John 15:5

I 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.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples in the Farewell Discourse, continuing the vine-and-branch image he opened in verse 1.

The words — κλῖμα (klīma) is a specific term for a living shoot still attached to the vine, not a detached cutting. The word itself carries the idea of dependence on the parent plant.

The thread — The "apart from Me you can do nothing" claim echoes Philippians 4:13, where all ability is sourced in Christ. The fruit-bearing motif connects to Colossians 1:10 and John 15:16, where the fruit is appointed to remain.

Why it lands — It removes the reader from the equation of self-sufficiency and places them in a position of total dependence on Christ for any productive life.

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

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.

Cross-references

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Colossians 1:10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
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.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
2 Corinthians 13:8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.
John 5:19 So Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, unless He sees the Father doing it. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
John 12:24 Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.