15:1 「我是真葡萄樹，我父是栽培的人。
15:2 凡屬我不結果子的枝子，他就剪去；凡結果子的，他就修理乾淨，使枝子結果子更多。
15:3 現在你們因我講給你們的道，已經乾淨了。
15:4 你們要常在我裡面，我也常在你們裡面。枝子若不常在葡萄樹上，自己就不能結果子；你們若不常在我裡面，也是這樣。
15:5 我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子。常在我裡面的，我也常在他裡面，這人就多結果子；因為離了我，你們就不能做甚麼。
15:6 人若不常在我裡面，就像枝子丟在外面枯乾，人拾起來，扔在火裡燒了。
15:7 你們若常在我裡面，我的話也常在你們裡面，凡你們所願意的，祈求，就給你們成就。
15:8 你們多結果子，我父就因此得榮耀，你們也就是我的門徒了。
15:9 我愛你們，正如父愛我一樣；你們要常在我的愛裡。
15:10 你們若遵守我的命令，就常在我的愛裡，正如我遵守了我父的命令，常在他的愛裡。
15:11 「這些事我已經對你們說了，是要叫我的喜樂存在你們心裡，並叫你們的喜樂可以滿足。
15:12 你們要彼此相愛，像我愛你們一樣；這就是我的命令。
15:13 人為朋友捨命，人的愛心沒有比這個大的。
15:14 你們若遵行我所吩咐的，就是我的朋友了。
15:15 以後我不再稱你們為僕人，因僕人不知道主人所做的事。我乃稱你們為朋友；因我從我父所聽見的，已經都告訴你們了。
15:16 不是你們揀選了我，是我揀選了你們，並且分派你們去結果子，叫你們的果子常存，使你們奉我的名，無論向父求甚麼，他就賜給你們。
15:17 我這樣吩咐你們，是要叫你們彼此相愛。」
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
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主耶穌是葡萄樹，我們是枝子。這樣的比喻和保羅的比喻很類似，保羅說教會是基督的身體，而我們每一位信主的人是互為肢體。這兩個比喻的重點都和「合一」與「連結」也關係，這也是基督信仰的中心，也向我們宣告：要在教會裡，我們才能成為基督徒。
而從這樣的理解，聖禮也是很重要。因為「洗禮」是讓我們加入基督的身體，或是連於葡萄樹，成為葡萄樹的枝子。「聖餐」是領受基督的身體和寶血，讓基督的身命充滿在我們裡面，好讓我們靠上帝的話，和其他弟兄姊彼此配搭成為基督的身體或是真葡萄樹。
也因為連於元首基督，我們才能做基督的工。因為基督的工不是靠自己的熱心，而是要有基督的生命在我們心中，我們才可以做基督的工，也才能完成基督的使命，正如這裡所說：「不是你們揀選了我，是我揀選了你們，並且分派你們去結果子，叫你們的果子常存，使你們奉我的名，無論向父求甚麼，他就賜給你們。」
也因為主耶穌有「揀選」，才會有「預定一群人得救」和「預定一群人滅亡」，這樣才是合理的事實！不是上帝殘忍要有些人滅亡，是人自己悖逆上帝在先！上帝在本應滅亡的全部人類中，揀選一些人賜給他們永生，這是上帝格外的恩典！
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