John 15 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentrelativepurposecausecomparativecontentconditionalphrase modifierdashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

The true vine — abiding and fruit-bearing 15:1–8

vv. 1–3 — the vine, the vinedresser, and the already-clean disciples

I am the true vine,independent — the seventh and last predicate ἐγώ εἰμι saying — ἀληθινή sets the real vine against Israel the failed one (Ps 80:8–16; Isa 5:1–7; Jer 2:21); no verb of saying anywhere in the chapter: the discourse runs on from 14:31

and my Father is the vinedresser.independent — the second character — the Father as γεωργός, the one who tends, lifts, and prunes

Every branch in me that does not bear fruit —phrase modifier — casus pendens, suspended and resumed by αὐτό — forward-leaning on αἴρει; ἐν ἐμοί read with κλῆμα (even the fruitless branch is 'in me')

he takes it away,independent — the αἴρει crux — 'take away' (removal) or 'lift up' (the vinedresser raising a trailing branch); the pun with καθαίρει and καθαροί (v. 3) is deliberate

and every one that bears fruit —phrase modifier — the answering casus pendens, forward-leaning on καθαίρει

he prunes it,independent — καθαίρω only here in the NT — 'cleanse, prune'; both branches get the knife, to opposite ends

so that it may bear more fruit.purpose — the goal of pruning — πλείονα, the first step of the chapter's progression: fruit, more fruit, much fruit (vv. 2, 5, 8)

Already you are clean because of the wordindependent — the metaphor applied — καθαροί picks up καθαίρει; the cleansing agent is not a knife but the word (cf. 13:10)

that I have spoken to you.relative — intensive perfect λελάληκα — the spoken word stands with ongoing effect

vv. 4–5 — the mutual abiding: no fruit apart from the vine

Abide in me,independent — the central imperative — μένω, the chapter's governing word (ten occurrences)

and I in you.independent — verbless reciprocal — promise and imperative at once: the abiding is mutual

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itselfcomparative — the grounding analogy, forward-leaning on the οὕτως line — natural impossibility, not moral failure

unless it abides in the vine,conditional — ἐὰν μή = 'unless' — the backward protasis anchored on δύναται

so neither can you,independent — the οὕτως apodosis, elliptical — 'you [can bear fruit]' supplied from the analogy

unless you abide in me.conditional — the matching backward protasis — ἐν ἐμοί fronted before the verb

I am the vine;independent — the saying restated without ἀληθινή — the metaphor is now transparent

you are the branches.independent — verbless nominal sentence — the disciples named inside the figure for the first time

The one who abides in me and I in him —phrase modifier — casus pendens resumed by οὗτος (Johannine, cf. 14:21), forward-leaning on φέρει — the reciprocal κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ folded inside the suspended subject

he it is that bears much fruit,independent — resumptive οὗτος on the mainline — καρπὸν πολύν, the second step of the progression

for apart from me you can do nothing.cause — the ground stated as absolute negative — χωρὶς ἐμοῦ ... οὐδέν, total dependence

vv. 6–8 — the two outcomes: fire, or fruit and answered prayer

If anyone does not abide in me,conditional — the negative case — forward-leaning protasis

he is thrown out like the branch and withers;independent — gnomic aorists ἐβλήθη, ἐξηράνθη — what inevitably happens, not a past report; the fire-imagery of Ezek 15:1–8 behind the whole

and they gather themindependent — indefinite plural — the workers; the singular branch has become the plural αὐτά

and throw them into the fire,independent — εἰς τὸ πῦρ fronted — the destination before the verb

and it burns.independent — the vivid present at the end of the aorist chain — the burning goes on

If you abide in me,conditional — the positive case answering v. 6 — first of two coordinate protases

and my words abide in you,conditional — the second protasis — ῥήματα now abide where 'I' did (v. 4): the word is the mode of the indwelling

ask whatever you wish,independent — the apodosis — the 'whatever' is bounded by the double abiding above it, not a blanket promise: desires conformed by the abiding word

and it will be done for you.independent — predictive future, divine passive implied — the Father accomplishes it

By this my Father is glorified,independent — anticipatory ἐν τούτῳ, unpacked by the ἵνα-clause; ἐδοξάσθη gnomic or proleptic aorist

that you bear much fruitcontent — epexegetic ἵνα — the content of the 'this'; much fruit, the progression's last step

and prove to be my disciples.content — coordinate under τούτῳ — γένησθε, the becoming that shows what one is: fruit as the proof of discipleship

Abide in my love — commandment, joy, and friends 15:9–17

vv. 9–11 — the love-chain: Father to Son to you, and the joy made full

As the Father has loved me,comparative — the καθώς chain opens — forward-leaning on κἀγώ: the Father's love for the Son is the measure and source of the Son's for the disciples

so I have loved you;independent — constative aorist — the whole of Jesus' love summed as one act; the vine-register shifts to the love-register

abide in my love.independent — μείνατε again (v. 4) — abiding in Christ and abiding in his love are the same abiding

