John — Chapter 17
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1When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
2For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.
3Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
4I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.
5And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
6I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
7Now they know that everything You have given Me comes from You.
8For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them. They knew with certainty that I came from You, and they believed that You sent Me.
9I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours.
10All I have is Yours, and all You have is Mine; and in them I have been glorified.
11I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one.
12While I was with them, I protected and preserved them by Your name, the name You gave Me. Not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
13But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them.
14I have given them Your word and the world has hated them. For they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
15I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one.
16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
17Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
18As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world.
19For them I sanctify Myself, so that they too may be sanctified by the truth.
20I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message,
21that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one—
23I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me.
24Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
25Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, I know You, and they know that You sent Me.
26And I have made Your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love You have for Me may be in them, and I in them.”
1These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
1These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the son may glorify thee:
2even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life.
3And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, [even] Jesus Christ.
4I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do.
5And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; and they have kept thy word.
7Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee:
8for the words which thou gavest me I have given unto them; and they received [them], and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me.
9I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine:
10and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them.
11And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we [are].
12While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
14I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [one].
16They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
17Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.
18As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world.
19And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word;
21that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me.
22And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we [are] one;
23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me.
24Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me;
26and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them.
1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he looked upward to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you—
2just as you have given him authority over all humanity, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.
3Now this is eternal life—that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
4I glorified you on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
5And now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory I had with you before the world was created.
6“I have revealed your name to the men you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have obeyed your word.
7Now they understand that everything you have given me comes from you,
8because I have given them the words you have given me. They accepted them and really understand that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.
9I am praying on behalf of them. I am not praying on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those you have given me because they belong to you.
10Everything I have belongs to you, and everything you have belongs to me, and I have been glorified by them.
11I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them safe in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.
12When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name that you have given me. Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled.
13But now I am coming to you, and I am saying these things in the world, so they may experience my joy completed in themselves.
14I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
15I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the evil one.
16They do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world.
17Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth.
18Just as you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.
19And I set myself apart on their behalf, so that they too may be truly set apart.
20“I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony,
21that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.
22The glory you gave to me I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one—
23I in them and you in me—that they may be completely one, so that the world will know that you sent me, and you have loved them just as you have loved me.
24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they can see my glory that you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25Righteous Father, even if the world does not know you, I know you, and these men know that you sent me.
26I made known your name to them, and I will continue to make it known, so that the love you have loved me with may be in them, and I may be in them.”
1Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;
2even as you gave him authority over all flesh, so he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
4I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.
5Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.
6I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word.
7Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you,
8for the words which you have given me I have given to them, and they received them, and knew for sure that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.
9I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
10All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
11I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them through your name which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are.
12While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. Those whom you have given me I have kept. None of them is lost, except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
14I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.
16They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
17Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.
18As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
19For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word,
21that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that you sent me.
22The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one;
23I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me.
24Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me.
26I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
Summary
In His High Priestly Prayer, Jesus first asks the Father to glorify Him with the glory He shared before the world began, having completed the work the Father gave Him (vv. 1-5). He then prays for His disciples, whom the Father gave Him out of the world and who have kept His word, asking the Father to protect and unify them even though He is leaving the world while they remain in it (vv. 6-13). He does not ask that they be removed from the world but that they be kept from the evil one and sanctified in the truth of God's word (vv. 15-17), and He sends them into the world just as the Father sent Him (v. 18). Finally, He extends His prayer to all future believers who will come to faith through the disciples' testimony, asking that they be perfectly united as He and the Father are one, so that the world may know the Father sent Him and loved them (vv. 20-23). He closes by expressing His desire that His people ultimately be with Him to see His glory, and that the Father's love for Him would dwell in them (vv. 24-26).
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
- En route to Gethsemane: Jesus prayed this High Priestly Prayer on the night of His arrest — possibly while walking toward the Mount of Olives or already in the garden.
- "The world" and "out of the world" (vv.11,15): Jesus speaks of the world as the environment of the disciples' mission — they are sent INTO it but kept FROM its evil.
Places on this map
- GethsemaneJerusalemAn olive grove at the foot of the Mount of Olives, just across the Kidron from the temple. The name means oil press. It was outside the walls but minutes from them, which is why an arrest there could be made quietly at night. Wikipedia
- Mount of OlivesJerusalemA limestone ridge just east of Jerusalem, separated from the city by the Kidron Valley and about 250 feet higher, so it looks straight down into the temple courts. The road to Jericho and Bethany crosses it, which is why Jesus is so often on it. Wikipedia
Towns sit on their excavated or traditional site. Regions, rivers and seas are ringed rather than dotted, because for those a single point is only an anchor. Coastlines from Natural Earth.
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik examines the three sections of the prayer, the meaning of eternal life as knowing God (v.3), the nature of sanctification through truth, and the unity Jesus prays for in vv.20-23.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of John -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- Eternal Life Defined as Knowing God (v.3) — Jesus describes eternal life not primarily as a future destination but as a present, relational knowledge of the Father and the Son. How would you describe your own knowledge of God right now — growing and personal, or mostly information held at a distance?
- Christ's Joy Made Full in You (v.13) — Jesus prays that his own joy would be completed in his disciples, a joy rooted in the Father's will rather than in circumstances. What is the difference between the joy you experience and the happiness the world offers?
- Kept in the World, Not Removed From It (v.15) — Jesus asks the Father not to take his followers out of the world but to protect them from evil while they remain in it. Where are you asking God to remove you from a hard situation when he may instead be calling you to stay faithful within it?
- Sanctified Through the Truth (v.17) — Jesus identifies God's word as the primary means by which his people are made holy. How much is Scripture actually shaping your thinking, desires, and behavior day to day?
- A Prayer for Unity Among Believers (vv.20-23) — Jesus prays for all future believers to be one, saying that visible unity is what shows the world he was sent by the Father. How does division among Christians you know damage that witness, and what is your part in pursuing unity?
- The Goal of Seeing His Glory (v.24) — Jesus' deepest desire for his people is that they would be with him and behold his glory fully. What changes about your daily priorities when you know that seeing and knowing Jesus fully is the ultimate purpose of your life?