John 15:16

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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples, whom he explicitly calls friends, in the immediate context of the upper room discourse. He speaks this statement to distinguish their new relational standing from that of servants and to ground the subsequent command to love one another.

The words — ἐξελεξὁμην (exelexamēn) and ἐξελέξασθε (exelexasthe) both translate to "chose," creating a direct contrast with ὑμεῖς (humeis) = "you yourselves." The text states the disciples did not initiate the selection, but Jesus actively chose them and appointed them.

The thread — The theme of divine appointment runs through Jeremiah 1:5, where God sets apart and appoints a prophet before birth. It echoes in John 15:19, which contrasts worldly belonging with God's prior selection, and aligns with Ephesians 2:10, which states believers are created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

Why it lands — It asks the reader to recognize that spiritual calling originates entirely from divine initiative rather than human merit. It requires the reader to accept the mandate to produce lasting spiritual fruit and to rely on prayer through Jesus' name to the Father for provision.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
John 15:19 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.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
2 Timothy 3:15 From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 1:15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased
1 John 4:19 We love because He first loved us.
Luke 6:13 When daylight came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated as apostles:
Acts 22:14 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.
1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance.
2 Timothy 2:2 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.