John 15 · Verse 5

John 15:5

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
John 15:5, King James Version

John 15:5 in other translations

BSBI am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
WEBI am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
ASVI am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for apart from me ye can do nothing.
YLT‘I am the vine, ye the branches; he who is remaining in me, and I in him, this one doth bear much fruit, because apart from me ye are not able to do anything;
DARBYI am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.
BBEI am the vine, you are the branches: he who is in me at all times as I am in him, gives much fruit, because without me you are able to do nothing.
WebsterI am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

What does John 15:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 15:1-8

Joh 15:1-27. Discourse at the Supper Table Continued. 1-8. The spiritual oneness of Christ and His people, and His relation to them as the Source of all their spiritual life and fruitfulness, are here beautifully set forth by a figure familiar to Jewish ears (Is 5:1, &c.). I am the true vine--of whom the vine of nature is but a shadow. my Father is the husbandman--the great Proprietor of the vineyard, the Lord of…

Read the full comment on John 15:1-8 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 5. I am the vine, Jn 15:1

Without me ye can do nothing. The expression "without me" denotes the same as separate from me. As the branches, if separated from the parent stock, could produce no fruit, but would immediately wither and die, so Christians, if separate from Christ, could do nothing. The expression is one, therefore, strongly implying dependence. The Son of God was the original source of life, Jn 1:4. He also, by his work as Mediator, gives life to the world (Jn 6:33), and it is by the same grace and agency that it is continued in the Christian. We see hence,

1st. That to him is due all the praise for all the good works the Christian performs.

2nd. That they will perform good works just in proportion as they feel their dependence on him and look to him. And

3rd. That the reason why others fail of being holy is because they are unwilling to look to him, and seek grace and strength from him who alone is able to give it.

(1) "without me", or "severed from me"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Without me ye can do nothing - Χωρις εμου ου δυνασθε ποιειν ουδεν - Separated from me, ye can do nothing at all. God can do without man, but man cannot do without God. Following the metaphor of our Lord, it would be just as possible to do any good without him, as for a branch to live, thrive, and bring forth fruit, while cut off from that tree from which it not only derives its juices, but its very existence also. Nearly similar to this saying of our Lord, is that of Creeshna (the incarnate God of the Hindoos) to his disciple Arjoon: "God is the gift of charity; God is the offering: God is the fire of the altar; by God the sacrifice is performed; and God is to be obtained by him who maketh God alone the object of his works." And again: "I am the sacrifice; I am the worship; I am the spices; I am the invocation; I am the fire; and I am the victim. I am the Father and Mother of this world, and the Preserver. I am the Holy One, worthy to be known; the mystic figure Om; (see on Joh 1:14 (note)) I am the journey of the good; the Comforter; the Creator; the Witness; the resting-place; the asylum, and the Friend. I am the place of all things; and the inexhaustible seed of nature; I am sunshine, and I am rain; I now draw in, and now let forth." See Bhagvat Geeta, pp. 54 and 80. Could such sentiments as these ever come from any other source than Divine revelation? There is a saying in Theophilus very similar to one of those above: Θεος ου χωρειται, αλλα αυτος εστι τοπος των ὁλων. - God is not comprehended, but he is the place of all things.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 15:1-8

foretold. (18-25) The Comforter promised. (26-27) Verses 1-8 Jesus Christ is the Vine, the true Vine. The union of the human and Divine natures, and the fulness of the Spirit that is in him, resemble the root of the vine made fruitful by the moisture from a rich soil. Believers are branches of this Vine. The root is unseen, and our life is hid with Christ; the root bears the tree, diffuses sap to it, and in Christ…

Read the full comment on John 15:1-8 →

John 15:5 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐγώegōI myselfG1473
εἰμιeimiamG1510
ἡhētheG3588
ἄμπελος,ampelosvine,G288
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou [are]G4771
τὰtatheG3588
κλήματα.klēmatabranches.G2814
ὁhoThe [one]G3588
μένωνmenōnabidingG3306
ἐνeninG1722
ἐμοὶemoiMe myselfG1473
κἀγὼkagōand I myselfG1473
ἐνeninG1722
αὐτῷ,autōhim,G846
οὗτοςhoutosheG3778
φέρειphereibearsG5342
καρπὸνkarponfruitG2590
πολύν·polunmuch;G4183
ὅτιhotiForG3754
χωρὶςchōrisapart fromG5565
ἐμοῦemouMeG1473
οὐounotG3756
δύνασθεdunastheyou are ableG1410
ποιεῖνpoieinto doG4160
οὐδέν.oudenno [thing].G3762

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 15:5

  • Philippians 4:13

    I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

  • Colossians 1:10

    That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

  • John 15:16

    Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

  • Galatians 5:22

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

  • Proverbs 11:30

    The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

  • 2 Corinthians 13:8

    For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

  • John 5:19

    Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • 2 Peter 3:18

    But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

  • John 12:24

    Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

  • Romans 7:4

    Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

  • Philippians 1:11

    Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
vine.
Ro 12:5; 1Co 10:16; 12:12,27; 1Pe 2:4
same.
12:24; Pr 11:30; Ho 4:8; Lu 13:6-9; Ro 6:22; 7:4; 2Co 9:10; Ga 5:22
Eph 5:9; Php 1:11; 4:13,17; Col 1:6,10; Jas 1:17; 2Pe 1:2-18; 3:18
without. or, severed from.
Ac 4:12
can.
5:19; 9:33; 2Co 13:8; Php 4:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 15:4

    Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

  • John 15:5

    I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

  • John 15:6

    If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

Read all of John 15

John 15:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Yo soy la vid, vosotros los pámpanos: el que está en mí, y yo en él, éste lleva mucho fruto; porque sin mí nada podéis hacer.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Moi, je suis le cep, vous, les sarments. Celui qui demeure en moi, et moi en lui, celui-là porte beaucoup de fruit; car, séparés de moi, vous ne pouvez rien faire.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich bin der Weinstock, ihr seid die Reben. Wer in mir bleibt und ich in ihm, dieser bringt viel Frucht, denn außer mir könnt ihr nichts tun.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ego sum vitis, vos palmites: qui manet in me, et ego in eo, hic fert fructum multum, quia sine me nihil potestis facere.