John 13-17
Good News Translation
Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet
13 It was now the day before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. He had always loved those in the world who were his own, and he loved them to the very end.
2 Jesus and his disciples were at supper. The Devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, the thought of betraying Jesus.[a] 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him complete power; he knew that he had come from God and was going to God. 4 So he rose from the table, took off his outer garment, and tied a towel around his waist. 5 Then he poured some water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Are you going to wash my feet, Lord?”
7 Jesus answered him, “You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later.”
8 Peter declared, “Never at any time will you wash my feet!”
“If I do not wash your feet,” Jesus answered, “you will no longer be my disciple.”
9 Simon Peter answered, “Lord, do not wash only my feet, then! Wash my hands and head, too!”
10 Jesus said, “Those who have taken a bath are completely clean and do not have to wash themselves, except for their feet.[b] All of you are clean—all except one.” (11 Jesus already knew who was going to betray him; that is why he said, “All of you, except one, are clean.”)
12 (A)After Jesus had washed their feet, he put his outer garment back on and returned to his place at the table. “Do you understand what I have just done to you?” he asked. 13 “You call me Teacher and Lord, and it is right that you do so, because that is what I am. 14 I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set an example for you, so that you will do just what I have done for you. 16 (B)I am telling you the truth: no slaves are greater than their master, and no messengers are greater than the one who sent them. 17 Now that you know this truth, how happy you will be if you put it into practice!
18 (C)“I am not talking about all of you; I know those I have chosen. But the scripture must come true that says, ‘The man who shared my food turned against me.’ 19 I tell you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe that ‘I Am Who I Am.’ 20 (D)I am telling you the truth: whoever receives anyone I send receives me also; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal(E)
21 After Jesus had said this, he was deeply troubled and declared openly, “I am telling you the truth: one of you is going to betray me.”
22 The disciples looked at one another, completely puzzled about whom he meant. 23 One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was sitting next to Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him and said, “Ask him whom he is talking about.”
25 So that disciple moved closer to Jesus' side and asked, “Who is it, Lord?”
26 Jesus answered, “I will dip some bread in the sauce and give it to him; he is the man.” So he took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Hurry and do what you must!” 28 None of the others at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas was in charge of the money bag, some of the disciples thought that Jesus had told him to go and buy what they needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor.
30 Judas accepted the bread and went out at once. It was night.
The New Commandment
31 After Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man's glory is revealed; now God's glory is revealed through him. 32 And if God's glory is revealed through him, then God will reveal the glory of the Son of Man in himself, and he will do so at once. 33 (F)My children, I shall not be with you very much longer. You will look for me; but I tell you now what I told the Jewish authorities, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’ 34 (G)And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial(H)
36 “Where are you going, Lord?” Simon Peter asked him.
“You cannot follow me now where I am going,” answered Jesus; “but later you will follow me.”
37 “Lord, why can't I follow you now?” asked Peter. “I am ready to die for you!”
38 Jesus answered, “Are you really ready to die for me? I am telling you the truth: before the rooster crows you will say three times that you do not know me.
Jesus the Way to the Father
14 “Do not be worried and upset,” Jesus told them. “Believe[c] in God and believe also in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father's house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you this if it were not so.[d] 3 And after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that you will be where I am. 4 You know the way that leads to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; so how can we know the way to get there?”
6 (I)Jesus answered him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one goes to the Father except by me. 7 Now that you have known me,” he said to them, “you will know[e] my Father also, and from now on you do know him and you have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father; that is all we need.”
9 Jesus answered, “For a long time I have been with you all; yet you do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. Why, then, do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe, Philip, that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I have spoken to you,” Jesus said to his disciples, “do not come from me. The Father, who remains in me, does his own work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. If not, believe because of the things I do. 12 I am telling you the truth: those who believe in me will do what I do—yes, they will do even greater things, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask for in my name, so that the Father's glory will be shown through the Son. 14 If you ask me[f] for anything in my name, I will do it.
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
15 (J)“If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 16 I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. 17 He is the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is[g] in you.
18 “When I go, you will not be left all alone; I will come back to you. 19 In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me; and because I live, you also will live. 20 When that day comes, you will know that I am in my Father and that you are in me, just as I am in you.
21 (K)“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.”
22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them. 24 Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me.
25 “I have told you this while I am still with you. 26 The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.
