Read the Bible

I Am the True Vine

¹ "I am the ^(a)true vine, and my Father is ^(b)the vinedresser. ^2 (c)Every branch in me that does not bear fruit ^(d)he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, ^(e)that it may bear more fruit. ³ Already ^(f)you are clean ^(g)because of the word that I have spoken to you. ^4 (h)Abide ⁽ⁱ⁾in 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; ^(j)you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that ^(k)bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in me ^(l)he is thrown away like a branch and withers; ^(m)and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If ⁽ⁿ⁾you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ^(o)ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ^8 (p)By this my Father is glorified, that you ^(q)bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ^9 (r)As the Father has loved me, ^(s)so have I loved you. Abide in my love. ^10 (t)If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as ^(u)I have kept ^(v)my Father's commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ These things I have spoken to you, ^(w)that my joy may be in you, and that ^(x)your joy may be full.

^12 (y)"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ^13 (z)Greater love has no one than this, ^(aa)that someone lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are ^(ab)my friends ^(ac)if you do what I command you. ^15 (ad)No longer do I call you servants,^[a] for the servant ^(ae)does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for ^(af)all that I have heard from my Father ^(ag)I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but ^(ah)I chose you and appointed you that you should go and ^(ai)bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that ^(aj)whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, ^(ak)so that you will love one another.

The Hatred of the World

^18 (al)"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ^19 (am)If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because ^(an)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: ^(ao)‘A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, ^(ap)they will also persecute you. ^(aq)If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. ²¹ But ^(ar)all these things they will do to you ^(as)on account of my name, ^(at)because they do not know him who sent me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, ^(au)they would not have been guilty of sin,^[b] but now they have no excuse for their sin. ^23 (av)Whoever hates me hates my Father also. ^24 (aw)If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, ^(ax)they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have ^(ay)seen and hated both me and my Father. ²⁵ But ^(az)the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ^(ba)‘They hated me without a cause.'

²⁶ "But ^(bb)when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, ^(bc)he will bear witness about me. ²⁷ And ^(bd)you also will bear witness, ^(be)because you have been with me ^(bf)from the beginning.