John 15:12 kjv
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
John 15:12 nkjv
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:12 niv
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
John 15:12 esv
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:12 nlt
This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.
John 15 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 19:18 | "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge... but you shall love your neighbor as yourself..." | OT root of loving one's neighbor. |
| Deut 6:5 | "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart..." | The first and greatest commandment. |
| Matt 22:37-40 | "You shall love the Lord your God... You shall love your neighbor... On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." | Jesus summarizes the whole Law with love. |
| John 13:34-35 | "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples..." | Jesus introduces the new commandment and its distinguishing mark. |
| Rom 13:8-10 | "Owe no one anything except to love one another... for he who loves another has fulfilled the law... Love is the fulfillment of the law." | Love as the fulfillment of the entire law. |
| Gal 5:13-14 | "...through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" | Freedom in Christ expressed through loving service. |
| Eph 5:2 | "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us..." | Christians are called to imitate Christ's sacrificial love. |
| Phil 2:3-5 | "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit... Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus..." | Humility and putting others first, like Christ. |
| Col 3:12-14 | "Therefore, as the elect of God... put on tender mercies, kindness, humility... above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection." | Love as the unifying quality for believers. |
| 1 Thess 4:9 | "But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another..." | God Himself teaches believers to love. |
| Heb 13:1 | "Let brotherly love continue." | Encouragement to persevere in mutual affection. |
| 1 Pet 1:22 | "...fervently love one another from the heart." | The depth and sincerity of the required love. |
| 1 John 2:7-8 | "Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning... Again, a new commandment I write to you..." | The command is old (since the beginning) yet new in Christ. |
| 1 John 3:11 | "For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another." | Emphasizes the foundational nature of this command. |
| 1 John 3:16 | "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." | Defines love by Christ's supreme sacrifice as the model. |
| 1 John 4:7-8 | "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." | Love is a divine characteristic and evidence of true conversion. |
| 1 John 4:11-12 | "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another... if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us." | Reciprocal love among believers manifests God's indwelling. |
| 1 Cor 13:4-7 | "Love suffers long and is kind... does not envy... does not parade itself... does not seek its own... bears all things..." | Describes the active attributes of divine love (agape). |
| 1 Cor 13:13 | "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." | Love's supremacy among Christian virtues. |
| Jude 1:21 | "keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ..." | Maintaining oneself within God's love. |
| Rom 5:8 | "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." | The preeminent demonstration of God's love towards humanity. |
| John 14:15 | "If you love Me, keep My commandments." | Connection between love for Christ and obedience to His commands. |
John 15 verses
John 15 12 Meaning
John 15:12 presents Jesus' singular, supreme command to His disciples: to love one another with the same self-sacrificing, profound love that He Himself demonstrated to them. This love is the hallmark of His true followers and the fulfillment of His teaching, binding them together in unity and purpose.
John 15 12 Context
John chapter 15 is part of Jesus' Upper Room discourse (chapters 13-17), delivered to His disciples immediately before His crucifixion. This discourse is a deeply intimate teaching session, preparing them for His departure, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and their mission in the world. Specifically, John 15 introduces the "True Vine" allegory, emphasizing the necessity of "abiding" in Christ (the Vine) for believers (the branches) to "bear much fruit." The ability to love as Christ loved (v. 12) is presented as the primary "fruit" of such abiding (v. 9-10). The command to love one another is a recurring theme in this discourse (Jn 13:34; 15:17), underscoring its paramount importance for the future community of believers, especially in the face of the world's hatred (v. 18-19). This divine, sacrificial love stands in contrast to worldly affiliations or mere social contracts.
John 15 12 Word analysis
- This (τοῦτο - touto): A demonstrative pronoun, pointing directly to the ensuing statement. It signifies that what follows is the singular, weighty summary of His directives concerning their internal relationships. It’s not one of many; it is the central commandment here.
- is (ἐστιν - estin): The verb "to be," indicating a strong, unequivocal identity. This commandment is not just like this; it is this.
- my (μου - mou): A possessive pronoun, highlighting the personal origin and authority of the command. It is Jesus' own unique decree, rooted in His divine Person and purpose, and given by Him, the authoritative Teacher and Lord.