27 “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am leaving, but I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father; for he is greater than I. 29 I have told you this now before it all happens, so that when it does happen, you will believe. 30 I cannot talk with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me, 31 but the world must know that I love the Father; that is why I do everything as he commands me.
“Come, let us go from this place.
Jesus the Real Vine
15 “I am the real vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit, so that it will be clean and bear more fruit. 3 You have been made clean already by the teaching I have given you. 4 Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me. 6 Those who do not remain in me are thrown out like a branch and dry up; such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, where they are burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, then you will ask for anything you wish, and you shall have it. 8 My Father's glory is shown by your bearing much fruit; and in this way you become my disciples. 9 I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11 “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 (L)My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. 13 The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them. 14 And you are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. 17 This, then, is what I command you: love one another.
The World's Hatred
18 “If the world hates you, just remember that it has hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, then the world would love you as its own. But I chose you from this world, and you do not belong to it; that is why the world hates you. 20 (M)Remember what I told you: ‘Slaves are not greater than their master.’ If people persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too. 21 But they will do all this to you because you are mine; for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not come and spoken to them; as it is, they no longer have any excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 They would not have been guilty of sin if I had not done among them the things that no one else ever did; as it is, they have seen what I did, and they hate both me and my Father. 25 (N)This, however, was bound to happen so that what is written in their Law may come true: ‘They hated me for no reason at all.’
26 “The Helper will come—the Spirit, who reveals the truth about God and who comes from the Father. I will send him to you from the Father, and he will speak about me. 27 And you, too, will speak about me, because you have been with me from the very beginning.
16 “I have told you this, so that you will not give up your faith. 2 You will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time will come when those who kill you will think that by doing this they are serving God. 3 People will do these things to you because they have not known either the Father or me. 4 But I have told you this, so that when the time comes for them to do these things, you will remember what I told you.
The Work of the Holy Spirit
“I did not tell you these things at the beginning, for I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me where I am going. 6 And now that I have told you, your hearts are full of sadness. 7 But I am telling you the truth: it is better for you that I go away, because if I do not go, the Helper will not come to you. But if I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will prove to the people of the world that they are wrong about sin and about what is right and about God's judgment. 9 They are wrong about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 they are wrong about what is right, because I am going to the Father and you will not see me any more; 11 and they are wrong about judgment, because the ruler of this world has already been judged.
12 “I have much more to tell you, but now it would be too much for you to bear. 13 (O)When, however, the Spirit comes, who reveals the truth about God, he will lead you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own authority, but he will speak of what he hears and will tell you of things to come. 14 He will give me glory, because he will take what I say and tell it to you. 15 All that my Father has is mine; that is why I said that the Spirit will take what I give him and tell it to you.
Sadness and Gladness
16 “In a little while you will not see me any more, and then a little while later you will see me.”
17 Some of his disciples asked among themselves, “What does this mean? He tells us that in a little while we will not see him, and then a little while later we will see him; and he also says, ‘It is because I am going to the Father.’ 18 What does this ‘a little while’ mean? We don't know what he is talking about!”
19 Jesus knew that they wanted to question him, so he said to them, “I said, ‘In a little while you will not see me, and then a little while later you will see me.’ Is this what you are asking about among yourselves? 20 I am telling you the truth: you will cry and weep, but the world will be glad; you will be sad, but your sadness will turn into gladness. 21 When a woman is about to give birth, she is sad because her hour of suffering has come; but when the baby is born, she forgets her suffering, because she is happy that a baby has been born into the world. 22 That is how it is with you: now you are sad, but I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you.
23 “When that day comes, you will not ask me for anything. I am telling you the truth: the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name.[h] 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your happiness may be complete.
Victory over the World
25 “I have used figures of speech to tell you these things. But the time will come when I will not use figures of speech, but will speak to you plainly about the Father. 26 When that day comes, you will ask him in my name; and I do not say that I will ask him on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you. He loves you because you love me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I did come from the Father, and I came into the world; and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”
29 Then his disciples said to him, “Now you are speaking plainly, without using figures of speech. 30 We know now that you know everything; you do not need to have someone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
31 Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? 32 The time is coming, and is already here, when all of you will be scattered, each of you to your own home, and I will be left all alone. But I am not really alone, because the Father is with me. 33 I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
17 After Jesus finished saying this, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that the Son may give glory to you. 2 For you gave him authority over all people, so that he might give eternal life to all those you gave him. 3 (P)And eternal life means to know you, the only true God, and to know Jesus Christ, whom you sent. 4 I have shown your glory on earth; I have finished the work you gave me to do. 5 Father! Give me glory in your presence now, the same glory I had with you before the world was made.
