John 15 · Verse 9

John 15:9

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
John 15:9, King James Version

John 15:9 in other translations

BSBAs the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.
WEBEven as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love.
ASVEven as the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you: abide ye in my love.
YLTAccording as the Father did love me, I also loved you, remain in my love;
DARBYAs the Father has loved me, I also have loved you: abide in my love.
BBEEven as the Father has given me his love, so I have given my love to you: be ever in my love.
WebsterAs the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

What does John 15:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 15:9-11
9-11. continue ye in my love--not, "Continue to love Me," but, "Continue in the possession and enjoyment of My love to you"; as is evident from the next words.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 9. As the Father hath loved me. The love of the Father toward his only-begotten Son is the highest affection of which we can conceive. Comp. Mt 3:17, 17:5. It is the love of God toward his coequal Son, who is like him in all things, who always pleased him, and who was willing to endure the greatest sacrifices and toils to accomplish his purpose of mercy. Yet this love is adduced to illustrate the tender affection which the Lord Jesus has for all his friends.

So have I loved you. Not to the same degree, for this was impossible, but with the same kind of love--deep, tender, unchanging; love prompting to self-denials, toils, and sacrifices to secure their welfare.

Continue ye. The reason which he gives for their doing this is the strength of the love which he had shown for them. His love was so great for them that he was about to lay down his life. This constitutes a strong reason why we should continue in his love.

1st. Because the love which he shows for us is unchanging.

2nd. It is the love of our best friend--love whose strength was expressed by toils, and groans, and blood.

3rd. As he is unchanging in the character and strength of his affection, so should we be. Thus only can we properly express our gratitude; thus only show that we are his true friends.

4th. Our happiness here and for ever depends altogether on our continuing in the love of Christ. We have no source of permanent joy but in that love.

In my love. In love to me. Thus it is expressed in the Greek in the next verse. The connection also demands that we understand it of our love to him, and not of his love to us. The latter cannot be the subject of a command; the former may. See also Lk 11:42, 1Jn 2:5 Jude 1:21

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 15:9-17
Those whom God loves as a Father, may despise the hatred of all the world. As the Father loved Christ, who was most worthy, so he loved his disciples, who were unworthy. All that love the Saviour should continue in their love to him, and take all occasions to show it. The joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment, but the joy of those who abide in Christ's love is a continual feast. They are to show their love to him by keeping his commandments. If the same power that first shed abroad the love of Christ's in our hearts, did not keep us in that love, we should not long abide in it. Christ's love to us should direct us to love each other. He speaks as about to give many things in charge, yet names this only; it includes many duties.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 15:9 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.

καθὼςkathōseven asG2531
ἠγάπησένēgapēsenhas lovedG25
μεmeMeG3165
ὁhotheG3588
πατήρ,patērFather,G3962
κἀγὼkagōI myself alsoG1473
ὑμᾶςhumasyouG4771
ἠγάπησα·ēgapēsaloved;G25
μείνατεmeinatedo abideG3306
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
ἀγάπῃagapēloveG26
τῇtēa<the>G3588
ἐμῇ.emēaof Mine.G1473

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

Cross references for John 15:9

  • John 17:23-24

    I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

  • John 17:26

    And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

  • 1 John 2:28

    And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

  • Revelation 1:5

    And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

  • John 15:13

    Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

  • John 15:11

    These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

  • Ephesians 3:18

    May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

  • Jude 1:20

    But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the Father.
13; 17:23,26; Eph 3:18; Re 1:5
continue.
11; 1Jo 2:28; Jude 1:20

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

Context

  • John 15:8

    Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

  • John 15:9

    As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

  • John 15:10

    If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

Read all of John 15

John 15:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Como el Padre me amó, también yo os he amado: estad en mi amor.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Comme le Père m’a aimé, moi aussi je vous ai aimés; demeurez dans mon amour.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Gleichwie der Vater mich geliebt hat, habe auch ich euch geliebt; bleibet in meiner Liebe.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Sicut dilexit me Pater, et ego dilexi vos. Manete in dilectione mea.