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1 "I am the true vine,
and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts
off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear
fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
3 You are already clean because of the word I
have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and
I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the
vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 "I am the vine; you are the
branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart
from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone
does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such
branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
7 If you remain in me and my words remain in
you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear
much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 "As the Father has loved me, so
have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10
If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed
my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy
may be complete. 12 My command is this:
Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this,
that he lay down his life for his friends. 14
You are my friends if you do what I command. 15
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his
master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I
learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and
bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask
in my name. 17 This is my command: Love
each other.
John 15:1-17 |
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