6 “I have made you known to those you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your word, 7 and now they know that everything you gave me comes from you. 8 I gave them the message that you gave me, and they received it; they know that it is true that I came from you, and they believe that you sent me.
9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those you gave me, for they belong to you. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine; and my glory is shown through them. 11 And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me,[i] so that they may be one just as you and I are one. 12 (Q)While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me.[j] I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost—so that the scripture might come true. 13 And now I am coming to you, and I say these things in the world so that they might have my joy in their hearts in all its fullness. 14 I gave them your message, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil One. 16 Just as I do not belong to the world, they do not belong to the world. 17 Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth. 18 I sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. 19 And for their sake I dedicate myself to you, in order that they, too, may be truly dedicated to you.
20 “I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of their message. 21 I pray that they may all be one. Father! May they be in us, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they be one, so that the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I gave them the same glory you gave me, so that they may be one, just as you and I are one: 23 I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me.
24 “Father! You have given them to me, and I want them to be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory, the glory you gave me; for you loved me before the world was made. 25 Righteous Father! The world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you sent me. 26 I made you known to them, and I will continue to do so, in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and so that I also may be in them.”
Footnotes
- John 13:2 The Devil … betraying Jesus; or The Devil had already decided that Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, would betray Jesus.
- John 13:10 Some manuscripts do not have except for their feet.
- John 14:1 Believe; or You believe.
- John 14:2 There are … were not so; or There are many rooms in my Father's house; if it were not so, would I tell you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
- John 14:7 Now that you have known me … you will know; some manuscripts have If you had known me … you would know.
- John 14:14 Some manuscripts do not have me.
- John 14:17 is; some manuscripts have will be.
- John 16:23 the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name; some manuscripts have if you ask the Father for anything, he will give it to you in my name.
- John 17:11 Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me; some manuscripts have By the power of your name keep safe those you have given me.
- John 17:12 I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me; some manuscripts have By the power of your name I kept safe those you have given me.
John 13-17
New American Standard Bible
The Lord’s Supper
13 Now before the Feast of (A)the Passover, Jesus, knowing that (B)His hour had come that He would depart from this world (C)to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them [a]to the end. 2 And during supper, (D)the devil having already put into the heart of (E)Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, (F)knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that (G)He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 *got up from supper and *laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and (H)tied it around Himself.
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
5 Then He *poured water into the basin, and began (I)washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which He had tied around Himself. 6 So He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, “Lord, You are washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not realize right now, but you will understand (J)later.” 8 Peter *said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “(K)If I do not wash you, (L)you have no [b]place with Me.” 9 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And (M)you are clean—but [c]not all of you.” 11 For (N)He knew the one who was betraying Him; it was for this reason that He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 Then, when He had washed their feet, and (O)taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me (P)‘Teacher’ and (Q)‘Lord’; and [d]you are correct, for so I am. 14 So if I, (R)the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you (S)an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you. 16 Truly, truly I say to you, (T)a slave is not greater than his master, nor is (U)[e]one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are (V)blessed if you do them. 18 (W)I am not speaking about all of you. I know the ones whom I have (X)chosen; but this is happening (Y)so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘(Z)He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 From now on (AA)I am telling you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that (AB)I am He. 20 Truly, truly I say to you, (AC)the one who [f]receives anyone I send, [g]receives Me; and the one who [h]receives Me [i]receives Him who sent Me.”
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
21 When Jesus had said these things, He (AD)became troubled in spirit, and [j]testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that (AE)one of you will [k]betray Me.” 22 The disciples began looking at one another, (AF)at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. 23 Lying back on (AG)Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, (AH)whom Jesus loved. 24 So Simon Peter *nodded to this disciple and *said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” 25 He then simply (AI)leaned back on Jesus’ chest and *said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus then *answered, “That man is the one for whom I shall dip the piece of bread and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the piece of bread, He *took and *gave it to Judas, (AJ)the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After [l]this, (AK)Satan then (AL)entered him. Therefore Jesus *said to him, “What you are doing, do it quickly.” 28 Now none of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29 For some were assuming, since Judas (AM)kept the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we need (AN)for the feast”; or else, that he was to [m](AO)give something to the poor. 30 So after receiving the piece of bread, he left immediately; and (AP)it was night.
