Veritable King James Version
1“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
6If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
7If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
8By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be My disciples.
9As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in My love.
10If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
14You are My friends if you do what I command you.
15No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
16You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you.
17These things I command you, so that you will love one another.”
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“I am the true vine” (egō eimi hē ampelos hē alēthinē) seventh “I am” statement, translated literally.
“Vinedresser” (geōrgos) gardener, translated as “vinedresser” for context.
“Branch...bear fruit...prunes” (klēma...karpov...kathairei) metaphor for discipleship, translated literally.
“Already you are clean” (ēdē hymeis katharoi este) wordplay on “prunes” (kathairei), translated as “already you are clean.”
“Abide in Me” (meinate en emoi) repeated imperative, translated as “abide in Me” for theme.
“Apart from Me you can do nothing” (chōris emou ou dynasthe poiein ouden) dependence, translated literally.
“Thrown away...wither...burned” (eblēthē exō...exēranthē...balletai eis to pyr kai kaietai) judgment, translated as “thrown away...wither...burned.”
“Ask whatever you wish” (ho ean thelēte aitesasthe) prayer promise, translated as “ask whatever you wish.”
“Bear much fruit...prove to be My disciples” (karpov polun ferēte...genēsthe emoi mathētai) evidence, translated as “bear much fruit...prove to be My disciples.”
“As the Father has loved Me” (kathōs ēgapēsen me ho patēr) model, translated literally.
“Greater love has no one” (meizona tautēs agapēn oudeis echei) supreme sacrifice, translated as “greater love has no one.”
“Lay down his life for his friends” (tēn psychēn autou hyper tōn philōn autou thē) voluntary death, translated literally.
“No longer do I call you servants...friends” (ouk eti legō hymas doulou...philous) elevation, translated as “no longer...servants...friends.”
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (ouch hymeis me exelexasthe all’ egō exelexamēn hymas) election, translated literally.
“Appointed you...bear fruit” (ethēka hymas...ferēte karpov) purpose, translated as “appointed you...bear fruit.”
“These things I command you” (tauta entellomai hymin) summary, translated as “these things I command you.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You,” “Father,” “God” capitalized per VKJV deity convention.
“He,” “him,” “his,” “someone,” “no one” (ho, auton, masculine) gender-neutral in translation for branches/believers/friends.
“They,” “them,” “you” (autoi, hymeis) gender-neutral for disciples.
18“If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
19If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.
21But all these things they will do to you on account of My name, because they do not know Him who sent Me.
22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23Whoever hates Me hates My Father also.
24If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father.
25But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated Me without a cause.’
26“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about Me.
27And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”
Translation notes
Greek Terms and Choices:
“If the world hates you” (ei ho kosmos hymas misei) conditional persecution, translated literally.
“Hated Me before” (pro hymōn memisēken me) priority, translated as “hated Me before.”
“I chose you out of the world” (egō exelexamēn hymas ek tou kosmou) election, translated literally.
“A servant is not greater than his master” repeats 13:16, translated consistently.
“On account of My name” (dia to onoma mou) for Christ's sake, translated as “on account of My name.”
“Guilty of sin” (hamartian ouk eichon) accountability, translated as “guilty of sin.”
“No excuse for their sin” (prophasis peri tēs hamartias autōn ouk echousin) no pretext, translated as “no excuse for their sin.”
“Hates Me hates My Father also” (ho emē misōn kai ton patera mou misei) unity, translated literally.
“Works that no one else did” (erga ha oudeis allos epoiēsen) unique miracles, translated as “works that no one else did.”
“The word that is written in their Law” quotes Psalm 35:19/69:4 (emisēsan me dōrean), translated as “word...written in their Law.”
“Hated Me without a cause” literal quote, translated as “hated Me without a cause.”
“Helper...Spirit of truth” (paraklētos...pneuma tēs alētheias) titles, capitalized as “Helper...Spirit of truth.”
“Proceeds from the Father” (ekporeuetai para tou patros) origin, translated as “proceeds from the Father.”
“Bear witness about Me” (martyrei peri emou) testimony, translated as “bear witness about Me.”
“From the beginning” (ap’ archēs) since ministry start, translated as “from the beginning.”
Pronouns:
“Jesus,” “He,” “Him,” “His,” “I,” “Me,” “My,” “You,” “Father,” “Helper,” “Spirit of truth” capitalized per VKJV deity convention.
“They,” “them,” “whoever” (*autoi*, *hos*) gender-neutral for world/hater/keepers.
“A servant” (doulos, masculine) gender-neutral in translation for disciples.
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