"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."
— John 15:5 (NIV)
John 15:5 is Jesus's picture of how his followers live: branches that stay joined to the vine bear fruit, and branches cut off bear nothing. This page gives the verse, what the key Greek words mean, where it sits in John 15, and a plain reading. For more on the theme, see Bible verses about the vine and Bible verses about abiding in Christ.
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The verse
The King James reads: "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."
"Vine" is ampelos (G288) and "branches" is klēma (G2814), a shoot or twig of a vine. "Remain" or "abide" is menō (G3306), to stay put or keep living somewhere. "Fruit" is karpos (G2590). "Can do" is dynamai (G1410), to be able, and "nothing" is ouden (G3762).
Where it sits in John 15
Jesus says this to his disciples the night before the crucifixion. The chapter opens, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener" (John 15:1). Verse 4 sets up verse 5: "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine."
A few verses later the picture turns into love: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love" (John 15:9), and then the command, "Love each other as I have loved you" (John 15:12).
What the verse is saying
A branch does not try harder to make grapes. It stays attached, and the life of the vine does the rest. Jesus is saying the same about his followers: the fruit comes from staying joined to him, not from effort on its own.
"Apart from me you can do nothing" is not a put-down. It is the honest flip side of the promise. Joined to him, much fruit. Cut off, nothing that lasts. In John 15 that fruit includes love for one another, joy (John 15:11), and answered prayer (John 15:7).
Questions people ask
What does John 15:5 say?
In the NIV it says, "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." The KJV says, "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."
What does it mean to remain (abide) in Christ?
The Greek word menō means to stay or keep living somewhere. In John 15 it means staying joined to Jesus, keeping his words (John 15:7), and remaining in his love by keeping his commands (John 15:9-10).
What does "apart from me you can do nothing" mean?
That a branch cut off from the vine cannot bear fruit. Jesus is saying the fruit he wants from his followers grows only from staying joined to him.
What is the fruit in John 15:5?
John 15 names love for one another (verse 12), joy (verse 11), answered prayer (verse 7), and fruit that brings the Father glory (verse 8).
What verses go with John 15:5?
John 15:1 (I am the true vine), John 15:4 (remain in me), John 15:9 (remain in my love), and John 15:12 (love each other as I have loved you) are close companions.
