1
Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή, καὶ ὁ πατήρ μου ὁ γεωργός ἐστιν·
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
Why this rendering
John.15.1 Observation
Syntactic observation
The adjective is ἀληθινός, not ἀληθής. Both stand in John — ἀληθής leaning toward not false, ἀληθινός toward not counterfeit. τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν at 1:9 and τὸν ἄρτον τὸν ἀληθινόν at 6:32 are the same word. The order matches too: ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή sets the noun, then the article again, then the adjective — as at 1:18, τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ, and 10:11, ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλός. γεωργός, one who works the soil, occurs only here in John.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted I am the true vine
Basis Uses the settled rendering.
I am the real vine
Basis Brings out the not-counterfeit sense.
Rejected Korean 진짜 is colloquial and does not sit with the true light of 1:9 or the true bread of 6:32. The three keep one rendering so the corpus shows one word, and the distinction from ἀληθής is recorded as a loss.
Lost in translation
the ἀληθής / ἀληθινός distinction John uses both adjectives while Korean 참 and English true are single. My witness is not ἀληθής at 5:31 and the ἀληθινή vine at 15:1 become one word, and the author's distinction disappears.
2
πᾶν κλῆμα ἐν ἐμοὶ μὴ φέρον καρπὸν αἴρει αὐτό, καὶ πᾶν τὸ καρπὸν φέρον καθαίρει αὐτὸ ἵνα ⸂καρπὸν πλείονα⸃ φέρῃ.
Every branch in me not bearing fruit he takes away, and every one bearing fruit he cleanses, so that it may bear more fruit.
Why this rendering
John.15.2 Hypothesis
Syntactic observation
Two verbs chime — αἴρει and καθαίρει. The first is αἴρω, to take away or lift; the second καθαίρω, to cleanse or prune. Their roots differ but the sounds lock, and they stand side by side in one sentence, which makes accident unlikely. And καθαίρει is **cognate with** καθαροί in the very next verse: 15:3 says you are already καθαροί. So the tending of a branch and the cleanness of a person run on one root. αἴρω is the verb of 1:29, taking away sin, and of 10:18, taking a life. SBLGNT marks a variant in this verse (⸂καρπὸν πλείονα⸃).
Rendering options · 2
every branch that bears fruit he prunes
Basis Uses the natural horticultural term.
Rejected Prune reads naturally but does not join the next verse, you are already clean. The Greek binds the two verses by one root, and a horticultural term cuts the binding. NASB, ESV, NET and NIV use prune; 개역한글's 깨끗케, Elberfelder's reinigt and the Synodal's очищает keep the root.
Adopted Every branch in me not bearing fruit he takes away, and every one bearing fruit he cleanses, so that it may bear more fruit.
Basis Renders καθαίρω as cleanse so that it joins clean at 15:3, and keeps αἴρω in the take-away sense of 1:29 and 10:18.
Lost in translation
the chime of αἴρει and καθαίρει Two verbs chime inside one sentence. No translation carries it — neither Korean nor English has a pair that links taking away and cleansing by sound.
the καθαίρω / καθαρός root The tending of v.2 and the cleanness of v.3 share a root. Prune makes the two verses strangers. 개역한글, Elberfelder and the Synodal keep it.
Survives in · 개역한글 / YLT / KJV / VULG / ELB / SYNOD
3
ἤδη ὑμεῖς καθαροί ἐστε διὰ τὸν λόγον ὃν λελάληκα ὑμῖν·
You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.
4
μείνατε ἐν ἐμοί, κἀγὼ ἐν ὑμῖν. καθὼς τὸ κλῆμα οὐ δύναται καρπὸν φέρειν ἀφ’ ἑαυτοῦ ἐὰν μὴ ⸀μένῃ ἐν τῇ ἀμπέλῳ, οὕτως οὐδὲ ὑμεῖς ἐὰν μὴ ἐν ἐμοὶ ⸀μένητε.
Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.
5
ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα. ὁ μένων ἐν ἐμοὶ κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ οὗτος φέρει καρπὸν πολύν, ὅτι χωρὶς ἐμοῦ οὐ δύνασθε ποιεῖν οὐδέν.
