“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every
branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every
branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to
you. Abide 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. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in
me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me
you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown
away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered,
thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words
abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so
prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I
loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will
abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and
abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy
may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have
loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down
his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I
command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does
not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends,
for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you
should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that
whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

  “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it
hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as
its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out
of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that
I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they
persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word,
they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you
on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If
I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty
of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me
hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that
no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have
seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written
in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

  “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will
bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you
have been with me from the beginning.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001
by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.