Jesus the True Vine
(Isaiah 27:1–13)

1“I am the true vine, and My Father {Patēr} is the keeper of the vineyard. 2He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful. 3You⁺ are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you⁺. 4Remain in Me, and I will remain in you⁺. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you⁺ bear fruit unless you⁺ remain in Me.

5I am the vine and you⁺ are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you⁺ can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you⁺ remain in Me and My words {rhēmata} remain in you⁺, ask whatever you⁺ wish, and it will be done for you⁺. 8This is to My Father’s {Patēr} glory {edoxasthē}, that you⁺ bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples (pupils).

No Greater Love

9As the Father {Patēr} has loved {ēgapēsen} Me, so have I loved {ēgapēsa} you⁺. Remain in My love {agapē}. 10If you⁺ keep My commandments, you⁺ will remain in My love {agapē}, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11I have told you⁺ these things so that My joy may be in you⁺ and your⁺ joy may be complete.

12This is My commandment, that you⁺ love {agapate} one another as I have loved {ēgapēsa} you⁺. 13Greater love {agapēn} has no one than this, that he lay down his life {psychēn} for his friends.

14You⁺ are My friends if you⁺ do what I command you⁺. 15No longer do I call you⁺ servants {doulous}, for a servant {doulos} does not understand what his master {kyrios} is doing. But I have called you⁺ friends, because everything I have learned from My Father I have made known to you⁺. 16You⁺ did not choose Me, but I chose you⁺. And I appointed you⁺ to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you⁺ ask the Father {Patera} in My name, He will give you⁺. 17This is My command to you⁺: Love {agapate} one another.

The Hatred of the World

18If the world hates you⁺, understand that it hated Me first. 19If you⁺ were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you⁺, because you⁺ are not of the world, but I have chosen you⁺ out of the world.

20Remember the word that I spoke to you⁺: ‘No servant {doulos} is greater than his master <Jhn 13:16>.’a If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you⁺ as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours⁺ as well. 21But they will treat you⁺ like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.

23Whoever hates Me hates My Father {Patera} as well. 24If I had not done among them the works (acts) that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father {Patera}. 25But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason <Psa 35:19, Psa 38:19, Psa 69:4>.’b

26When the Advocate (Comforter)c comes, whom I will send to you⁺ from the Father—the Spirit {Pneuma} of truth who proceeds from the Father—He will testify about Me. 27And you⁺ also must testify, because you⁺ have been with Me from the beginning.