31 Therefore when he had left, Jesus *said, “Now [n]is (AQ)the Son of Man (AR)glorified, and (AS)God [o]is glorified in Him; 32 [p]if God is glorified in Him, (AT)God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. 33 (AU)Little children, I am still with you (AV)a little longer. (AW)You will look for Me; and just as I said to the [q]Jews, now I also say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I am giving you a (AX)new commandment, (AY)that you love one another; (AZ)just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 (BA)By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “(BB)Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but (BC)you will follow later.” 37 Peter *said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? (BD)I will lay down my life for You.” 38 Jesus *replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly I say to you, (BE)a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
14 “(BF)Do not let your heart be troubled; [r]believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many [s]rooms; if that were not so, [t]I would have told you, because (BG)I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, (BH)I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that (BI)where I am, there you also will be. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 (BJ)Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am (BK)the way, and (BL)the truth, and (BM)the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.
Oneness with the Father
7 (BN)If you [u]had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you (BO)know Him, and have (BP)seen Him.”
8 (BQ)Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been with [v]you for so long a time, and yet [w]you have not come to know Me, Philip? (BR)The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that (BS)I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? (BT)The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works. 11 Believe Me that (BU)I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise (BV)believe because of the works themselves. 12 Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and (BW)greater works than these he will do; because (BX)I am going to the Father. 13 And (BY)whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that (BZ)the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything (CA)in My name, I will do it.
15 “(CB)If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
The Holy Spirit
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [x](CC)Helper, so that He may be with you forever; 17 the Helper is (CD)the Spirit of truth, (CE)whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; (CF)I am coming to you. 19 [y](CG)After a little while, (CH)the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; (CI)because I live, you also will live. 20 (CJ)On that day you will know that (CK)I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you. 21 (CL)The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and (CM)the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will (CN)reveal Myself to him.” 22 (CO)Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what has happened (CP)that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered and said to him, “(CQ)If anyone loves Me, he will (CR)follow My word; and (CS)My Father will love him, and We (CT)will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. 24 The one who does not love Me (CU)does not follow My words; and (CV)the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you. 26 But the (CW)Helper, the Holy Spirit (CX)whom the Father will send in My name, (CY)He will teach you all things, and (CZ)remind you of all that I said to you. 27 (DA)Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. (DB)[z]Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor [aa]fearful. 28 (DC)You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away, and (DD)I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced [ab]because (DE)I am going to the Father, for (DF)the Father is greater than I. 29 And now (DG)I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. 30 I will not speak much more with you, for (DH)the ruler of the world is coming, and he has [ac]nothing in regard to Me, 31 but so that the world may know that I love the Father, [ad]I do exactly as (DI)the Father commanded Me. Get up, (DJ)let’s go from here.
Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches
15 “(DK)I am the true vine, and My Father is the (DL)vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He [ae]prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3 (DM)You are already [af]clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 (DN)Remain in Me, [ag]and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit [ah]of itself [ai]but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him [aj](DO)bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is (DP)thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, (DQ)ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My (DR)Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so [ak](DS)prove to be My disciples. 9 Just as (DT)the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love. 10 (DU)If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as (DV)I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. 11 (DW)These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your (DX)joy may be made full.
Disciples’ Relation to Each Other
12 “This is (DY)My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. 13 (DZ)Greater love has no one than this, that a person will (EA)lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are My (EB)friends if (EC)you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, because (ED)all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 (EE)You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and (EF)bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that (EG)whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. 17 This (EH)I command you, that you love one another.
Disciples’ Relation to the World
18 “(EI)If the world hates you, [al]you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but (EJ)I chose you out of the world, (EK)because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘(EL)A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, (EM)they will persecute you as well; if they (EN)followed My word, they will follow yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you (EO)on account of My name, (EP)because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 (EQ)If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have [am]sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 The one who hates Me hates My Father also. 24 (ER)If I had not done among them (ES)the works which no one else did, they would not have [an]sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. 25 But this has happened so that the word that is written in their (ET)Law will be fulfilled: ‘(EU)They hated Me for no reason.’
26 “When the [ao](EV)Helper comes, (EW)whom I will send to you from the Father, namely, (EX)the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, (EY)He will testify about Me, 27 and [ap](EZ)you are testifying as well, because you have been with Me (FA)from the beginning.
