CHRIST, THE TRUE VINE

 

John Chapter 15, AMP

I am the True Vine

And My Father is the Vinedresser.

2 Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit--

That stops bearing--

He cuts away (trims off, takes away).

And He cleanses and repeatedly prunes

Every branch that continues to bear fruit,

To make it bear more and richer

And more excellent fruit.

3 You are cleansed and pruned already,

Because of the Word which I have given you--

The teachings I have discussed with you.

4 Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you.--

Live in Me and I will live in you.

Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself

Without abiding in (vitally united to ) the vine,

Neither can you bear fruit

Unless you abide in Me.

5 I am the Vine, you are the branches.

Whoever lives in Me and I in him

Bears much (abundant) fruit.

However, apart from Me--

Cut off from vital union from Me--

You can do nothing.

6 If a person does not dwell in Me,

He is thrown out as a [broken-off] branch

And withers.

Such branches are gathered up

And thrown into the fire

And they are burned.

7 If you live in Me--

Abide vitally united to Me--

And My words remain in you

And continue to live in your hearts,

Ask whatever you will

And it shall be done for you.

8 When you bear (produce) much fruit,

My Father is honored and glorified;

And you show and prove yourselves

To be true followers of Mine.

9 I have loved you [just] as the Father has loved Me;

Abide in My love--

Continue in His love with Me.

10 If you keep My commandments--

If you continue to obey My instructions--

You will abide in My love

And live on in it;

Just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments

And live on in His love.

11 I have told yo these things

That My joy and delight may be in you,

And that your joy and gladness

May be full measure and complete

And overflowing.

12 This is My commandment,

That you love one another

[Just] as I have loved you.

13 No one has greater love--

No one has shown stronger affection--

Than to lay down

(Give up) his own life for his friends.

14 You are My friends,

If you keep on doing the things

Which I command you to do.

15 I do not call you servants (slaves)

Any longer,

For the servant does not know

What his master is doing (working out).

But I have made know to you

Everything that I have heard from My Father--

I have revealed to you everything

That I have learned from Him.

16 You have not chose Me,

But I have chose you--

I have appointed you,

I have planted you--

That you might go and bear fruit

And keep on bearing;

That your fruit may be lasting

(That it may remain, abide);

So that whatever you ask the father in My name

[As presenting all that I AM]

He may give it to you.

17 This is what I command you,

That you love one another.

18 If the world hates you,

Know that it hated Me before it hated you.

19 If you belong to the world,

The world would treat you with affection

And would love you as its own.

But because you are not of the world--

Are no longer one with it--

But I have chose (selected) you out of the world,

The world hates (detests) you.

20 Remember that I told you,

A servant is not greater than his master--

Is not superior to him.

If they persecuted Me,

They will also persecute you;

If they kept My word and obeyed My teaching,

They will also keep and obey yours.

21 But they will do all this to you--

Because of [your bearing] My name,

And on My account,

For they do not know or understand

The One Who sent Me.

22 If I had not come and spoken to them,

They would not be guilty of sin;

But now they have no excuse for the sin.

23 Whoever hates Me also hates My Father.

24 If I had not done (accomplished) among them

The works which no one else ever did,

They would not be guilty of sin--

Would be blameless.

But [the fact is] now

They have both seen [these works]

And have hated both Me and My Father.

25 But [this is so]

That the word written in their Law might be fulfilled,

They hated Me without a cause [Ps.35:19; 69:4.]

26 But when the Comforter

(Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor,

Strengthener comes

Whom I will send to you from the father,

The Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds)

From the Father,

He [Himself] will testify regarding Me.

27 But you also will testify and be My witnesses,

Because you have been with Me from the beginning.