyrios>} is → doing; {ποιεῖ<poieō>} but {δὲ<de>} I → have → called {εἴρηκα<legō>} you {ὑμᾶς<sy>} friends, {φίλους,<philos>} for {ὅτι <hoti>} all {πάντα<pas>} that {ἃ <hos>} I → have → heard {ἤκουσα<akouō>} from {παρὰ <para>} my {μου<egō>} Father {τοῦ πατρός<ho patēr>} I → have → made → known {ἐγνώρισα<gnōrizō>} to → you. {ὑμῖν.<sy>}

15:16 - You {ὑμεῖς <sy>} did → not {Οὐχ <ou>} choose {ἐξελέξασθε, <eklegomai>} me, {με <egō>} but {ἀλλ᾽<alla>} I {ἐγὼ<egō>} chose {ἐξελεξάμην<eklegomai>} you {ὑμᾶς<sy>} and {καὶ<kai>} appointed {ἔθηκα<tithēmi>} you {ὑμᾶς<sy>} that {ἵνα <hina>} you {ὑμεῖς<sy>} should → go {ὑπάγητε<hypagō>} and {καὶ<kai>} bear {φέρητε,<pherō>} fruit {καρπὸν<karpos>} and {καὶ<kai>} that • your {ὑμῶν<sy>} fruit {ὁ καρπὸς<ho karpos>} should → abide, {μένῃ· <menō>} so that {ἵνα <hina>} whatever {ὅ τι ἂν<hos tis an>} you → ask {αἰτήσητε<aiteō>} the {τὸν<ho>} Father {πατέρα<patēr>} in {ἐν<en>} my {μου,<egō>} name, {τῷ ὀνόματί<ho onoma>} he → may → give {δῷ<didōmi>} it • to → you. {ὑμῖν.<sy>}

15:17 - These {Ταῦτα<houtos>} things ← I → command {ἐντέλλομαι<entellomai>} you, {ὑμῖν <sy>} so that {ἵνα <hina>} you → will → love {ἀγαπᾶτε <agapaō>} one another. {ἀλλήλους. <allēlōn>}

John 15:1–11

The metaphor of vine and branches underscores how our salvation, from beginning to end, is all of grace. Jesus is the faithful remnant of Israel—the true Vine and fruitful Vineyard (Ps. 80:8–16; Isa. 5:1–7; Ezek. 15:1–6). By the Spirit’s presence in our lives, we have entered into an organic union with him—a union of branches to Vine (Rom. 11:24). We are, as the New Testament puts it time and again, “in Christ” (Eph. 1:3–14). We are engrafted into the true Israel. Our lives are hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).

Here Jesus says that he chose his disciples to be his branches; they did not choose him (John 15:16). This reminds us that our calling, as Christ’s present disciples, is not to trumpet our wise decisions but simply to abide—to dwell, to marinate, to go “deeper still” into Jesus. For apart from Jesus, we can do nothing and will bear no fruit. Failing to abide in Jesus does not suggest the possibility of losing one’s salvation; rather it underscores that salvation can be found nowhere else. Continuance in Christ is a test of reality. The Bible teaches both the perseverance of the saints and that true saints will persevere. We strive ahead, yet even that striving is a gift of grace (1 Cor. 15:10; Phil. 2:12–13; Col. 1:29).

John 15:12–17

Jesus defines the life of abiding as a life of love. Just as the Father loves Jesus, so Jesus loves us. Jesus loves us just as much as the Father loves him. We cannot earn Jesus’ love. Our obedience to Jesus merits nothing, but it profits greatly. Jesus’ commands are not burdensome, for they are for our best, and he has fulfilled the demands and the judgment of God’s law that could condemn us (Rom. 10:4; 2 Cor. 5:21).

The radical grace of the gospel transforms servanthood into friendship. Only grace can free us to obey Jesus out of friendship and worship, and no longer out of fear or self-interest.

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All contents are reposted from ESV.org.

John 15:1–11

https://www.esv.org/John+15%3A1-11/

The Book of John - Chapter 15:1-17 - (ESV)

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