Jesus’ Warning
16 “(FB)These things I have spoken to you so that you will not [aq]be (FC)led into sin. 2 They will [ar](FD)ban you from the synagogue, yet (FE)an hour is coming for everyone (FF)who kills you to think that he is offering a [as]service to God. 3 These things they will do (FG)because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have spoken to you, (FH)so that when their hour comes, you [at]may remember that I told you of them. However, I did not say these things to you (FI)at the beginning, because I was with you.
The Holy Spirit Promised
5 “But now (FJ)I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘(FK)Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, (FL)grief has filled your heart. 7 But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the [au](FM)Helper will not come to you; but if I go, (FN)I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: 9 regarding sin, (FO)because they do not believe in Me; 10 and regarding (FP)righteousness, because (FQ)I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; 11 (FR)and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.
12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them at the present time. 13 But when He, (FS)the Spirit of truth, comes, He will (FT)guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will (FU)glorify Me, for He will take from Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 (FV)All things that the Father has are Mine; this is why I said that He takes from Mine and will disclose it to you.
Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold
16 “(FW)A little while, and (FX)you no longer are going to see Me; and again a little while, and (FY)you will see Me.” 17 So some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He is telling us, ‘(FZ)A little while, and you are not going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because (GA)I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” 19 (GB)Jesus knew that they wanted to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Truly, truly I say to you that (GC)you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but (GD)your grief will be turned into joy! 21 (GE)Whenever a woman is in labor she has [av]pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a [aw]child has been born into the world. 22 Therefore (GF)you too have grief now; but (GG)I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one is going to take your joy away from you.
Prayer Promises
23 And (GH)on that day (GI)you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly I say to you, (GJ)if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24 (GK)Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your (GL)joy may be made full.
25 “These things I have spoken to you in (GM)figures of speech; (GN)an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 (GO)On that day (GP)you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; 27 for (GQ)the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and (GR)have believed that (GS)I came forth from the Father. 28 (GT)I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and (GU)going to the Father.”
29 His disciples *said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and are not [ax]using any (GV)figure of speech. 30 Now we know that You know all things, and that You have no need for anyone to question You; this is why we (GW)believe that You (GX)came forth from God.” 31 Jesus replied to them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, (GY)an hour is coming, and has already come, for (GZ)you to be scattered, each to (HA)his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet (HB)I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33 These things I have spoken to you so that (HC)in Me you may have peace. (HD)In the world you have tribulation, but (HE)take courage; (HF)I have overcome the world.”
The High Priestly Prayer
17 Jesus spoke these things; and (HG)raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; (HH)glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You, 2 just as (HI)You gave Him authority over all [ay]mankind, so that [az](HJ)to all whom You have given Him, (HK)He may give eternal life. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, (HL)the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom (HM)You have sent. 4 (HN)I glorified You on the earth [ba](HO)by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do. 5 And now You, Father, (HP)glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had (HQ)with You before the world existed.
6 “(HR)I have revealed Your name to the men whom (HS)You gave Me out of the world; they were (HT)Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have (HU)followed Your word. 7 Now they have come to know that everything which You have given Me is from You; 8 for (HV)the words which You gave Me (HW)I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that (HX)I came forth from You, and they believed that (HY)You sent Me. 9 (HZ)I ask on their behalf; (IA)I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on the behalf of those whom (IB)You have given Me, because (IC)they are Yours; 10 and (ID)all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 I am no longer going to be in the world; and yet (IE)they themselves are in the world, and (IF)I am coming to You. (IG)Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name (IH)which You have given Me, so that (II)they may be one just as We are. 12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, (IJ)which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and (IK)not one of them perished except (IL)the [bb]son of destruction, so that the (IM)Scripture would be fulfilled.
The Disciples in the World
13 But now (IN)I am coming to You; and (IO)these things I speak in the world so that they may have My (IP)joy made full in themselves. 14 I have given them Your word; and (IQ)the world has hated them because (IR)they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from [bc](IS)the evil one. 16 (IT)They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 (IU)Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18 Just as (IV)You sent Me into the world, (IW)I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I (IX)sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be (IY)sanctified (IZ)in truth.
20 “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, 21 that they may all be one; (JA)just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, (JB)so that the world may [bd]believe that (JC)You sent Me.
Disciples’ Future Glory
22 The (JD)glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 (JE)I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected [be]in unity, so that the world may [bf]know that (JF)You sent Me, and You (JG)loved them, just as You loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that (JH)they also, whom You have given Me, (JI)be with Me where I am, so that they may see My (JJ)glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before (JK)the foundation of the world.
