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These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:11 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.
  • BSB I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
  • NKJV “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
  • NASB These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.
  • NLT I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Jesus speaks these things so that His joy may be in the disciples and their joy made complete. Abiding in Christ produces full, lasting joy.

Overview

The purpose of Jesus' teaching on abiding and love is joy: His own joy taking root in His followers and their joy being brought to fullness. This shows that the call to obedience and abiding is not burdensome but the way to deep, enduring gladness. Christian joy is grounded in union with Christ rather than in changing circumstances.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • Rom 15:13Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
  • John 17:13And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
  • John 16:24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
  • 1 Pet 1:8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
  • 1 Jn 1:4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
  • John 16:33These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
  • 2 Jn 1:12Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
  • 1 Th 5:16Rejoice evermore.
  • 2 Cor 1:24Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
  • Luke 15:32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
  • Luke 15:9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.
  • Eph 5:18And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
  • Luke 15:5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
  • John 3:29He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
  • Phil 1:25And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
  • Isa 53:11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
  • Luke 15:23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
  • Jer 32:41Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
  • Isa 62:4Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
  • Jer 33:9And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.
  • Zeph 3:17The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 15:11YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.

How John 15:11 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.