Paragraph 15:5–8
Jesus continued to illustrate the Christian life by using the extended metaphor of a vine. He compared the disciples to branches and warned his followers that without him they would be useless, like dead branches.
15:5a
I am the vine and you are the branches: This continues and extends the metaphor that began in 15:1. It nearly repeats 15:1, 4. In some languages it is natural to indicate that Jesus said this before. For example:
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Then he repeated to illustrate, “I am…” (Kankanaey Back Translation)
Jesus compared himself to the main stem of a vine and his followers to the branches of that vine. Here are some ways that they are alike:
(a) Jesus is the source of life and strength for his followers. And the stem of the plant is the source of life and strength for the branches.
(b) Jesus’ followers produce good from their lives. And branches produce good fruit.
If this figure of speech is not clear in your language, here are ways to make it clearer:
• Use a simile rather than a metaphor. For example:
I am like a vine and you are like the branches.
• Indicate something of the meaning. For example:
I am the vine, ⌊the source of life⌋ , while you are ⌊my⌋ branches
vine…branches: In this metaphor, Christ is the main stem, and his followers are the branches that grow out from that stem. Consider how to indicate this difference in your language. For example:
I am the vine itself, you are the branches (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
15:5b
The one who remains in Me: The phrase The one is indefinite here and means “anyone” or “people.” The words who remains in Me then limit the indefinite meaning by indicating a condition. It is not anyone, but only those who abide (remain) in Jesus. However, it can be anyone who abides in Jesus. There are no other conditions. Languages have many different ways of expressing this kind of idea. For example:
Anyone who dwells in me (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Those who abide in me (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
If you stay joined to me (Contemporary English Version)
remains in Me: This phrase means to continue living in fellowship with Jesus, trusting and depending on him. It is good to use a phrase that can refer to a branch as well as to a person. For example:
stay joined to me (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
live in me (God’s Word)
and I in him: This phrase is short for “and I abide in him.” It indicates that Christ dwells (lives) in those who believe in him. Refer to these people in a way that matches the way that you referred to them earlier in the sentence. For example:
as I dwell in him (Revised English Bible)
-or-
and I stay joined to you (Contemporary English Version)
will bear much fruit: This phrase continues the metaphor begun in 15:1. It indicates that these people will produce fruit (see Galatians 5:22–23) or do things that please God. See the note at 15:2a and translate this expression as you did the similar expression there. In some languages it may be more natural to use future tense here. For example:
then you will produce lots of fruit (Contemporary English Version)
15:5c
apart from Me you can do nothing: This is a negative way to say what 15:5b said. It indicates that people cannot do anything truly worthwhile, anything that pleases God, without Jesus. If they do not have his help and strength they cannot produce any good from their lives. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
But you cannot do anything without me. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
for you can do nothing without me (Good News Translation)
-or-
But you can’t produce anything without me. (God’s Word)
apart…nothing: In some languages this double negative is best translated as a positive. For example:
only by remaining in me can you do anything ⌊good/worthwhile⌋
General Comment on 15:5b–c
In 15:5b–c the subject pronoun changes from the third-person plural (“those,” “them”) to the second-person plural (“you”). In some languages it may be more natural to keep the pronouns the same. For example:
If any remain in me and I remain in them, they produce much fruit. But without me they can do nothing. (New Century Version)
-or-
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. (Contemporary English Version)
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