25 “(JL)Righteous Father, [bg]although (JM)the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that (JN)You sent Me; 26 and (JO)I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that (JP)the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
Footnotes
- John 13:1 Or to the uttermost; or eternally
- John 13:8 Or part
- John 13:10 I.e., not each one
- John 13:13 Lit you say well
- John 13:16 Gr apostolos used in a non-apostolic sense
- John 13:20 Or accepts
- John 13:20 Or accepts
- John 13:20 Or accepts
- John 13:20 Or accepts
- John 13:21 I.e., made a solemn assertion
- John 13:21 Or hand Me over
- John 13:27 Lit the piece
- John 13:29 Considered especially fitting at Passover
- John 13:31 Or was
- John 13:31 Or was
- John 13:32 Most early mss do not contain this phrase
- John 13:33 I.e., Jesus’ Jewish enemies
- John 14:1 Or you believe in God, believe also
- John 14:2 Or dwelling places
- John 14:2 Or would I have told you that I am going...?
- John 14:7 Two early mss have come to know...you will know
- John 14:9 I.e., you plural, the disciples
- John 14:9 I.e., you singular, Philip
- John 14:16 Or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor
- John 14:19 Lit Yet a little and the world
- John 14:27 Or Stop letting your hearts
- John 14:27 Or cowardly
- John 14:28 Or that
- John 14:30 I.e., no grounds for any accusation
- John 14:31 Lit and just as the Father...so I do
- John 15:2 Lit cleans; used to describe pruning
- John 15:3 I.e., pruned like a branch
- John 15:4 Or I also remain in you
- John 15:4 Lit from
- John 15:4 Lit if it does not remain
- John 15:5 Lit this one bears
- John 15:8 Or become My disciples
- John 15:18 Or (command) know that
- John 15:22 I.e., guilt
- John 15:24 I.e., responsibility for their sin
- John 15:26 Or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor
- John 15:27 Or (command) testify, you as well
- John 16:1 Or let yourselves be led; or fall away (in apostasy)
- John 16:2 Or excommunicate
- John 16:2 I.e., as an act of worship
- John 16:4 Or will remember them, that I told you
- John 16:7 Or Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor
- John 16:21 Lit grief
- John 16:21 Lit human being
- John 16:29 Lit saying
- John 17:2 Lit flesh
- John 17:2 Lit everything that You have given Him, to them He may
- John 17:4 Or having accomplished
- John 17:12 Heb idiom for one destined to perish
- John 17:15 Or evil
- John 17:21 Gr tense indicates continually believe
- John 17:23 Lit into one
- John 17:23 Gr tense indicates continually know
- John 17:25 Lit even the world
John 13-17
The Message
Washing His Disciples’ Feet
13 1-2 Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that the time had come to leave this world to go to the Father. Having loved his dear companions, he continued to love them right to the end. It was suppertime. The Devil by now had Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, firmly in his grip, all set for the betrayal.
3-6 Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, “Master, you wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered, “You don’t understand now what I’m doing, but it will be clear enough to you later.”
8 Peter persisted, “You’re not going to wash my feet—ever!”
Jesus said, “If I don’t wash you, you can’t be part of what I’m doing.”
9 “Master!” said Peter. “Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!”
10-12 Jesus said, “If you’ve had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you’re clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you’re clean. But not every one of you.” (He knew who was betraying him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you.”) After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table.
12-17 Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.
The One Who Ate Bread at My Table
18-20 “I’m not including all of you in this. I know precisely whom I’ve selected, so as not to interfere with the fulfillment of this Scripture:
The one who ate bread at my table
Will stab me in the back.
“I’m telling you all this ahead of time so that when it happens you will believe that I am who I say I am. Make sure you get this right: Receiving someone I send is the same as receiving me, just as receiving me is the same as receiving the One who sent me.”
21 After he said these things, Jesus became visibly upset, and then he told them why. “One of you is going to betray me.”
22-25 The disciples looked around at one another, wondering who on earth he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one Jesus loved dearly, was reclining against him, his head on his shoulder. Peter motioned to him to ask who Jesus might be talking about. So, being the closest, he said, “Master, who?”
26-27 Jesus said, “The one to whom I give this crust of bread after I’ve dipped it.” Then he dipped the crust and gave it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. As soon as the bread was in his hand, Satan entered him.
