ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

John 15.17-19

Book: John · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV (ASV)

"15. 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. 16. Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."

"17. These things I command you, that ye may love one another. 18. If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before it hated you. 19. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

"20. Remember the word that I said unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. 21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." (John 15:15-21, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"15. 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. 16. You didn’t 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 will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you."

"17. “I command these things to you, that you may love one another. 18. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."

"20. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his lord.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21. But all these things will they do to you for my name’s sake, because they don’t know him who sent me." (John 15:15-21, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"15. 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. 16. 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."

"17. These things I command you, that ye love one another. 18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

"20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." (John 15:15-21, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"15. 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. 16. 'Ye did not choose out me, but I chose out you, and did appoint you, that ye might go away, and might bear fruit, and your fruit might remain, that whatever ye may ask of the Father in my name, He may give you."

"17. 'These things I command you, that ye love one another; 18. if the world doth hate you, ye know that it hath hated me before you; 19. if of the world ye were, the world its own would have been loving, and because of the world ye are not, but I chose out of the world, because of this the world hateth you."

"20. 'Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his lord; if me they did persecute, you also they will persecute; if my word they did keep, yours also they will keep; 21. but all these things will they do to you, because of my name, because they have not known Him who sent me;" (John 15:15-21, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
  • Audience: later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
  • Location: first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
  • Time period: events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

Theological reading

Key words

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 (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • 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 for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.