- commandment (ἐντολὴ - entolē): This term signifies an authoritative injunction, a binding rule or precept, not a suggestion or mere advice. It implies obedience is expected and essential. In a Jewish context, a "commandment" from a Rabbi would carry significant weight, and from Jesus, it holds ultimate, divine authority, superseding previous understanding.
- that you love (ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε - hina agapate):
- that (hina): Introduces a purpose clause, indicating the goal or substance of the command.
- love (ἀγαπᾶτε - agapate, from agapaō): Refers to agape love. This is a divine, volitional, self-sacrificial love that seeks the highest good of the other, often irrespective of their worthiness or reciprocation. It is distinct from phileo (affectionate or brotherly love) or eros (romantic/passual love). It's an active commitment, not merely an emotion, cultivated through abiding in Christ.
- one another (ἀλλήλους - allēlous): The specific recipients of this agape love: fellow disciples within the community of faith. This love is intended to be directed inwardly among believers, forming the distinctive character of Christ's followers.
- as (καθὼς - kathōs): A crucial comparative conjunction. It establishes the standard, measure, and model for their love. Their love for one another must not simply be similar to, but according to the same quality and extent of Jesus' love for them. This elevates the standard to a divine level.
- I (ἐγὼ - egō): Emphatic personal pronoun. Jesus Himself is the ultimate and perfect example, the embodiment of this agape love. He lives out the very love He commands.
- have loved you (ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς - ēgapēsa hymas):
- have loved (ēgapēsa, from agapaō, aorist active indicative): Indicates a completed action with ongoing effects. Jesus’ demonstration of agape love was already fully manifested throughout His earthly ministry (e.g., healing, teaching, serving, patience) and was about to reach its ultimate expression on the cross.
- you (hymas): The direct objects are the disciples themselves, the immediate recipients of His demonstrated love.
Words-group analysis:
- "This is my commandment": This phrase asserts the supreme authority and singular importance of what is about to be stated. It highlights Jesus as the ultimate giver of the divine command, replacing or fulfilling the former stipulations of the Law by centering on love.
- "that you love one another": This defines the content of the command: the cultivation and practice of agape among fellow believers. This specific focus on intra-community love is key to defining Christian identity.
- "as I have loved you": This phrase establishes the unique standard and qualitative nature of this love. It's not just a general command to love, but to love like Jesus. This implies self-sacrifice, forgiveness, patience, service, and a constant seeking of the other's highest good, as supremely demonstrated by Jesus' life and impending death on the cross. It means love modeled by divine perfection, demanding imitation of divine action.
John 15 12 Bonus section
The uniqueness of Jesus' command lies in the standard He sets: "as I have loved you." This shifts the focus from an external legal requirement to an internal, spiritual transformation fueled by His example and the Holy Spirit's power. Pagan societies or even other religions often had ethical codes, but none enjoined such a specific, self-giving love as the foundational relational dynamic for their adherents, using the founder's own sacrificial life as the pattern. This agape love stands against worldly self-interest and defines the very nature of God Himself (1 John 4:8). The early Christian community, marked by this love, often surprised their contemporaries with their care for one another, especially in times of plague or persecution, demonstrating its powerful, counter-cultural witness.
John 15 12 Commentary
John 15:12 encapsulates the essence of Christian discipleship, rooted in the true vine analogy that precedes it. If believers are to abide in Christ, they will bear the fruit of love. This love, specified as agape, is not merely an emotion but an act of the will, a divine character trait to be manifested actively. Jesus' commandment to "love one another" is a profound shift; while "love your neighbor" was part of the Old Testament law (Lev 19:18), the standard "as I have loved you" elevates this command to an unprecedented level. Jesus' love for His disciples was proactive, unconditional, patient, self-sacrificial (soon to be supremely demonstrated on the cross), and extended even to the unworthy. Therefore, His disciples are called to mirror this costly, yet gracious love within their community. This agape is the distinguishing mark of true believers (Jn 13:35), making visible their connection to Christ and testifying to the world. It transcends natural affection or superficial relationships, demanding a deep, committed devotion to each other's spiritual and physical well-being. Ultimately, fulfilling this commandment is proof of abiding in Him and participating in the divine nature of love (1 John 4:7-8).