LISTEN
New American Standard Bible:
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me.
New Living Translation:
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
New King James Version:
Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
New International Version:
Remain in me, as I also 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.
Amplified Bible:
Remain in me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in me.
Context:
In the opening verses of John chapter 15, Jesus is explaining to his disciples about his relationship with God the Father and how they can share in it.
Observations:
He states that he is abiding in them at that very time and exhorts them to abide in him in the same way.
He then uses an analogy from the plant world, illustrating that God the Father’s power is like that of a vine inside a branch. None of the branches could bear fruit without being with the vine, and we can’t bear spiritual fruit without remaining in the Father.
Application:
We are to abide in him, give up ourselves and allow him to become us. If we do remain in him, then we will be able to bear fruit as Christian, which are evidence of our faith in him.