If you keep my commandments,conditional — the how of abiding — the love-obedience nexus (14:15, 21, 23); forward-leaning protasis

you will abide in my love,independent — predictive future — the imperative of v. 9 becomes a promise

just as I have kept my Father's commandmentscomparative — the christological model — intensive perfect τετήρηκα, the keeping stands complete

and abide in his love.comparative — coordinate half of the καθώς — Jesus himself lives the pattern he commands

These things I have spoken to youindependent — the discourse-closing formula (14:25; 16:1, 4, 33) — the vine-teaching sealed as a completed whole

so that my joy may be in youpurpose — the aim is joy — Jesus' own joy taking up residence, as his words do (v. 7)

and your joy may be made full.purpose — πληρωθῇ — joy brought to full measure (16:24; 17:13; 1 John 1:4)

vv. 12–15 — the commandment and the friends: no greater love

This is my commandment,independent — cataphoric αὕτη — the plural commandments (v. 10) gathered into the one commandment (13:34)

that you love one anothercontent — epexegetic ἵνα — the commandment's content; present subjunctive, love as ongoing disposition

as I have loved you.comparative — the measure — the καθώς of v. 9 now passed down a link: as the Father loved me, I you; as I you, you one another

Greater love than this no one has,independent — the maxim — μείζονα fronted, ταύτης genitive of comparison; Jesus speaks proleptically of his own death

that someone lay down his life for his friends.content — ἵνα read epexegetic of ταύτης, not purpose — τὴν ψυχὴν τιθέναι, the shepherd's idiom of 10:11–18; ὑπέρ, the preposition of substitution

You are my friendsindependent — the φίλοι of v. 13 named — emphatic ὑμεῖς: the ones he will die for

if you do what I command you.conditional — backward protasis anchored on ἐστε — not friendship earned but friendship defined: obedience is its shape

No longer do I call you slaves,independent — οὐκέτι — the old category formally retired (though v. 20 will still argue from it)

for the slave does not know what his master is doing;cause — the criterion is knowledge — the slave's ignorance is structural; indirect question kept in-line

but you I have called friends,independent — intensive perfect εἴρηκα — the designation stands; the classical friend as 'another self' behind the claim

for all that I heard from my Father I have made known to you.cause — the ground of friendship is total disclosure — πάντα fronted; cf. 17:26

vv. 16–17 — chosen and appointed to lasting fruit; love one another (inclusio)

You did not choose me,independent — the election reversed — emphatic ὑμεῖς denied first

but I chose you and appointed youindependent — ἐγώ against ὑμεῖς — ἔθηκα, the commissioning sense of τίθημι (and the verb of laying down life, v. 13)

that you should go and bear fruitpurpose — the purpose of appointment — ὑπάγητε, the going of mission; the vine's fruit now borne on the road

and that your fruit should abide,purpose — coordinate purpose — μένω transferred to the fruit itself: lasting results, enduring converts

so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.purpose — the second ἵνα chained on the first — answered prayer flows out of the abiding-fruit mission (v. 7 restated Father-ward)

These things I command you,independent — the section's seal — ταῦτα gathers vv. 9–16 as command

so that you love one another.purpose — the inclusio with v. 12 — election, friendship, and mission all bend back to the one commandment

The world's hatred — hated first, chosen out, without excuse 15:18–25

vv. 18–19 — hated first, chosen out: why the world hates

If the world hates you,conditional — the abrupt pivot from love to hatred — first-class condition, the hatred assumed as real; forward-leaning protasis

knowindependent — indicative ('you know') or imperative ('know!') — both readings possible; laid as the apodosis mainline

that it has hated me before you.content — the content — ἐμέ fronted; intensive perfect μεμίσηκεν, a standing prior hatred that explains theirs

If you were of the world,conditional — second-class condition (contrary to fact) — 'but you are not'; forward-leaning

the world would love its own;independent — the apodosis with ἄν — τὸ ἴδιον: the world's love is membership-love, φιλέω for its own kind

but because you are not of the world,cause — the causal ὅτι leaning forward on διὰ τοῦτο μισεῖ below — the actual state of affairs against the hypothesis

but I chose you out of the world,cause — coordinate inside the ὅτι — the election of v. 16 restated with ἐκ: chosen out of the world's domain, hence its enmity

therefore the world hates you.independent — the inference drawn — διὰ τοῦτο gathering the double ground; κόσμος closes the verse it opened

vv. 20–21 — the servant-master word applied to persecution

Remember the wordindependent — present imperative — keep the maxim in mind as the interpretive key

that I said to you:relative — οὗ attracted to the case of λόγου — the word spoken at the footwashing (13:16)

'A slave is not greater than his master.'content — the quoted maxim under εἶπον — spoken there of service, applied here to persecution

If they persecuted me,conditional — first-class condition — they did; forward-leaning on διώξουσιν

they will also persecute you;independent — the maxim cashed out — the servant shares the master's treatment

if they kept my word,conditional — the parallel protasis — some did keep it; forward-leaning

they will also keep yours.independent — the note of hope inside the prediction — the disciples' word will find keepers as his did

