The Relationship of Believers to Christ

15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 aEvery branch in Me that does not bear fruit He 1takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear bmore fruit. 3 cYou are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 dAbide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, 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, bears much efruit; for without Me you can do fnothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, ghe is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words habide in you, iyou 2will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 jBy this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; kso you will be My disciples.

9 “As the Father lloved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 mIf you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and nthat your joy may be full.

The Relationship of Believers to Each Other

12 oThis is My pcommandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 qGreater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 rYou are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, sfor all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 tYou did not choose Me, but I chose you and uappointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father vin My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

The Relationship of Believers to the World

18 w“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 xIf you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet ybecause you 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, z‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. aIf they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But ball these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22 cIf I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, dbut now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 eHe who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 If I had not done among them fthe works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have gseen and also hated both Me and My Father. 25 But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, h‘They hated Me without a cause.’

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

26 i“But when the 3Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, jHe will testify of Me. 27 And kyou also will bear witness, because lyou have been with Me from the beginning.

16 “These things I have spoken to you, that you ashould not be made to stumble. 2 bThey will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming cthat whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And dthese things they will do 1to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have told you, that when 2the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.

“And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

5 “But now I ego away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, fsorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but gif I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has hcome, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 iof sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 jof righteousness, kbecause I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 lof judgment, because mthe ruler of this world is judged.

12 “I still have many things to say to you, nbut you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, othe Spirit of truth, has come, pHe will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 qHe will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 rAll things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He 3will take of Mine and declare it to you.