“What you must do,” said Jesus, “do. Do it and get it over with.”
28-29 No one around the supper table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was telling him to buy what they needed for the Feast, or that he should give something to the poor.
30 Judas, with the piece of bread, left. It was night.
A New Command
31-32 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God’s glory will be on display. In glorifying him, he himself is glorified—glory all around!
33 “Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I’m telling you: ‘Where I go, you are not able to come.’
34-35 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”
36 Simon Peter asked, “Master, just where are you going?”
Jesus answered, “You can’t now follow me where I’m going. You will follow later.”
37 “Master,” said Peter, “why can’t I follow now? I’ll lay down my life for you!”
38 “Really? You’ll lay down your life for me? The truth is that before the rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times.”
The Road
14 1-4 “Don’t let this rattle you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”
5 Thomas said, “Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road?”
6-7 Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You’ve even seen him!”
8 Philip said, “Master, show us the Father; then we’ll be content.”
9-10 “You’ve been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don’t understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, ‘Where is the Father?’ Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you aren’t mere words. I don’t just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.
11-14 “Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can’t believe that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I’ve been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I’ll do it. That’s how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I’ll do.
The Spirit of Truth
15-17 “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can’t take him in because it doesn’t have eyes to see him, doesn’t know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!
18-20 “I will not leave you orphaned. I’m coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me because I am alive and you’re about to come alive. At that moment you will know absolutely that I’m in my Father, and you’re in me, and I’m in you.
21 “The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him.”
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said, “Master, why is it that you are about to make yourself plain to us but not to the world?”
23-24 “Because a loveless world,” said Jesus, “is a sightless world. If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him—we’ll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words. The message you are hearing isn’t mine. It’s the message of the Father who sent me.
25-27 “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.
28 “You’ve heard me tell you, ‘I’m going away, and I’m coming back.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I’m on my way to the Father because the Father is the goal and purpose of my life.
29-31 “I’ve told you this ahead of time, before it happens, so that when it does happen, the confirmation will deepen your belief in me. I’ll not be talking with you much more like this because the chief of this godless world is about to attack. But don’t worry—he has nothing on me, no claim on me. But so the world might know how thoroughly I love the Father, I am carrying out my Father’s instructions right down to the last detail.
“Get up. Let’s go. It’s time to leave here.”
The Vine and the Branches
15 1-3 “I am the Real Vine and my Father is the Farmer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn’t bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are already pruned back by the message I have spoken.
4 “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.
5-8 “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.
9-10 “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.
11-15 “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.
16 “You didn’t choose me, remember; I chose you, and put you in the world to bear fruit, fruit that won’t spoil. As fruit bearers, whatever you ask the Father in relation to me, he gives you.
17 “But remember the root command: Love one another.
Hated by the World
18-19 “If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world’s terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God’s terms and no longer on the world’s terms, the world is going to hate you.
20 “When that happens, remember this: Servants don’t get better treatment than their masters. If they beat on me, they will certainly beat on you. If they did what I told them, they will do what you tell them.
21-25 “They are going to do all these things to you because of the way they treated me, because they don’t know the One who sent me. If I hadn’t come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn’t be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse. Hate me, hate my Father—it’s all the same. If I hadn’t done what I have done among them, works no one has ever done, they wouldn’t be to blame. But they saw the God-signs and hated anyway, both me and my Father. Interesting—they have verified the truth of their own Scriptures where it is written, ‘They hated me for no good reason.’
26-27 “When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes—the Spirit of Truth issuing from the Father—he will confirm everything about me. You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence, since you are in this with me from the start.”
16 1-4 “I’ve told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I’ve told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you’ll be well-warned and ready for them.
The Friend Will Come
4-7 “I didn’t tell you this earlier because I was with you every day. But now I am on my way to the One who sent me. Not one of you has asked, ‘Where are you going?’ Instead, the longer I’ve talked, the sadder you’ve become. So let me say it again, this truth: It’s better for you that I leave. If I don’t leave, the Friend won’t come. But if I go, I’ll send him to you.
8-11 “When he comes, he’ll expose the error of the godless world’s view of sin, righteousness, and judgment: He’ll show them that their refusal to believe in me is their basic sin; that righteousness comes from above, where I am with the Father, out of their sight and control; that judgment takes place as the ruler of this godless world is brought to trial and convicted.
12-15 “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I’ve said, ‘He takes from me and delivers to you.’
16 “In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me.”
