The big picture
John 15 opens in verse 1 with “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 14 with “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”, and closes in verse 27 with “And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” Repeated or prominent terms include Father, abide, fruit, love, world. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
John · King James Version · 27John 15:1-7
1–7: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
John 15:1–7 opens with “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” and reaches “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on John 15 develops its own movement around Father, abide, fruit, love, world, with particular weight carried by abide, fruit, branch.
Context that brings the passage to life
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.” Naming Father keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it…” Naming Every keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
John 15:1-7
King James Version1I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2Every 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.
3Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4Abide 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.
5I 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.
6If 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.
7If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
John 15:8-14
8–14: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be…
John 15:8–14 opens with “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” and reaches “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on John 15 develops its own movement around Father, abide, fruit, love, world, with particular weight carried by love, loved, abide.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
John 15:8-14
King James Version8Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
John 15:15-21
15–21: Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his…
John 15:15–21 opens with “Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have…” and reaches “But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on John 15 develops its own movement around Father, abide, fruit, love, world, with particular weight carried by world, chosen, Father.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends…” Naming Father and Henceforth keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
John 15:15-21
King James Version15Henceforth 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.
16Ye 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.
17These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19If 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.
20Remember 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.
21But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.
John 15:22-27
22–27: If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now…
John 15:22–27 opens with “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for…” and reaches “And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on John 15 develops its own movement around Father, abide, fruit, love, world, with particular weight carried by Father, both, hated.
Context that brings the passage to life
“If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.” The line’s distinctive content terms include cloke. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.
John 15:22-27
King James Version22If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.
23He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
24If 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.
25But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.
26But 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:
27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
John 15:1 begins with “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.”
Where the chapter turns
John 15:21 forms a natural hinge: “But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.”
The final note
John 15:27 leaves the reader with “And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words Father, abide, fruit, love, world, branch help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What is Abram invited to trust?
God's promise of an heir and innumerable descendants despite his present childlessness.
Why does the delay matter?
The covenant is larger than one lifetime and includes suffering before deliverance.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.