John 15:9 kjv
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
John 15:9 nkjv
"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
John 15:9 niv
"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
John 15:9 esv
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
John 15:9 nlt
"I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
John 15 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 3:17 | And a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." | Father's love for Jesus. |
| Matt 17:5 | ...a bright cloud overshadowed them; and behold, a voice from the cloud said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; hear Him!" | Father's delight in Jesus. |
| Jn 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son... | God's sacrificial love for humanity. |
| Jn 5:20 | For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He does... | Father and Son intimate relationship. |
| Jn 10:17 | For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. | Father's love for Jesus tied to obedience. |
| Jn 13:1 | Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. | Jesus' enduring love for disciples. |
| Jn 13:34 | A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you... | Jesus' love as a pattern for believers' love. |
| Jn 14:15 | "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." | Obedience as proof of love. |
| Jn 14:21 | "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father..." | Reciprocal love, obedience to Father and Son. |
| Jn 14:23 | If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him... | Father and Son indwelling through love. |
| Jn 15:10 | "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love." | Direct link between obedience and abiding. |
| Jn 15:12 | "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." | Love command, built on Jesus' love. |
| Jn 15:13 | "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." | Self-sacrificial nature of Jesus' love. |
| Jn 6:56 | "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." | Abiding through spiritual communion. |
| Rom 5:8 | But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. | Divine love shown through sacrifice. |
| Rom 8:39 | ...nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Inseparability from God's love. |
| Gal 2:20 | ...Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. | Christ's love empowering life. |
| Eph 2:4-5 | But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us... even when we were dead in our transgressions... | God's love bringing spiritual life. |
| Eph 5:2 | And walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us... | Believers imitating Christ's love. |
| 1 Jn 2:6 | The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. | Abiding resulting in Christ-like living. |
| 1 Jn 3:24 | The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him... | Abiding by obedience and the Spirit. |
| 1 Jn 4:9 | By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. | God's love manifested in Christ. |
| 1 Jn 4:16 | We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. | Abiding in love is abiding in God. |
| Jude 1:21 | Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. | Imperative to remain in God's love. |
John 15 verses
John 15 9 Meaning
John 15:9 reveals the depth of Jesus' love for His disciples, rooted in the Father's love for Him. It states that Jesus loves His followers with the same quality and measure of love that the Father has bestowed upon Him. This foundational declaration then issues a command to "abide" or remain continually within the sphere and experience of Jesus' divine love, which is both the source and the atmosphere of their spiritual life.
John 15 9 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' discourse to His disciples in the Upper Room, likely just after the Last Supper and before His arrest. John 15 specifically follows the theme of the Vine and the Branches (vv. 1-8), where Jesus identifies Himself as the true vine and His Father as the vine-dresser, with believers as the branches. The primary command in this preceding passage is to "abide" in Him to bear fruit. Verse 9 shifts the focus slightly, showing how this abiding relationship is sustained: through the quality of divine love. It forms a crucial bridge, explaining the foundational nature of their relationship with Him, and leading directly into the command to keep His commandments as a demonstration of abiding in His love (v. 10). The historical context is Jesus preparing His closest followers for His physical departure, emphasizing the spiritual connection that will remain and enable their future mission in a world hostile to them. It counters any belief that their spiritual vitality depends solely on His visible presence or on outward adherence to rigid law without an internal, loving connection.
John 15 9 Word analysis
As (Καθώς - Kathōs): This comparative adverb signifies "just as," "according as," or "to the extent that." It points to the nature and standard of the love. Jesus' love for the disciples is not merely similar but fundamentally of the same quality and measure as the Father's perfect, divine love for the Son.
the Father (ὁ Πατήρ - ho Patēr): Refers to God the Father, emphasizing the Trinitarian origin of this divine love. It highlights the eternal, intimate, and perfect relationship within the Godhead, which becomes the paradigm.
has loved (ἠγάπησέν - ēgapēsen): Aorist active indicative of agapaō (ἀγαπάω). This is agape love – a divine, selfless, volitional, and unconditional love. The aorist tense indicates a completed act in the past with ongoing effects into the present, implying the Father's consistent and unchanging love for the Son.
