John 15:16

οὐχ ὑμεῖς. Not ye chose Me, but I chose you. Ὑμεῖς and ἐγώ are emphatic. Ἐκλέγειν refers to their election to be Apostles (John 6:70; John 13:18; Acts 1:2); therefore the aorist as referring to a definite act in the past should be preserved. So also ἔθηκα, I appointed you, i. e. assigned you to a definite post, as in 2 Timothy 1:11; Hebrews 1:2. This is better than ‘I ordained,’ as A. V. here and 1 Timothy 2:7, ‘ordain’ having become a technical term in ecclesiastical language. Comp. Acts 13:47; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 12:28. The repetition of ὑμεῖς throughout the verse emphasizes the personal responsibility of the Apostles.

ὑπάγητε. see on John 1:7 : that ye should go and bear fruit. Ὑπάγητε must not be insisted on too strongly as if it referred to the missionary journeys of the Apostles. On the other hand it is more than a mere auxiliary or expletive: it implies the active carrying out of the idea expressed by the verb with which it is coupled (comp. Luke 10:37; Matthew 13:44; Matthew 18:15; Matthew 19:21), and perhaps also separation from their Master (Matthew 20:4; Matthew 20:7). The missionary work of gathering in souls is not specially indicated here: the ‘fruit’ is rather the holiness of their own lives and good works of all kinds. The second ἵνα is partly coordinate with, partly dependent on, the first: comp. the double ἵνα John 13:34 and see on John 15:7. Several ancient commentators take δῶ as the first person in harmony with John 14:13. The three passages, John 14:13; John 15:7; John 15:16 should be compared.