15 “I am the true vine and my father is the farmer. 2 He removes every one of my branches that doesn’t bear fruit, but those that do bear fruit, he prunes them so they’ll produce even more. 3 You are all clean already because of the teaching that I’ve given you. 4 Stay in me, and I will stay in you all, because just as a branch can’t bear fruit in isolation when it’s not connected to the vine, neither can you if you don’t stay in me.

5 “I am the vine and you all are the branches. Anyone who stays in me will produce a lot of fruit—apart from me you can’t do anything. 6 Anyone who doesn’t stay in me will be thrown away like a branch, and will wither and be gathered together with others, and thrown into the fire to be burnt. 7 If you stay in me and my teaching stays in you, then you can request whatever you all want and it will be done for you. 8 My father will be honoured and praised when you produce a lot of fruit, and you all become my followers. 9 I loved you all just as the father loved me, so stay in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you all will be staying in my love, just like I’ve obeyed my father’s commands and I am staying in his love.

11 “I’ve told you these things so that I’ll be happy with you all, and so that your happiness will be genuine and long-lasting. 12 [ref]So here’s my request: keep loving each other just like I loved you all. 13 No one has greater love than the one who gives up their own life for their friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I am telling you. 15 I’m not calling you slaves, because a slave doesn’t know his master’s plans, but I’m calling you friends because I’ve told you everything that I heard from my father. 16 You didn’t choose me, but I chose you all, and I assigned you to go and produce fruit and for your fruit to be permanent so that whatever you request from the father in my name and authority, he will give it to you. 17 I am telling you all this so that you can all love each other.