John 15:4

4 and 6. μένῃ, μένητε, μένῃ for μείνῃ, μείνητε, μείνῃ.

4. κἀγὼ ἐν ὑμῖν. This may be taken either as a promise (‘and then I will abide in you’), or as the other side of the command (‘take care that I abide in you’). The latter is better. The freedom of man’s will is such that on his action depends that of Christ. The branches of the spiritual Vine have this mysterious power, that they can cut themselves off, as Judas had done. Nature does something and grace more; but grace may be rejected. The expression ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ, from itself, as the source of its own productiveness, is peculiar to S. John (John 5:19; John 7:18; John 11:51; John 16:13).