But all these things they will do to you on account of my name,independent — ἀλλά pivots back to the dominant reality — persecution rooted in identity, διὰ τὸ ὄνομα

because they do not know the one who sent me.cause — the root cause — ignorance of the Sender: the Johannine definition of the world's lostness (17:25)

vv. 22–25 — no excuse: word, works, and the causeless hatred foretold

If I had not come and spoken to them,conditional — second-class condition — the word-half of the vv. 22/24 chiasm; forward-leaning

they would not have sin;independent — εἴχοσαν, archaic imperfect in the contrary-to-fact apodosis — the sin in view is rejection of the light

but now they have no excuse for their sin.independent — νῦν δέ — as it is; πρόφασις, the covering pretext, only here in the NT in this sense

Whoever hates me hates my Father also.independent — the bridging maxim between word (v. 22) and works (v. 24) — rejection of the Son is rejection of the Father

If I had not done among them the worksconditional — the works-half of the chiasm — second-class again, matching v. 22 frame for frame

which no one else did,relative — the works uniquely unparalleled — οὐδεὶς ἄλλος, the signs beyond comparison

they would not have sin;independent — the refrain of v. 22 verbatim — the excuse removed a second way

but now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.independent — the double perfect — seeing and hating stand together: hatred with the evidence in full view

But this is so that the word written in their Law might be fulfilled:purpose — elliptical ἀλλ' ἵνα — 'but [this happened] that...'; laid flush as the suspended fulfillment formula; νόμος used broadly of the Psalter (10:34; 12:34), αὐτῶν distancing — their own Law condemns them

'They hated me without cause.'content — Ps 35:19 / Ps 69:4 conflated — both psalms of the righteous sufferer; δωρεάν, the hatred gratis, groundless

The Paraclete's witness — and yours 15:26–27

When the Paraclete comes,conditional — ὅταν + subjunctive, indefinite temporal (quasi-conditional) — the third of the four Paraclete sayings (14:16–17, 26; 16:7–15); forward-leaning on μαρτυρήσει

whom I will send to you from the Father,relative — the Son sends (contrast 14:26, where the Father sends in Jesus' name) — παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, the Father as source

the Spirit of truth,phrase modifier — verbless apposition to ὁ παράκλητος — the Johannine title (14:17; 16:13)

who proceeds from the Father,relative — ἐκπορεύεται, gnomic present — the procession verb that became the filioque locus: the text says the Spirit proceeds from the Father, while Jesus sends him

he will bear witness about me;independent — emphatic ἐκεῖνος resuming the whole subject — the Spirit's office here is witness to Jesus

and you also bear witness,independent — καὶ...δέ — the second witness paired with the Spirit's; μαρτυρεῖτε indicative or imperative, left ambiguous

because you have been with me from the beginning.cause — the ground of their testimony — eyewitness presence ἀπ' ἀρχῆς (cf. Luke 1:2; Acts 1:21–22; 1 John 1:1)

Analysis. John 15 has no mouth-frame at all: the chapter runs mid-Farewell-Discourse, with no verb of saying anywhere (the speech continues seamlessly from 14:31's 'rise, let us go'), so on the matthew6/matthew25 mid-speech convention Jesus' own sentences stand flush-left at depth 0 as coordinate mainline and only their subordination indents — ἐάν/εἰ protases leaning forward anchor-less one step above their apodoses, καθώς comparisons and ἵνα clauses hanging beneath their heads. The shape shows three panels and a coda: the vine (vv. 1–8), whose casus-pendens pairs (vv. 2, 5) print as suspended verbless lines resumed by αὐτό/οὗτος on the mainline; the love-commandment (vv. 9–17), where the καθώς chain (Father→Son→disciples) leans forward onto κἀγὼ ὑμᾶς ἠγάπησα and the ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους of v. 12 returns at v. 17 as inclusio; the world's hatred (vv. 18–25), a stack of εἰ frames — first-class at vv. 18, 20, second-class at vv. 19, 22, 24 — closing on the fulfillment citation; and the paired witnesses (vv. 26–27). Cruxes taken: αἴρει at v. 2 rendered 'takes away' with the viticultural 'lifts up' flagged in the tag; v. 7's 'ask whatever you wish' kept inside the double abiding protasis, not a blanket promise; the ἵνα of v. 13 read epexegetic of ταύτης (as of τούτῳ at v. 8 and ἐντολή at v. 12), not purpose; v. 20's maxim printed as quotation under εἶπον (13:16 recalled); vv. 22 and 24 laid as matching word/works second-class frames each ending νῦν δέ; v. 25's elliptical ἀλλ' ἵνα set flush at 0 as the suspended fulfillment formula (Ps 35:19 / 69:4 beneath γεγραμμένος); and at v. 26 ἐκπορεύεται tagged as the filioque locus — the Spirit proceeding from the Father beside Jesus' sending — with μαρτυρεῖτε at v. 27 left ambiguous between indicative and imperative.