John 15:16

John 15:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Context of John 15:16

14You are my friends if you keep on doing what I command you. 15I do not call you servants any longer, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you [My] friends, because I have revealed to you everything that I have heard from My Father. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and I have appointed and placed and purposefully planted you, so that you would go and bear fruit and keep on bearing, and that your fruit will remain and be lasting, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name [as My representative] He may give to you. 17This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another. 18“If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

John 15:16 word by word

Οὐχ ὑμεῖς με ἐξελέξασθε, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ ἐξελεξάμην ὑμᾶς καὶ ἔθηκα ὑμᾶς ἵνα ὑμεῖς ὑπάγητε καὶ καρπὸν φέρητε, καὶ ὁ καρπὸς ὑμῶν μένῃ· ἵνα ὅ τι ἂν αἰτήσητε τὸν πατέρα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, δῷ ὑμῖν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ye haveσύsu · youG4771
• notοὐou · noG3756
• chosenἐκλέγωeklegomai · to selectG1586
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• ordainedτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• should goὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
• bring forthφέρωpherō̄ · to bear/leadG5342
• fruitκαρπόςkarpos · fruitG2590
• fruitὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• should remainμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• ·ὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• ·τιςtis · oneG5100
• whatsoeverἄνan · ifG302
• ye shall askαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
• of the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• nameὄνομαonoma · nameG3686
• he may give itδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325

Cross-references for John 15:16

• John 15:19If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own and would treat you with affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world. And because of this the world hates you.
• John 6:70Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve [disciples]? And yet one of you is a devil (ally of Satan).”
• John 13:18I am not speaking of all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but [this has happened] in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled: ‘He who eats My bread has raised up his heel against Me [as My enemy].’
• Luke 6:13When day came, He called His disciples and selected twelve of them, whom He also named apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives):
• Acts 1:24They prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know all hearts [their thoughts, motives, desires], show us which one of these two You have chosen
• Acts 9:15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
• Acts 10:41not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen and designated beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank together with Him after He rose from the dead.
• Acts 22:14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, [and to progressively understand His plan with clarity and power] and to see the Righteous One [Jesus Christ, the Messiah] and to hear a message from His [own] mouth.
• Romans 9:11and though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything either good or bad, so that God’s purpose [His choice, His election] would stand, not because of works [done by either child], but because of [the plan of] Him who calls them,
• 1 John 4:10In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying offering] for our sins [fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating His wrath].
• John 20:21Then Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you [as My representatives].”
• John 21:15So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these [others do—with total commitment and devotion]?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
• Isaiah 49:1Listen to Me, O islands and coastlands, And pay attention, you peoples from far away. The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the body of My mother He has named Me.
• Jeremiah 1:5“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument], And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own]; I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
• Matthew 28:18Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
• Mark 16:15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Commentaries on John 15:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Ye have not chosen me - Ye have not elected me as your Teacher: I have called you to be my disciples; witnesses and depositories of the truth. It was customary among the Jews for every person to choose his own teacher. And ordained you - Rather, I have appointed you: the word is , I have Put or placed you, i.e. in the vine. Theodorus Mopsuensis, as quoted by Wetstein, observes that is here used for ; (I have planted); "and, in saying this, our Lord still…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Ye have not chosen me - The word here translated “chosen” is that from which is derived the word “elect,” and means the same thing. It is frequently thus translated, Mark 13:20; Matthew 24:22, Matthew 24:24, Matthew 24:31; Colossians 3:12. It refers here, doubtless, to his choosing or electing them to be apostles. He says that it was not because they had chosen him to be their teacher and guide, but because he had designated them to be his apostles. See…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-16God considered Abraham and Moses to be his friends (Exodus 33:11; 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). This is the closest relationship possible between God and a person. Jesus chooses his friends (John 15:16). They demonstrate their friendship by obeying him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1612-16. That ye love one another, &c.--(See on Joh 13:34, 35).Read the comment

Topics related to John 15:16

• Agency
• Call
• Election
• God
• Obedience
• Prayer
• Predestination

In the dictionaries

• Cloke
• Election of Grace
• Herein
• Predestination
• Atonement
• Choose; Chosen
• Comforter
• Communion; (fellowship)
• Holy Spirit
• Jesus Christ

Commentaries on John 15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings