John 15:15 kjv
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.
John 15:15 nkjv
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15 niv
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15 esv
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:15 nlt
I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
John 15 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 15:14 | "You are my friends if you do what I command." | Prerequisite for friendship |
| Luke 12:4, 5 | "And I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body..." | Jesus addressing followers as "friends" |
| Acts 27:3, 24 | "...Jesus’ gentleness toward Paul showed that he was a friend to all the Israelites." | Paul's testimony of favor |
| James 2:23 | "and the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God’s friend." | Abraham as an example of friendship with God |
| 1 John 4:7-11, 16 | "Dear friends, let us love one another..." | Believers as beloved, indicating intimacy |
| Exodus 33:11 | "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend..." | Moses' intimate relationship with God |
| Deuteronomy 34:10 | "Since that day no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face..." | Moses' unique divine knowledge |
| Isaiah 41:8 | "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend." | God calling Abraham His friend |
| John 13:33 | "My children, I will be with you only a little longer..." | Contrast in relational terms |
| John 20:17 | "Jesus said to her, 'Do not lay hold of me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father.'" | Jesus' divine nature and post-resurrection status |
| Genesis 18:17 | "Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" | God sharing His plans with Abraham |
| John 3:29 | "The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom..." | John the Baptist's role and recognition of Christ |
| 1 Corinthians 4:1 | "So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed." | Servants entrusted with divine secrets |
| John 15:9 | "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love." | Foundation of Jesus' love |
| John 15:16 | "You did not choose me, but I chose you..." | Christ's initiative in discipleship |
| John 17:26 | "I have made your name known to them, and will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them." | Jesus' prayer for the disciples to be in Him |
| Galatians 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Unity and shared identity in Christ |
| Philippians 3:8 | "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." | The supreme value of knowing Christ |
| Romans 8:32 | "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" | God's ultimate gift demonstrating His love |
| John 10:14 | "I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me." | Mutual knowledge between Shepherd and sheep |
John 15 verses
John 15 15 Meaning
Jesus calls His disciples "friends." He does this because the Father revealed His plan for salvation to them. This divine revelation elevates their relationship beyond mere servitude to a close, intimate partnership. It signifies a mutual knowledge and purpose shared between Christ and believers.
John 15 15 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' discourse with His disciples in the Upper Room during His final Passover meal, as recorded in John chapter 15. Jesus is preparing His disciples for His impending departure and the challenges they will face. He uses the analogy of a vine and its branches to explain the intimate and vital connection they have with Him. He has just spoken about obedience being the evidence of their love and His abiding in them. In this section, Jesus transitions from the commands He has given to a deeper explanation of their relationship, moving from "servants" to "friends." This emphasizes the level of trust, revelation, and intimacy God desires with His people.
John 15 15 Word Analysis
- ἐγὼ (egō): "I". Emphasizes Jesus personally, making a direct declaration.
- ὑμᾶς (hymas): "you" (plural). Refers to His disciples as a group.
- ὡνομακa (ōnomaka): Perfect tense of the verb onomaō meaning "to name" or "to call." Indicates a past action with present, ongoing results. "I have called." The naming or calling into friendship is a completed action in God's eternal purpose that continues to define their current relationship.
- φίλους (philous): Accusative plural of philos, meaning "friend," "loved one." In contrast to doulos (slave). A friend implies intimacy, trust, shared counsel, and love, not mere obedience out of obligation or fear. The New Testament usage often points to a higher, more personal bond than typically understood in secular Greek.
- ὅτι (hoti): "because," "that." Introduces the reason or the basis for being called friends.
- πάντα (panta): "all." Emphasizes the comprehensiveness of the revelation.
- ὃ (ho): "which," "that" (neuter singular nominative/accusative of the relative pronoun hos). Refers to "all things."
- ἤκουσa (ēkousa): Aorist indicative of akouō, meaning "to hear." The perfect tense here ("I have heard") is the same as ōnomaka in its sense of a past event with continuing significance. Jesus had heard all things from the Father.
- παρὰ (para): "from." Indicates the source of the information.
- τοῦ (tou): Genitive masculine singular definite article "the."
- πατρός (patros): Genitive singular of pater, meaning "father." Refers to God the Father.
Groups of Words Analysis:
- "I have called you friends": This declaration is not merely a label but a transformation of relationship. Jesus highlights a specific quality that elevates them above servants—they are privy to divine counsel. This parallels the relationship God had with Abraham, who was called God's friend (James 2:23).
- "because you have heard all that I have heard from my Father": The qualification for this friendship is not strenuous works, but a receptiveness to divine revelation. Jesus has openly shared the Father's heart, mission, and redemptive plan. This intimate sharing of "all things" signifies that the disciples were not kept in ignorance about the Father's purposes. This divine communication creates a shared understanding and purpose, which is the hallmark of true friendship.
John 15 15 Bonus Section
The concept of "friends" here reflects a covenantal intimacy. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, friends often exchanged covenants and shared intimate knowledge and protection. Jesus is imparting this higher status to His disciples, signifying their adoption into God's family and their role as co-heirs and witnesses of the Gospel. The divine choice (John 15:16) initiates this friendship, and the sharing of truth sustains it. It is a reminder that Christianity is not just about following rules, but about entering into a deeply personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
John 15 15 Commentary
Jesus elevates His disciples' status from servants to friends because He has shared with them the deepest truths and intentions of God the Father. This isn't a casual friendship, but a divine covenant relationship. Their friendship is predicated on their willingness to hear and internalize what Jesus has revealed, demonstrating a deeper, intimate connection than mere outward obedience. It’s about shared knowledge and purpose, rooted in the Father's love and the Son's commission.