You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus highlights that the initiative wasn't ours; He chose and appointed us. This isn't just about a mission, but about a fundamental calling to "go and bear fruit," implying an active, outward movement into the world with His purposes. The promise of answered prayer is directly tied to this fruit-bearing, suggesting that our ability to ask and receive from the Father is empowered by our obedience in producing lasting spiritual results.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is speaking to his disciples in the intimate setting of the Last Supper, just before his crucifixion. He's been explaining their relationship to him using the metaphor of a vine and its branches, emphasizing their dependence on him for life and fruitfulness. He's also warned them that the world will hate them because they belong to him, not to the world.
Ever feel like you're the one who found God? This verse flips that idea on its head, revealing a profound truth about who initiated your journey.
Jesus states plainly, "You did not choose me, but I chose you." This isn't just a gentle suggestion; it's a bold declaration of God's sovereignty in salvation.
The Electing Love
Jesus didn't just choose His followers; He equipped them for a mission. What kind of 'fruit' is He talking about, and why does it need to last?
Jesus doesn't just set His disciples apart; He commissions them with a clear mandate: 'to go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide.'
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Bearing Lasting Fruit
After being chosen and commissioned, Jesus gives His followers a remarkable promise tied to prayer. What's the connection between bearing fruit and asking the Father?
The verse concludes with a stunning promise: 'so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.' This isn't a blank check, but a powerful assurance tied to the mission.
The Power of Asking in His Name
Understand the original words
eklegomai · Greek Verb
To select or elect, often implying a divine choice for a specific purpose or relationship. In a theological sense, it refers to God's sovereign initiative in salvation and calling individuals to Himself apart from human merit.
tithēmi · Greek Verb
To set someone apart for a specific task, function, or office. It carries the sense of commissioning or ordaining an individual to fulfill a divine mandate.
karpos · Greek Noun
Metaphorical language referring to the tangible outcomes of a believer's life, including character transformation, good works, and the winning of souls, resulting from abiding in Christ.
menō · Greek Verb
To remain, continue, or endure. Biblically, it refers to the permanence of spiritual life and its effects, which persist because they are rooted in God's eternal nature rather than human effort.
onoma · Greek Noun
Referring to the authority, character, and mission of the person mentioned. Praying in the name of Jesus signifies asking in alignment with His will, by His merit, and under His delegated authority.
This passage echoes the theme of God's sovereign choice, highlighting that Israel was chosen not because of their merit but solely by God's love and a promise made to their ancestors, just as Jesus states he chose his disciples.
Isaiah 61:1-3This prophetic passage describes the Messiah being anointed to bring good news, set captives free, and bestow beauty for ashes, which aligns with Jesus appointing his disciples to go forth and bear fruit that represents his redemptive work in the world.
Jeremiah 1:5Similar to John 15:16, Jeremiah was chosen and consecrated by God before his birth for a specific purpose, illustrating the divine initiative in calling individuals to ministry and bearing fruit for God's kingdom.
1 Thessalonians 2:13This passage speaks of believers receiving God's word not as human words but as it truly is, the word of God, which is effective in them who believe, underscoring how the 'fruit' borne by the disciples is the powerful, abiding work of God's message.
Colossians 1:9-10Paul prays for believers to be filled with knowledge and wisdom and to bear fruit in every good work, reflecting the disciples' appointed task in John 15:16 to go and produce lasting fruit through God's empowering presence.
barnesJohn 15:16: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."
Ye have not chosen me - The word here translated "chosen" is that from which is derived the word "elect," and means the same thing. It is frequently thus translated, Mark 13:20 ; Matthew 24:22 , Matthew 24:24 , Matthew 24:31 ; Colossians 3:12 . It refers here, doubtless…
jfbJohn 15:16: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."
- Ye have not chosen me, but I … you—a wholesale memento after the lofty things He had just said about their mutual indwelling, and the unreservedness of the friendship they had been admitted to.ordained—appointed.you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit—that is,…
Jesus highlights that the initiative wasn't ours; He chose and appointed us. This isn't just about a mission, but about a fundamental calling to "go and bear fruit," implying an active, outward movement into the world with His purposes. The promise of answered prayer is directly tied to this fruit-bearing, suggesting that our ability to ask and receive from the Father is empowered by our obedience in producing lasting spiritual results.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples in the intimate setting of the Last Supper, just before his crucifixion. He's been explaining their relationship to him using the metaphor of a vine and its branches, emphasizing their dependence on him for life and fruitfulness. He's also warned them that the world will hate them because they belong to him, not to the world.
Jesus is speaking to his disciples in the intimate setting of the Last Supper, just before his crucifixion. He's been explaining their relationship to him using the metaphor of a vine and its branches, emphasizing their dependence on him for life and fruitfulness. He's also warned them that the world will hate them because they belong to him, not to the world.
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you." — Jesus highlights that the initiative wasn't ours; He chose and appointed us. This isn't just about a mission, but about a fundamental calling to "go and bear fruit," implying an active, outward movem…
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Last reviewed October 2026