Bible Strands
John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses His disciples in the upper room during the Last Supper discourse, identifying Himself as the true vine and His Father as the vineyard keeper.
The words — αἴρει (airei) literally means "He takes away," a removal rather than the violent "cuts off" of the English rendering.
The thread — The axe at the root in Matthew 3:10 and the uprooting in Matthew 15:13 echo the removal; Hebrews 12:10 frames the pruning side as discipline for the believer's good.
Why it lands — The verse offers no third option: a branch in Christ either bears fruit or is taken away, and the Father's action is not negotiable.
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
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Cross-references
- Matthew 3:10 The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
- Hebrews 12:10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
- Matthew 15:13 But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.
- Revelation 3:19 Those I love I rebuke and discipline. Therefore be earnest and repent.
- John 15:8 This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, proving yourselves to be My disciples.
- Luke 13:7 So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
- Hebrews 6:7 For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.
- Matthew 13:12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
- Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your entire spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.