JOHANNES 15
Die ware wingerdstok
1 “Ek is die ware wingerdstok en my Vader is die boer. 2 Elke loot aan My wat nie vrugte dra nie, sny Hy af; maar elkeen wat vrugte dra, snoei Hy reg, sodat dit nog meer vrugte kan dra. 3 Julle is alreeds reg gesnoei deur die woorde wat Ek vir julle gesê het. 4 Julle moet in My bly en Ek in julle. 'n Loot kan nie uit sy eie vrugte dra as hy nie aan die wingerdstok bly nie; en so julle ook nie as julle nie in My bly nie.
5 “Ek is die wingerdstok, julle die lote. Wie in My bly en Ek in hom, dra baie vrugte, want sonder My kan julle niks doen nie. 6 As iemand nie in My bly nie, word hy weggegooi soos 'n loot en hy verdroog. Die mense maak sulke lote bymekaar en gooi dit in die vuur, en dit verbrand. 7 As julle in My bly en my woorde in julle, vra dan net wat julle wil hê, en julle sal dit kry. 8 My Vader word juis daardeur verheerlik dat julle baie vrugte dra en my dissipels is.”
Julle moet mekaar liefhê
9 “Soos die Vader My liefhet, het Ek julle ook lief. Julle moet in my liefde bly. 10 As julle my opdragte uitvoer, sal julle in my liefde bly, net soos Ek die opdragte van my Vader uitvoer en in sy liefde bly.
11 “Dit sê Ek vir julle sodat my blydskap in julle kan wees en julle blydskap volkome kan wees. 12 Dit is my opdrag: Julle moet mekaar liefhê soos Ek julle liefhet. 13 Niemand het groter liefde as dit nie: dat hy sy lewe vir sy vriende aflê. 14 Julle is my vriende as julle doen wat Ek julle beveel. 15 Ek noem julle nie meer ondergeskiktes nie, want 'n ondergeskikte weet nie wat sy baas doen nie. Nee, Ek noem julle vriende, omdat Ek alles wat Ek van my Vader gehoor het, aan julle bekend gemaak het. 16 Julle het My nie uitgekies nie, maar Ek het julle uitgekies en julle aangestel om uit te gaan en vrugte te dra, vrugte wat sal hou. So sal die Vader aan julle gee wat julle ook al in my Naam vra. 17 Dit beveel Ek julle: Julle moet mekaar liefhê!”
Die wêreld sal julle haat
18 “As die wêreld julle haat, onthou: Hy het My voor julle gehaat. 19 As julle aan die wêreld behoort het, sou die wêreld julle as sy eiendom liefgehad het. Omdat julle egter nie aan die wêreld behoort nie, maar Ek julle uit die wêreld uitgekies het, daarom haat die wêreld julle. 20 Onthou wat Ek vir julle gesê het: 'n Slaaf is nie belangriker as sy eienaar nie. As hulle My vervolg het, sal hulle julle ook vervolg. As hulle my woorde ter harte geneem het, sal hulle julle s'n ook ter harte neem. 21 Maar hulle sal dit alles aan julle doen omdat julle my Naam bely en hulle Hom nie ken wat My gestuur het nie.
22 “As Ek nie gekom en met hulle gepraat het nie, sou hulle nie skuldig gewees het nie; maar nou het hulle geen verskoning vir hulle sonde nie. 23 Wie My haat, haat ook my Vader. 24 As Ek nie by hulle die werke gedoen het wat niemand anders gedoen het nie, sou hulle nie skuldig gewees het nie; maar nou sien hulle dit, en tog haat hulle My en my Vader. 25 Maar die woorde wat in die Skrif geskrywe staan, moet vervul word: ‘Hulle het My sonder rede gehaat.’t
26 “Wanneer die Voorspraak kom wat Ek vir julle van die Vader af sal stuur, die Gees van die waarheid, wat van die Vader uitgaan, sal Hy oor My getuig. 27 En julle moet getuig, want julle is van die begin af by My.”
John 15
1 I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser.2 Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.3 You are cleansed and pruned already, because of the word which I have given you [the teachings I have discussed with you].4 Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me.5 I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.6 If a person does not dwell in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken-off] branch, and withers; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, and they are burned.7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.8 When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine.9 I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me].10 If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love.11 I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.12 This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you.13 No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends.14 You are My friends if you keep on doing the things which I command you to do.15 I do not call you servants (slaves) any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing (working out). But I have called you My friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from My Father. [I have revealed to you everything that I have learned from Him.]16 You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed you [I have planted you], that you might go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit may be lasting [that it may remain, abide], so that whatever you ask the Father in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], He may give it to you.17 This is what I command you: that you love one another.18 If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you.19 If you belonged to the world, the world would treat you with affection and would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world [no longer one with it], but I have chosen (selected) you out of the world, the world hates (detests) you.20 Remember that I told you, A servant is not greater than his master [is not superior to him]. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word and obeyed My teachings, they will also keep and obey yours.21 But they will do all this to you [inflict all this suffering on you] because of [your bearing] My name and on My account, for they do not know or understand the One Who sent Me.22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin [would be blameless]; but now they have no excuse for their sin.23 Whoever hates Me also hates My Father.24 If I had not done (accomplished) among them the works which no one else ever did, they would not be guilty of sin. But [the fact is] now they have both seen [these works] and have hated both Me and My Father.25 But [this is so] that the word written in their Law might be fulfilled, They hated Me without a cause. 26 But when the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) comes, Whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth Who comes (proceeds) from the Father, He [Himself] will testify regarding Me.27 But you also will testify and be My witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.