John 15:6 kjv
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:6 nkjv
If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
John 15:6 niv
If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
John 15:6 esv
If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
John 15:6 nlt
Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.
John 15 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 3:10 | "Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down..." | Bearing fruit averts judgment |
| Mt 7:19 | "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." | Barrenness leads to fiery judgment |
| Mt 13:40-42 | "...just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire..." | Parable of weeds, final judgment |
| Lk 3:9 | "...Every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." | John the Baptist's warning |
| Jn 15:4-5 | "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself..." | Abiding essential for fruitfulness |
| 1 Jn 2:24 | "If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you too will remain..." | Abiding in truth ensures life |
| 1 Jn 2:28 | "And now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears..." | Abiding for confidence at His return |
| 1 Jn 3:6 | "No one who abides in Him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning..." | Abiding linked to righteous living |
| 1 Jn 3:24 | "Whoever keeps His commandments abides in God, and God in him." | Abiding evidenced by obedience |
| Jn 6:66 | "From that time many of His disciples went back and walked no more with Him." | Consequences of not staying with Jesus |
| Heb 6:8 | "...but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed..." | Worthlessness of unfruitful ground |
| Jude 1:12-13 | "...wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars..." | Strong warning against apostasy |
| Rev 20:15 | "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." | Lake of fire, ultimate judgment |
| Isa 5:1-7 | "For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel..." | Israel as unfruitful vine, divine judgment |
| Jer 2:21 | "Yet I had planted you a choice vine, a completely faithful seed..." | Israel's departure from God's ideal |
| Ps 80:8-16 | "You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out nations..." | Israel as a suffering vine |
| Rom 11:17-22 | "But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree..." | Gentiles grafted in, warning to abide |
| Gal 5:19-21 | "Now the works of the flesh are evident... those who practice such things will not inherit." | Fruit of Spirit vs. works of flesh |
| Eph 2:10 | "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works..." | Believers created for good works/fruit |
| Tit 1:16 | "They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him..." | Denying Christ by lack of action/fruit |
| 2 Pet 2:20-22 | "...having escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge... become worse than the first." | Apostasy leads to a worse end |
| Mt 25:41 | "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire...'" | Final separation and eternal fire |
| Mk 9:43 | "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off..." | Radical measures to avoid judgment |
John 15 verses
John 15 6 Meaning
John 15:6 delivers a solemn warning: anyone who does not maintain a continuous, living union with Jesus, the "true Vine," will inevitably face spiritual decay, rejection, and ultimate divine judgment. Such unfruitful individuals, depicted as dead branches, are discarded, wither away, are gathered by divine agents, and then cast into the fire to be utterly consumed, symbolizing irreversible spiritual destruction and eternal separation from the source of life.
John 15 6 Context
John 15:6 is part of Jesus' profound Farewell Discourse to His disciples (John 13-17), delivered shortly before His crucifixion. The immediate context of verses 1-17 introduces the allegory of the True Vine and the Branches, where Jesus identifies Himself as the "true Vine," God the Father as the "vinedresser," and His disciples as the "branches." This allegory stresses the critical, life-sustaining dependence of believers upon Jesus for spiritual vitality and fruitfulness. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, the practices of viticulture – pruning fruitful branches and discarding dead ones – were universally understood. This vivid cultural backdrop made Jesus' warning about the consequences of unfruitfulness and separation highly impactful. The use of "true Vine" also stands in contrast to Old Testament imagery where Israel often failed to be a fruitful vine for God (e.g., Isa 5; Jer 2), indicating that now, true spiritual life is found only in a direct connection to Christ.
John 15 6 Word analysis
- If anyone: (ἐάν τις - ean tis) – This phrase signifies a conditional warning applicable to every individual. It underscores personal responsibility in maintaining one's relationship with Christ and the universality of the ensuing consequence if that condition is not met.
- does not abide: (μείνῃ - meinē) – Derived from the Greek verb menō, meaning to remain, dwell, stay, continue in an enduring state. The aorist subjunctive highlights a decisive action of failing to remain in vital union. This term is central to the passage, emphasizing that an active, intimate, and continuous spiritual connection to Jesus is absolutely essential, far beyond a mere initial belief or superficial attachment.
- in Me: (ἐν ἐμοί - en emoi) – Clearly specifies that the necessary abiding is a personal, living, and profound union with Jesus Christ Himself, who is the exclusive source of spiritual life and sustenance for the "branches."
