John 15

The Vine and the Branches

1 "I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer.2 He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more.3 You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.

4 "Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

5 "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing.6 Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire.7 But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.8 This is how my Father shows who he is-when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

9 "I've loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love.10 If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done-kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love.

11 "I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature.12 This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you.13 This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends.14 You are my friends when you do the things I command you.15 I'm no longer calling you servants because servants don't understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I've named you friends because I've let you in on everything I've heard from the Father.

16 "You didn't choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won't spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.

17 "But remember the root command: Love one another.

Hated by the World

18 "If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me.19 If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you.

20 "When that happens, remember this: Servants don't get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them.

21 "They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated me, because they don't know the One who sent me.22 If I hadn't come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn't be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse.23 Hate me, hate my Father-it's all the same.24 If I hadn't done what I have done among them, works no one has ever done, they wouldn't be to blame. But they saw the God-signs and hated anyway, both me and my Father.25 Interesting-they have verified the truth of their own Scriptures where it is written, 'They hated me for no good reason.'

26 "When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes-the Spirit of Truth issuing from the Father-he will confirm everything about me.27 You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence, since you are in this with me from the start.

John 16

1 "I've told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead.2 They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he's doing God a favor.3 They will do these things because they never really understood the Father.

The Friend Will Come

4 I've told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you'll be well-warned and ready for them.5 But now I am on my way to the One who sent me. Not one of you has asked, 'Where are you going?'6 Instead, the longer I've talked, the sadder you've become.7 So let me say it again, this truth: It's better for you that I leave. If I don't leave, the Friend won't come. But if I go, I'll send him to you.

8 "When he comes, he'll expose the error of the godless world's view of sin, righteousness, and judgment:9 He'll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin;10 that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control;11 that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted.

12 "I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now.13 But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said.14 He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you.15 Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I've said, 'He takes from me and delivers to you.'

16 "In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me."

Joy Like a River Overflowing

17 That stirred up a hornet's nest of questions among the disciples: "What's he talking about: 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'? And, 'Because I'm on my way to the Father'?18 What is this 'day or so'? We don't know what he's talking about."

19 Jesus knew they were dying to ask him what he meant, so he said, "Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, 'In a day or so you're not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me'?20 Then fix this firmly in your minds: You're going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You'll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness.

21 "When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there's no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain.22 The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you.

23 You'll no longer be so full of questions.24 Ask in my name, according to my will, and he'll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!

25 "I've used figures of speech in telling you these things. Soon I'll drop the figures and tell you about the Father in plain language.26 Then you can make your requests directly to him in relation to this life I've revealed to you. I won't continue making requests of the Father on your behalf.27 I won't need to. Because you've gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly.28 First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father."

29 His disciples said, "Finally! You're giving it to us straight, in plain talk-no more figures of speech.30 Now we know that you know everything-it all comes together in you. You won't have to put up with our questions anymore. We're convinced you came from God."

31 Jesus answered them, "Do you finally believe?32 In fact, you're about to make a run for it-saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I'm not abandoned. The Father is with me.33 I've told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I've conquered the world."

John 17

Jesus' Prayer for His Followers

1 Jesus said these things. Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said: Father, it's time. Display the bright splendor of your Son So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.2 You put him in charge of everything human So he might give real and eternal life to all in his charge.3 And this is the real and eternal life: That they know you, The one and only true God, And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.4 I glorified you on earth By completing down to the last detail What you assigned me to do.5 And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor, The very splendor I had in your presence Before there was a world.

6 I spelled out your character in detail To the men and women you gave me. They were yours in the first place; Then you gave them to me, And they have now done what you said.7 They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, That everything you gave me is firsthand from you,8 For the message you gave me, I gave them; And they took it, and were convinced That I came from you. They believed that you sent me.9 I pray for them. I'm not praying for the God-rejecting world But for those you gave me, For they are yours by right.10 Everything mine is yours, and yours mine, And my life is on display in them.11 For I'm no longer going to be visible in the world; They'll continue in the world While I return to you. Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life That you conferred as a gift through me, So they can be one heart and mind12 As we are one heart and mind. As long as I was with them, I guarded them In the pursuit of the life you gave through me; I even posted a night watch. And not one of them got away, Except for the rebel bent on destruction (the exception that proved the rule of Scripture).

13 Now I'm returning to you. I'm saying these things in the world's hearing So my people can experience My joy completed in them.14 I gave them your word; The godless world hated them because of it, Because they didn't join the world's ways,15 Just as I didn't join the world's ways. I'm not asking that you take them out of the world But that you guard them from the Evil One.16 They are no more defined by the world Than I am defined by the world.17 Make them holy-consecrated-with the truth; Your word is consecrating truth.18 In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.19 I'm consecrating myself for their sakes So they'll be truth-consecrated in their mission.

20 I'm praying not only for them But also for those who will believe in me Because of them and their witness about me.21 The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind-Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, So they might be one heart and mind with us. Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.22 The same glory you gave me, I gave them, So they'll be as unified and together as we are -23 I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, And give the godless world evidence That you've sent me and loved them In the same way you've loved me.

24 Father, I want those you gave me To be with me, right where I am, So they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, Having loved me Long before there ever was a world.25 Righteous Father, the world has never known you, But I have known you, and these disciples know That you sent me on this mission.26 I have made your very being known to them-Who you are and what you do-And continue to make it known, So that your love for me Might be in them Exactly as I am in them.