You are My friends if you do what I command you.
Parallel translations
- WEB You are my friends, if you do whatever I command you.
- KJV Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
- NKJV You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
- NASB You are My friends if you do what I command you.
- NLT You are my friends if you do what I command.
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 calls the disciples His friends if they do what He commands. Friendship with Christ is marked by loving obedience.
Overview
Jesus graciously names His disciples 'friends,' an intimate relationship, yet one consistent with His lordship, since friends do what He commands. Obedience is not the price of friendship but its evidence and expression. This astonishing nearness, friendship with the Son of God, is a gift of grace flowing from His love.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 12:50For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
- 1 Jn 5:3For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
- Jas 2:23And the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God.
- John 14:21Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
- John 14:15If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
- John 13:17If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
- Luke 12:4I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.
- Isa 41:8“But you, O Israel, My servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend—
- John 2:5His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
- John 14:28You heard Me say, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.
- 2 Chr 20:7Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?
- Song 5:1I have come to my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk. Eat, O friends, and drink; drink freely, O beloved.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 15:14 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.