- he is thrown away: (ἐβλήθη - eblēthē) – An aorist passive verb (ballō, "to throw"), depicting a definite and completed action of separation or rejection. This emphasizes that such a branch is removed by an external agent, often understood as the vinedresser (God the Father), marking a decisive and irreversible severing from the life of the Vine.
- as a branch: (ὡς τὸ κλῆμα - hōs to klēma) – Klēma specifically denotes a vine shoot. This simile reinforces the nature of the entity being discussed – one originally attached to the vine but now dead, purposeless, and cut off from its life source.
- and dries up: (καὶ ἐξηράνθη - kai exēranthē) – Also an aorist passive (xerainō, "to dry up"), describing the immediate and inevitable consequence of being discarded. Spiritual vitality ceases, leading to complete barrenness, spiritual death, and a loss of all capacity for bearing fruit.
- and they gather them: (καὶ συνάγουσιν αὐτά - kai synagousin auta) – The "they" (unspecified in the text) often refers to divine agents, such as angels, involved in God's final judgment, akin to the reapers in parables of judgment (e.g., Mt 13:40-42). This action signifies a definitive collection for a decreed fate.
- and throw them into the fire: (καὶ εἰς τὸ πῦρ βάλλουσιν - kai eis to pyr ballousin) – The phrase utilizes the present active of ballō, and pyr (fire) a prominent biblical metaphor for divine judgment, punishment, and destruction. The present tense can emphasize the certainty and ongoing nature of this final destination.
- and they are burned: (καίεται - kaietai) – A present passive verb (kaiō, "to burn"), signifying the ultimate and complete consumption, annihilation of purpose, and irreversible destruction of the branches. This imagery points to eternal judgment and utter separation from the life and presence of God.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "If anyone does not abide in Me": This conditional clause presents a fundamental requirement for spiritual life. "Abiding" represents a continuous, personal, and life-giving union with Christ, which goes beyond mere intellectual assent or outward profession. Failing this indicates a severance from the very source of spiritual existence.
- "he is thrown away as a branch and dries up": This powerful sequence describes the immediate spiritual consequence of non-abiding. The "throwing away" (likely by God) denotes a decisive and irreversible separation, leading inexorably to the complete loss of spiritual vitality, fruitlessness, and a withered, lifeless state. It reflects internal spiritual death becoming an observable reality.
- "and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned": This three-part outcome details the final, eternal judgment for those who do not abide. The unspecified "they" signifies agents of divine judgment, who collect these spiritually dead elements. "Into the fire" metaphorically represents God's ultimate destructive judgment, and "burned" indicates their complete, permanent consumption, signifying an eternal fate devoid of any purpose or connection to divine life.
John 15 6 Bonus section
The tense changes in the Greek from aorist passive ("is thrown away," "dries up") to present active/passive ("gather," "throw into the fire," "are burned") emphasize a progression. The initial acts of separation and withering are definitive past actions that set in motion the present, ongoing, and inevitable processes of gathering for judgment and final destruction. This highlights the severe finality and irrevocability of the spiritual state of a non-abiding branch. This passage can be understood as describing those who once made an outward profession of faith but never genuinely partook of Christ's life-giving power through true union, akin to a branch externally attached but inwardly dead, rather than truly elect individuals who have permanently lost salvation. The primary point is the absolute necessity of ongoing, authentic relationship and the subsequent fruit that such a relationship yields as evidence of its reality.
John 15 6 Commentary
John 15:6 serves as a severe and non-negotiable warning from Jesus about the consequences of spiritual detachment. It profoundly asserts that a continuous, living union with Christ is not merely beneficial, but absolutely indispensable for genuine spiritual life, fruitfulness, and eternal well-being. The passage illustrates that those who are only nominally associated with Christ but lack a true, abiding connection—and consequently, bear no spiritual fruit—are destined for judgment. The imagery of being "thrown away," "dried up," and then "burned in the fire" signifies a final, irreversible divine judgment, resulting in utter spiritual destruction and separation from God. This is not primarily about a truly regenerated believer losing salvation, but rather distinguishing between true, fruitful discipleship and a superficial or temporary adherence that ultimately leads to condemnation. It underscores the profound seriousness of our relationship with Christ, calling all who profess to follow Him to ensure their connection is vital, fruitful, and enduring.