After the Last Supper, Jesus gives his final message to the apostles. Jesus says that he chose them to bear fruit.
John 15:17 These things I command you, that you love one another.
John 15:17 This is my command: Love each other.
NSRV John 15:17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
These things I command you that you should care for one another.
We care for each other because it is a rules of live.
This is the third time that Christ has echoed this idea (John 13:34, John 13:35, John 15:12). Each time the message is subtly different. Here, the verb "love" is either in the form of a command (an imperative) but the form is also a subjunction, something that "should" or "might" be done. Jesus always gives commands in the "should" form. He does not order that we do something. He tells us that we should. As in all the other verses, the "love" is the Greek word that means "care for" rather than enjoy. Notice that Jesus says that he is commanding many things, but he only describes one, caring about one another. The sense is that caring about each person is a different task.
- MW -- Missing Word -- This verb is a subjunctive, which requires a "should" or "might" when outside of a when/if clause.
- CW - Confusing Word - This is one of two different verbs with different meanings translated as "love" so the translation confuses them.
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "This" is translated as singular but the Greek word is plural, "these things."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "is" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "my" is not a pronoun but the first-person form of the verb.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "command" is not a noun but a verb.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "you" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "that" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word - This is one of two different verbs with different meanings translated as "love" so the translation confuses them.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "giving" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "commands" is not a noun but a verb.
- CW - Confusing Word - This is one of two different verbs with different meanings translated as "love" so the translation confuses them.
These -- The "these" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," the nearer or the further depending on usage. It follows the noun so it repeats the idea of the noun as "this one." It is often used in the neuter plural to refer to "these things."
things - This comes from the neuter, plural form of previous pronoun.
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
command - "Command" is from a Greek verb that primarily means to give verbal commands or orders.
you, -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed.
that -- The word translated as "that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause "that," "when," "in order that" or "because." It is used as an introduction to a command, where it isn't translated.
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
missing "should" or "might"-- (MW) A helping verb is necessary because the following verb is a verb of possibility, a subjunctive, something that "should" or "might" occur. The helping verb is not needed in a clause beginning with an "if" or a "when." The form of the word could also be an imperative, but commands are usually the subjunctive ("should") form in Jesus's words.
love - (CW) The word translated as "love" expresses a lot of different ideas including "to be fond of," "to greet with affection," "to persuade," and "to be contented with." Jesus however, applies it to relationships where we have a duty to care for others: family, God, etc. Another word, also translated as "love," is used to for relationships of affectionate friendship that are more voluntary. To distinguish this word, translating it as "cares for" seems to work best. See this article on love for more information.
one another. - "One another" is a special adjective that means literally "one another."
This -- (WN) The "this" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," the nearer or the further depending on usage. It follows the noun so it repeats the idea of the noun as "this one." It is often used in the neuter plural to refer to "these things."
is -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "is" in the Greek source.
my -- (WF) This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb. It is not a possessive pronoun.
command - (WF) "Command" is from a Greek verb that primarily means to give verbal commands or orders. This is not a noun, but a verb.
missing "you" -- (MW) The untranslated word "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed.
missing "that" -- (MW) The untranslated word "that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause "that," "when," "in order that" or "because." It is used as an introduction to a command, where it isn't translated.
Love - (CW) The word translated as "love" expresses a lot of different ideas including "to be fond of," "to greet with affection," "to persuade," and "to be contented with." Jesus however, applies it to relationships where we have a duty to care for others: family, God, etc. Another word, also translated as "love," is used to for relationships of affectionate friendship that are more voluntary. To distinguish this word, translating it as "cares for" seems to work best. See this article on love for more information. The form of the word could also be an imperative, but commands are usually the subjunctive ("should") form in Jesus's words.
each other. - "Each other" is a special adjective that means literally "one another."
I -- This is from the first-person, singular form of the verb.
am -- This helping verb indicates the present tense of the verb. It is used here to form the present, progressive tense, which doesn't exist in Greek but which can smooth the flow of English sentences.
giving -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "giving" in the Greek source.
you -- The Greek pronoun "you" here is plural and in the form of an indirect object, "to you," "for you," etc. As the object of a preposition, this form implies no movement, but in a fixed position or events occur at a specified time or while the action was being performed.
these -- The "these" is a pronoun that can mean "this" or "that," the nearer or the further depending on usage. It follows the noun so it repeats the idea of the noun as "this one." It is often used in the neuter plural to refer to "these things."
commands - (WF) "Commands" is from a Greek verb that primarily means to give verbal commands or orders. This is not a noun, but a verb.
so that -- The word translated as "so that" is a conjunction that starts a subordinate clause "that," "when," "in order that" or "because." It is used as an introduction to a command, where it isn't translated.
you -- This is from the second-person, plural form of the verb.
may -- This helping verb "may" indicates that the verb indicates a possibility, the subjunctive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
love - (CW) The word translated as "love" expresses a lot of different ideas including "to be fond of," "to greet with affection," "to persuade," and "to be contented with." Jesus however, applies it to relationships where we have a duty to care for others: family, God, etc. Another word, also translated as "love," is used to for relationships of affectionate friendship that are more voluntary. To distinguish this word, translating it as "cares for" seems to work best. See this article on love for more information.
one another. - "One another" is a special adjective that means literally "one another."
Ταῦτα [96 verses](adj pl neut acc) "These things" is tauta, which is a referring pronoun meaning "these," "this," "that," and "here." It can mean the nearer or the further depending on usage. As an adverb it can mean "therefore" and "that is why."
ἐντέλλομαι [6 verses](verb 1st sg pres ind) "Command" is entello, which means "to enjoin," "to command" especially verbally, "invest with legal powers," and "authorize to act."
ὑμῖν [289 verses](pron 2nd pl dat) "To you" is humin the plural form of su the pronoun of the second person, "you."
ἵνα [134 verses](adv/conj) "That" is hina, which means "in that place," "there," "where," "when," but when beginning a phrase "that," "in order that," "when," and "because."
ἀγαπᾶτε [32 verses](2nd pl pres subj or verb 2nd pl pres imperat act ) "Love" is agapao, which means "to be fond of," "to greet with affection," "to persuade," "to caress," "to prize," "to desire," "to be pleased with," and "to be contended with." This love is more associated with affection in relationships where we are obligated. Jesus uses another word. Jesus uses another word, phileô, which means "to love," "to like," "to be fond of doing," and "to show affection" to express "love" in the sense of like and dislike.He never uses the word eros, which describes romantic, sexual love. --
ἀλλήλους. [14 verses] (adj pl masc acc) "One another" is allelon, which means "one another," "to one another," "mutually," and "reciprocally." " -