Chapter XVII: Christ's Sermon After the Last Supper

1 [15:1]I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [15:2]Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit he trims, that it may bear more fruit. [15:3]You are now pure, by means of the word which I have spoken to you; [15:4]continue in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it continues in the vine, so you cannot, unless you continue in me. [15:5]I am the vine, you are the branches. He that continues in me and I in him, this man bears much fruit; for separated from me, you can do nothing. [15:6]If any one continues not in me he is cast without as a branch, and is withered; and they collect them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. [15:7]If you continue in me, and my words continue in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be [given] you. [15:8]By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and be my disciples. [15:9]As the Father has loved me, I also have loved you; continue in my love. [15:10]If you keep my commandments you shall continue in my love, as I have kept my Father's commandments and continue in his love. [15:11]I have spoken these things to you that my joy may be in you, and your joy be completed. [15:12]This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. [15:13]No man has greater love than this, that one should give his life for his friends. [15:14]You are my friends if you do what I command you; [15:15]I no longer call you servants, for the servant knows not what his Lord does; but I have called you friends: for all things which I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. [15:16]You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should continue, that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. [15:17]These things I charge you, that you love one another.

2 [15:18]If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before you. [15:19] If you were of this world, the world would be a friend to its own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. [15:20]Remember the word which I said to you, a servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my word, they will also keep yours. [15:21]But all these things they will do to you, on my account, because they know not him that sent me. [15:22]If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin; but now they have no pretext for their sin. [15:23]He that hates me, hates my Father also. [15:24]If I had not done among them the works which no other one has done, they would not have had sin; but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father. [15:25]But [they do this] that the word written in their law may be fulfilled, They hated me without cause. [15:26]But when the Comforter has come, whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me; [15:27]and you shall also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

3 [16:1]These things I have said to you, that you may not be offended. [16:2] They shall put you out of the synagogues; but the hour is coming when every one that kills you will think he renders God a service. [16:3]And these things they will do, because they have not known the Father nor me. [16:4]But these things I have told you, that when the time comes you may remember that I told you of them. But I told you not these things at the beginning, because I was with you. [16:5]But now I go to him that sent me, and no one of you asks me, Where do you go? [16:6]But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. [16:7]But I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I should go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go I will send him to you. [16:8]And when he has come, he will convince the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: [16:9]of sin, because they believe not on me; [16:10]and of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you behold me no more; [16:11]and of judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

4 [16:12]I have many things yet to say to you, but you cannot bear them now; [16:13]but when he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will lead you in all the truth; for he will not speak of himself, but he will speak whatever he shall hear, and tell you things to come. [16:14]He shall glorify me, because he shall receive from me and tell you. [16:15]All things that the Father has, are mine; on this account I said, He shall receive of me and tell you.

5 [16:16]A little while and you shall not see me; and again a little while and you shall see me. [16:17]Then some of his disciples said one to another, What is this that he says to us, A little while and you shall not see me, and again a little while and you shall see me? and, Because I go to the Father? [16:18]They said therefore, What is this that he says, The little while? We do not know what he says.

6 [16:19]Jesus knew that they wished to ask him, and said to them, Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this that I said, A little while and you shall not see me, and again a little while and you shall see me? [16:20]I tell you most truly, that you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall become joy. [16:21]For when a woman is in labor she has pain, because her time has come; but when she has borne the child she no longer remembers the distress, because of joy that a man is born into the world. [16:22]And you therefore now indeed have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no one shall take from you. [16:23]And in that day you shall ask me nothing; I tell you most truly, whatever you shall ask the Father, he will give you in my name. [16:24] Till now you have asked nothing in my name; ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be complete.

7 [16:25]These things have I spoken to you in parables. The time is coming when I will no more speak to you in parables, but I will tell you plainly of the Father. [16:26]In that day you shall ask in my name, and I tell you not that I will ask the Father for you; [16:27]for the Father himself is a friend to you, because you have been friends to me, and believed that I came forth from God. [16:28]I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again I leave the world and go to the Father.

8 [16:29]Then his disciples said to him, Behold, now you speak plainly, and say no parable; [16:30]now we know that you know all things, and have no need that any one should ask you; on this account we believe that you have come forth from God. [16:31]Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? [16:32]Behold, the time is coming, and has come, that you shall be scattered every one to his own, and leave me alone; and I am not alone, for the Father is with me. [16:33]These things have I told you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have affliction; but be of good courage, I have overcome the world.