1.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Verse 1
The conversation which follows is supposed to have taken place between Jesus and his disciples, on their walk, near midnight, from Jerusalem towards the Mount of Olives.--The husbandman; the cultivator who has planted the vine.
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.
Verse 2
Taketh away,--purgeth. These images are taken from the practice of the cultivator, who prunes away the barren branches, and endeavors to promote the health and thrift of those that are fruitful, by purging them of whatever is injurious, as moss, insects, and portions decayed.
3.
Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Verse 3
Now ye are clean; like the branch of the vine purified, as mentioned above.
4.
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.
Verse 4
Except it abide in the vine; remain connected with the vine, so as to draw from it nourishment and support.
5.
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.
6.
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.
7.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8.
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9.
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10.
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.
11.
These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Verse 11
In you; in regard to you; as if it were, "That my joy in you might remain," &c.
12.
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15.
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.
Verse 15
The servant knoweth not, &c. is not intrusted with a knowledge of his master's designs.
16.
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.
17.
These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19.
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.
20.
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.
21.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
Verse 22
They had not had sin; such aggravated sin.
23.
He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
24.
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.
25.
But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
Verse 25
In their law; in their Scriptures, often called the law. Expressions similar to the quotation here made, are found Psalms 35:19,Psalms 69:4, though the language is somewhat varied.
26.
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:
27.
And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.