I am the vine, you are the branches. The one remaining in me and I in him, this one bears much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
Why this rendering
John.15.5 Observation
Syntactic observation
μένω occurs **eleven times across seven verses** in this chapter — vv.4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 16. That is the densest chapter in John. It is the verb GLOSSARY fixed in chapter 1, the root by which the Spirit remains on Jesus at 1:32–33, sin remains at 9:41, the grain remains alone at 12:24, and which stands as the noun μονή at 14:2 and 23. Here it runs both ways — a person remains in Jesus and Jesus in the person. And the οὐδέν of “without me you can do nothing” stands under a double negative for emphasis.
Rendering options · 2
abide in me and I in him
Basis Uses the settled abide.
Rejected Abide does not share a stem with the remaining of 1:32–33, of sin at 9:41, or of the grain at 12:24. One verb runs through the whole Gospel, and a different word per chapter dissolves the thread. English abide used only in chapter 15 while other chapters use remain creates the same problem.
Adopted I am the vine, you are the branches. The one remaining in me and I in him, this one bears much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
Basis One rendering for μένω across the Gospel. The corpus-consistency rule in GLOSSARY does its heaviest work here — this single verb runs from chapter 1 to chapter 15.
Lost in translation
μένω across the whole Gospel The Spirit remains (1:32–33), the disciple remains (8:31), sin remains (9:41), the grain remains alone (12:24), it becomes a remaining-place (14:2, 23), the branch remains (seven times in chapter 15). One verb threads the Gospel. In versions that vary the word the thread disappears entirely, and no version marks it on the page.
Survives in · NET / VULG / ELB / SYNOD
6
ἐὰν μή τις ⸀μένῃ ἐν ἐμοί, ἐβλήθη ἔξω ὡς τὸ κλῆμα καὶ ἐξηράνθη, καὶ συνάγουσιν αὐτὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ πῦρ βάλλουσιν καὶ καίεται.
If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown outside like the branch and withers; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and it burns.
7
ἐὰν μείνητε ἐν ἐμοὶ καὶ τὰ ῥήματά μου ἐν ὑμῖν μείνῃ, ὃ ἐὰν θέλητε ⸀αἰτήσασθε καὶ γενήσεται ὑμῖν·
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will happen for you.
8
ἐν τούτῳ ἐδοξάσθη ὁ πατήρ μου ἵνα καρπὸν πολὺν φέρητε καὶ ⸀γένησθε ἐμοὶ μαθηταί.
In this my Father was glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
9
καθὼς ἠγάπησέν με ὁ πατήρ, κἀγὼ ⸂ὑμᾶς ἠγάπησα⸃, μείνατε ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ τῇ ἐμῇ.
As the Father loved me, I also loved you; remain in my love.
10
ἐὰν τὰς ἐντολάς μου τηρήσητε, μενεῖτε ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ μου, καθὼς ἐγὼ ⸂τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ πατρός μου⸃ τετήρηκα καὶ μένω αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love.
11
ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα ἡ χαρὰ ἡ ἐμὴ ἐν ὑμῖν ⸀ᾖ καὶ ἡ χαρὰ ὑμῶν πληρωθῇ.
These things I have spoken to you so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be made full.
12
Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ ἐμὴ ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους καθὼς ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς·
This is my commandment: that you love one another as I loved you.
13
μείζονα ταύτης ἀγάπην οὐδεὶς ἔχει, ἵνα τις τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ θῇ ὑπὲρ τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ.
Greater love than this no one has, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
14
ὑμεῖς φίλοι μού ἐστε ἐὰν ποιῆτε ⸀ἃ ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
15
οὐκέτι ⸂λέγω ὑμᾶς⸃ δούλους, ὅτι ὁ δοῦλος οὐκ οἶδεν τί ποιεῖ αὐτοῦ ὁ κύριος· ὑμᾶς δὲ εἴρηκα φίλους, ὅτι πάντα ἃ ἤκουσα παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου ἐγνώρισα ὑμῖν.
No longer do I call you slaves, because the slave does not know what his lord is doing; but I have called you friends, because everything I heard from my Father I made known to you.
Why this rendering
John.15.15 Observation
Syntactic observation
δοῦλος and φίλος are set against each other. δοῦλος is the word of 8:34–35, a slave of sin, and of 13:16, a slave is not greater than his lord, and it returns at 15:20 where that saying is quoted — so within one chapter he says they are no longer slaves and then takes the slave-saying up again. φίλος runs through vv.13, 14 and 15, and it is the word used of Lazarus at 11:11, our friend. And φίλος shares a root with φιλέω — the verb at 15:19, where the world would love its own. ἀγαπάω also runs through the chapter, so both love-words stand together. SBLGNT marks a variant in this verse (⸂λέγω ὑμᾶς⸃).
