But good people continue to live right.\par Innocent people will become stronger.\par
John 15:2 - Easy To Read Version He cuts off every branch {\cf2\super [217]} of mine that does not make fruit. {\cf2\super [218]} And he trims and cleans every branch that makes fruit, so that it will make even more fruit. Tuilleadh leaganachaKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. American Standard Version (1901) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh it away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he cleanseth it, that it may bear more fruit. Common English Bible He removes any of my branches that don’t produce fruit, and he trims any branch that produces fruit so that it will produce even more fruit. Catholic Public Domain Version Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he will take away. And each one that does bear fruit, he will cleanse, so that it may bring forth more fruit. Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit, he will take away: and every one that beareth fruit, he will purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit. |
But good people continue to live right.\par Innocent people will become stronger.\par
Even when they are old,\par they will continue producing fruit\par like young, healthy trees.\par
Good people are like the early morning light. The sun rises and the day becomes brighter and happier.
How will Jacob’s guilt be forgiven? What will happen so his sins can be taken away? \{These things will happen\}: The rocks of the altar will be crushed to dust; the statues {\cf2\super [251]} and altars {\cf2\super [252]} for worshiping false gods will all be destroyed.
The Lord will make the poor people happy. The poor people will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Some of the wise people will stumble \{and make mistakes\}. But the persecution must come. Why? So that they can be made stronger, purer, and without faults until the time of the end. Then, at the right time, that time of the end will come.’”
Let’s learn about the Lord.\par Let’s try very hard to know the Lord.\par We know he is coming,\par like we know the dawn is coming.\par The Lord will come to us like the rain,\par like the spring rain that waters the ground.”\par
He will make the Levites {\cf2\super [17]} clean. {\cf2\super [18]} He will make them pure, like silver is made pure—with fire! He will make them pure like gold and silver. Then they will bring gifts to the Lord—and they will do those things the right way.
The person that has \{some understanding\} will be given more. And he will have even more than he needs. But the person that does not have \{much understanding\} will lose even the little \{understanding\} that he has.
Then Jesus told the people another story: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixes into a big bowl of flour to make bread. The yeast makes all the dough (bread) rise.”
Jesus answered, “Every plant that my Father in heaven has not planted himself will be pulled up by the roots.
Jesus saw a fig tree beside the road. Jesus went to the fig tree \{to get a fig to eat\}. But there were no figs on the tree. There were only leaves. So Jesus said to the tree, “You will never again have fruit!” And then the tree dried up and died.
Every person that uses what he has will get more. That person will have much more than he needs. But the person that does not use what he has will have everything taken away from him.’
The ax is now ready to cut down the trees. {\cf2\super [40]} Every tree that does not make good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
He will come ready to clean the grain. {\cf2\super [43]} He will separate the good grain from the straw. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn. And he will burn the part that is not good. He will burn it with a fire that cannot be stopped.”
Every tree that does not make good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Other people are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and make fruit—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.”
What is the seed that fell on rock? That is like the people that hear God’s teaching and accept it gladly. But these people don’t have deep roots. They believe for a while. But when trouble comes, they turn away from God.
You did not choose me; I chose you. And I gave you this work: to go and make fruit. I want this fruit to continue \{in your life\}. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name.
If a person does not continue in me, then he is like a branch that is thrown away. That branch dies. People pick up dead branches, throw them into the fire, and burn them.
You should make much fruit and show that you are my followers. This brings glory to my Father.
While I was with them, I kept them safe. I kept them safe by the power of your name—the name you gave me. I protected them. And only one of them was lost—the man (Judas) that chose to be lost. He was lost so that what was said in the Scriptures {\cf2\super [225]} would happen.
\{It is like\} some of the branches from an olive tree have been broken off, and the branch of a wild olive tree has been joined to that first tree. You non-Jews are the same as that wild branch, and you now share the strength and life of the first tree (the Jews).
So you see that God is kind, but he can also be very strict. God punishes those people that stop following him. But God is kind to you, if you continue following in his kindness. If you don’t continue following him, you will be cut off \{from the tree\}.
We know that in everything God works for the good of those people that love him. These are the people God called (chose), because that was his plan.
I may speak in different languages of men or even angels. But if I don’t have love, then I am only a noisy bell or a ringing cymbal.
He gave himself for us. He died to free us from all evil. He died to make us pure people that belong only to him—people that are always wanting to do good things.
Be careful that no person fails to get God’s grace (kindness). Be careful that no person becomes like a bitter weed growing among you. A person like that can ruin your whole group.
Those enemies of Christ were in our group. But they left us. They did not really belong with us. If they were really part of our group, then they would have stayed with us. But they left. This shows that none of them really belonged with us.
“I correct and punish those people that I love. So start trying hard! Change your hearts and lives!