Me (με - me): Refers to Jesus, the Son of God. His relationship with the Father is the foundational template for all love.
so (κἀγὼ - kagō, contraction of καὶ ἐγὼ - kai egō): Means "and I also" or "so I." It explicitly links Jesus' action to the Father's, confirming the identical nature and quality of love.
have I loved (ἠγάπησα - ēgapēsa): Aorist of agapaō, mirroring the Father's action. Jesus' love for His disciples is agape, sacrificial, purposeful, and fully given. It is not based on the disciples' merit but on Jesus' character and commitment.
you (ὑμᾶς - hymas): The disciples, representing all who believe in Him. The recipients of this high, divine quality of love.
abide (μείνατε - meinate): Imperative verb from menō (μένω), meaning to remain, dwell, continue, or persevere. It is a command, an active choice and ongoing posture. This is not passive rest but active perseverance in a relationship.
in (ἐν - en): Indicates the sphere or realm within which one is to remain. It denotes continuous presence within a condition or state.
My love (τῇ ἀγάπῃ τῇ ἐμῇ - tē agapē tē emē): This refers to Jesus' agape love. Abiding here means not merely feeling loved by Him, but continually residing within the flow and experience of His active love for us. It means living in such a way that one constantly receives, reciprocates, and is shaped by His love.
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you: This phrase establishes a radical and profound parallelism. The agape love of the Father for the Son is the supreme divine love, and Jesus unequivocally states that this exact quality and measure of love is directed towards His followers. It grounds His love for them in the Trinitarian nature of God.
abide in My love: This is a vital command. It implies intentionality and continuity. It's not a suggestion but an instruction to continuously immerse oneself in, live by, and draw sustenance from Jesus' unwavering love. This abiding love becomes the spiritual atmosphere for the believer's life and fruitfulness.
John 15 9 Bonus section
The love spoken of here is the highest form of love (agape), distinct from human affection (philia) or erotic passion (eros). Agape is characterized by benevolence, sacrifice, and unselfish commitment. By stating, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you," Jesus is not simply setting a quantitative measure but establishing a qualitative standard rooted in the very nature of God. This implies a love that is unwavering, perfect, eternal, and perfectly pure. Furthermore, this verse invites believers into a dynamic, Trinitarian communion. The love that flows between the Father and the Son is now extended to the believer, enabling them to participate in that very divine relationship. This reciprocal indwelling and love form the spiritual lifeblood, ensuring the spiritual vitality of the "branches" in union with the "Vine." Abiding in Jesus' love is inseparable from abiding in Him, abiding in His words, and consequently abiding in God Himself.
John 15 9 Commentary
John 15:9 serves as the anchor point for understanding the essence of Christian discipleship within the vine and branches metaphor. Jesus reveals that the ultimate standard for His love for humanity is nothing less than the perfect, boundless love shared between the Father and the Son within the Godhead. This divine love, agape, is unconditional, sacrificial, and supremely good. Jesus extends this exact quality of love to His disciples, forming the spiritual wellspring for their existence and ministry.
The imperative "abide in My love" is crucial. It’s not merely about recognizing that Jesus loves us, but actively dwelling, resting, and continuing in that love. This isn't passive emotional feeling, but an active, committed orientation of life. Abiding in His love means continuously trusting in its unchanging nature, drawing strength from it, and allowing it to inform our thoughts, actions, and relationships. As the following verse (15:10) clarifies, this abiding is intrinsically linked with obedience. Keeping His commandments is the practical expression and pathway to remain in the sphere of His love, mirroring Jesus' own obedience to the Father as a means of abiding in the Father's love. This love provides the security, identity, and empowerment necessary for true spiritual fruitfulness and enduring joy.
Examples of practical usage:
- Trust in Identity: When feelings of inadequacy arise, recall that Jesus loves you with the same love the Father loves Him; your worth is divinely established.
- Motivation for Service: Recognize that service springs not from obligation, but from a profound security in His love, which then overflows.
- Endurance in Hardship: When facing trials, remember to "abide in My love," finding strength and perseverance in His unfailing commitment to you.