Rendering options · 2
Adopted I have called you friends
Basis Uses the settled rendering.
I have called you loved ones
Basis Shows the root shared with φιλέω.
Rejected Friend is the sense here, and changing the word to show the root would blur the contrast with δοῦλος. That they are friends and not slaves is what the sentence says, so the contrast is kept first and the root recorded below.
Lost in translation
the φίλος / φιλέω root Friend and love are one root in Greek. That the world would φιλέω its own at 15:19 and that the disciples become φίλοι stand on one root, and Korean and English have no such pair.
16
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.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
17
ταῦτα ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους.
These things I command you, so that you may love one another.
18
Εἰ ὁ κόσμος ὑμᾶς μισεῖ, γινώσκετε ὅτι ἐμὲ πρῶτον ⸀ὑμῶν μεμίσηκεν.
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you.
Why this rendering
John.15.18 Observation
Syntactic observation
μισέω occurs **seven times across five verses** from v.18 to v.25 (twice in 18, then 19, twice in 23, then 24 and 25), and the tense moves — present μισεῖ, perfect μεμίσηκεν, present μισεῖ, perfect μεμισήκασιν, aorist ἐμίσησάν. One verb holds now, already and then. And v.25 closes by citing what is written in their law: ἐμίσησάν με δωρεάν, they hated me δωρεάν — freely, without cause. φιλέω stands just before at v.19, so hatred and love face each other in one paragraph. SBLGNT marks a variant in this verse (⸀ὑμῶν).
Rendering options · 2
Adopted If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you
Basis Renders the tenses naturally.
If the world is hating you, know that it has been hating me before you
Basis Separates present and perfect by aspect.
Rejected In Korean these forms lengthen the sentence, and marking all five shifts verse by verse would make the paragraph read as grammatical commentary. The series is recorded as a loss and the text left readable.
Lost in translation
the moving tense across five occurrences Present, perfect, present, perfect, aorist — the hatred is at once what is happening, what has settled, and what was foretold. Korean and English render all five as hate and the layering flattens.
19
εἰ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἦτε, ὁ κόσμος ἂν τὸ ἴδιον ἐφίλει· ὅτι δὲ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου οὐκ ἐστέ, ἀλλ’ ἐγὼ ἐξελεξάμην ὑμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου, διὰ τοῦτο μισεῖ ὑμᾶς ὁ κόσμος.
If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, and I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.
20
μνημονεύετε τοῦ λόγου οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν· Οὐκ ἔστιν δοῦλος μείζων τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ· εἰ ἐμὲ ἐδίωξαν, καὶ ὑμᾶς διώξουσιν· εἰ τὸν λόγον μου ἐτήρησαν, καὶ τὸν ὑμέτερον τηρήσουσιν.
Remember the word that I said to you: a slave is not greater than his lord. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
21
ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα ποιήσουσιν ⸂εἰς ὑμᾶς⸃ διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδασιν τὸν πέμψαντά με.
But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.
22
εἰ μὴ ἦλθον καὶ ἐλάλησα αὐτοῖς, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ⸀εἴχοσαν· νῦν δὲ πρόφασιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν περὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.
If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.
23
ὁ ἐμὲ μισῶν καὶ τὸν πατέρα μου μισεῖ.
The one hating me hates my Father also.
24
εἰ τὰ ἔργα μὴ ἐποίησα ἐν αὐτοῖς ἃ οὐδεὶς ἄλλος ⸀ἐποίησεν, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ⸀εἴχοσαν· νῦν δὲ καὶ ἑωράκασιν καὶ μεμισήκασιν καὶ ἐμὲ καὶ τὸν πατέρα μου.
If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.
25
ἀλλ’ ἵνα πληρωθῇ ὁ λόγος ὁ ⸂ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτῶν γεγραμμένος⸃ ὅτι Ἐμίσησάν με δωρεάν.
But it is so that the word written in their law may be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without cause.’
26
⸀Ὅταν ἔλθῃ ὁ παράκλητος ὃν ἐγὼ πέμψω ὑμῖν παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας ὃ παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεται, ἐκεῖνος μαρτυρήσει περὶ ἐμοῦ·
When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send to you from the Father — the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father — he will bear witness about me.
27
καὶ ὑμεῖς δὲ μαρτυρεῖτε, ὅτι ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς μετ’ ἐμοῦ ἐστε.
And you also bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.