John 15:16
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You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Ye have not chosen me, but I . . . you--a wholesale memento after the lofty things He had just said about their mutual indwelling, and the unreservedness of the friendship they had been admitted to. ordained--appointed. you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit--that is, give yourselves to it. and that your fruit should remain--showing itself to be an imperishable and ever growing principle. (Compare Pro 4:18; Jo2 1:8). that whatsoever ye shall ask, &c.--(See on Joh 15:7).
Open source ↗It is generally agreed that Christ's discourse in this and the next chapter was at the close of the last supper, the night in which he was betrayed, and it is a continued discourse, not interrupted as that in the foregoing chapter was; and what he chooses to discourse of is very pertinent to the present sad occasion of a farewell sermon. Now that he was about to leave them, I. They would be tempted to leave him, and return to Moses again; and therefore he tells them how necessary it was that they should by faith adhere to him and abide in him. II. They would be tempted to grow strange one to another; and therefore he presses it upon them to love one another, and to keep up that communion when he was gone which had hitherto been their comfort. III. They would be tempted to shrink from their apostleship when they met with hardships; and therefore he prepared them to bear the shock of the world's ill will. There are four words to which his discourse in this chapter may be reduced; 1. Fruit (Joh 15:1-8). 2. Love (Joh 15:9-17). 3. Hatred (Joh 15:18-25). The Comforter (Joh 15:26, Joh 15:27).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
We love because He first loved us.
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:
Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.
I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.
But in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you. But respond with gentleness and respect,
Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”