"If you stayed joined to
me, and I stay joined to you,
then you will produce lots of fruit."
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Jesus said to his
disciples: I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He
cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims
clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more
fruit. You are already clean because of what I have said to you. Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as
a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot
produce fruit unless you stay joined to me. I am the vine, and you are
the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you then
you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without
me. If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You
will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire. Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you.
Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be
answered. When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be
honored. I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So
remain faithful to my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me,
because I have obeyed him. I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I
am. Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. The
greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. And you are
my friends, if you obey me. Servants don't know what their master is
doing, and so I don't speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my
friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me. You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to
produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will
give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each
other. John 15:1-17 Contemporary English Version The Holy Bible (New York , NY: American Bible Society 1995) |