# John 15.12-13

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 10. <span class="rl-speech">If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.</span>
>
> **12. <span class="rl-speech">This is my commandment, that ye love one another, even as I have loved you.</span> 13. <span class="rl-speech">Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.</span>**
>
> 14. <span class="rl-speech">Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">No longer do I call you servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I heard from my Father, I have made known unto you.</span> (John 15:10-15, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 10. <span class="rl-speech">If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.</span>
>
> **12. <span class="rl-speech">“This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.</span> 13. <span class="rl-speech">Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.</span>**
>
> 14. <span class="rl-speech">You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">No longer do I call you servants, for the servant doesn’t know what his lord does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I heard from my Father, I have made known to you.</span> (John 15:10-15, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 10. <span class="rl-speech">If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.</span>
>
> **12. <span class="rl-speech">This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.</span> 13. <span class="rl-speech">Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.</span>**
>
> 14. <span class="rl-speech">Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.</span> (John 15:10-15, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 10. <span class="rl-speech">if my commandments ye may keep, ye shall remain in my love, according as I the commands of my Father have kept, and do remain in His love;</span> 11. <span class="rl-speech">these things I have spoken to you, that my joy in you may remain, and your joy may be full.</span>
>
> **12. <span class="rl-speech">'This is my command, that ye love one another, according as I did love you;</span> 13. <span class="rl-speech">greater love than this hath no one, that any one his life may lay down for his friends;</span>**
>
> 14. <span class="rl-speech">ye are my friends, if ye may do whatever I command you;</span> 15. <span class="rl-speech">no more do I call you servants, because the servant hath not known what his lord doth, and you I have called friends, because all things that I heard from my Father, I did make known to you.</span> (John 15:10-15, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from Love](/codex/argument-from-love/), via [John 15.13](/codex/john-15-13/)
- [Argument from Sanctity](/codex/argument-from-sanctity/)
- [Argument from the Costly-Signal Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-costly-signal-convergence/), via [John 15.13](/codex/john-15-13/)
- [Argument from the Trans-Instinctual Agency Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-trans-instinctual-agency-convergence/), via [John 15.13](/codex/john-15-13/)
- [No One Can Die For Another Objection Defeater](/codex/no-one-can-die-for-another-objection-defeater/), via [John 15.13](/codex/john-15-13/)

**Concepts:**

- [Biblical Love](/codex/biblical-love/), via [John 15.13](/codex/john-15-13/)
- [Christian Muslim Defender](/codex/christian-muslim-defender/), via [John 15.13](/codex/john-15-13/)
- [David and Bathsheba](/codex/2-samuel-11/), via [John 15.13](/codex/john-15-13/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 15.1-27](/codex/john-15-1-27/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0025 - agapao](/codex/g0025-agapao/), via [John 15.13](/codex/john-15-13/)
- [G0026 - agape](/codex/g0026-agape/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.