Joy Like a River Overflowing
17-18 That stirred up a hornet’s nest of questions among the disciples: “What’s he talking about: ‘In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me’? And, ‘Because I’m on my way to the Father’? What is this ‘day or so’? We don’t know what he’s talking about.”
19-20 Jesus knew they were dying to ask him what he meant, so he said, “Are you trying to figure out among yourselves what I meant when I said, ‘In a day or so you’re not going to see me, but then in another day or so you will see me’? Then fix this firmly in your minds: You’re going to be in deep mourning while the godless world throws a party. You’ll be sad, very sad, but your sadness will develop into gladness.
21-23 “When a woman gives birth, she has a hard time, there’s no getting around it. But when the baby is born, there is joy in the birth. This new life in the world wipes out memory of the pain. The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you’ll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you. You’ll no longer be so full of questions.
23-24 “This is what I want you to do: Ask the Father for whatever is in keeping with the things I’ve revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and he’ll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks!
25-28 “I’ve used figures of speech in telling you these things. Soon I’ll drop the figures and tell you about the Father in plain language. Then you can make your requests directly to him in relation to this life I’ve revealed to you. I won’t continue making requests of the Father on your behalf. I won’t need to. Because you’ve gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly. First, I left the Father and arrived in the world; now I leave the world and travel to the Father.”
29-30 His disciples said, “Finally! You’re giving it to us straight, in plain talk—no more figures of speech. Now we know that you know everything—it all comes together in you. You won’t have to put up with our questions anymore. We’re convinced you came from God.”
31-33 Jesus answered them, “Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”
Jesus’ Prayer for His Followers
17 1-5 Jesus said these things. Then, raising his eyes in prayer, he said:
Father, it’s time.
Display the bright splendor of your Son
So the Son in turn may show your bright splendor.
You put him in charge of everything human
So he might give real and eternal life to all in his care.
And this is the real and eternal life:
That they know you,
The one and only true God,
And Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
I glorified you on earth
By completing down to the last detail
What you assigned me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me with your very own splendor,
The very splendor I had in your presence
Before there was a world.
* * *
6-12 I spelled out your character in detail
To the men and women you gave me.
They were yours in the first place;
Then you gave them to me,
And they have now done what you said.
They know now, beyond the shadow of a doubt,
That everything you gave me is firsthand from you,
For the message you gave me, I gave them;
And they took it, and were convinced
That I came from you.
They believed that you sent me.
I pray for them.
I’m not praying for the God-rejecting world
But for those you gave me,
For they are yours by right.
Everything mine is yours, and yours mine,
And my life is on display in them.
For I’m no longer going to be visible in the world;
They’ll continue in the world
While I return to you.
Holy Father, guard them as they pursue this life
That you conferred as a gift through me,
So they can be one heart and mind
As we are one heart and mind.
As long as I was with them, I guarded them
In the pursuit of the life you gave through me;
I even posted a lookout.
And not one of them got away,
Except for the rebel bent on destruction
(the exception that proved the rule of Scripture).
* * *
13-19 Now I’m returning to you.
I’m saying these things in the world’s hearing
So my people can experience
My joy completed in them.
I gave them your word;
The godless world hated them because of it,
Because they didn’t join the world’s ways,
Just as I didn’t join the world’s ways.
I’m not asking that you take them out of the world
But that you guard them from the Evil One.
They are no more defined by the world
Than I am defined by the world.
Make them holy—consecrated—with the truth;
Your word is consecrating truth.
In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world,
I give them a mission in the world.
I’m consecrating myself for their sakes
So they’ll be truth-consecrated in their mission.
* * *
20-23 I’m praying not only for them
But also for those who will believe in me
Because of them and their witness about me.
The goal is for all of them to become one heart and mind—
Just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
So they might be one heart and mind with us.
Then the world might believe that you, in fact, sent me.
The same glory you gave me, I gave them,
So they’ll be as unified and together as we are—
I in them and you in me.
Then they’ll be mature in this oneness,
And give the godless world evidence
That you’ve sent me and loved them
In the same way you’ve loved me.
* * *
24-26 Father, I want those you gave me
To be with me, right where I am,
So they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me,
Having loved me
Long before there ever was a world.
Righteous Father, the world has never known you,
But I have known you, and these disciples know
That you sent me on this mission.
I have made your very being known to them—
Who you are and what you do—
And continue to make it known,
So that your love for me
Might be in them
Exactly as I am in them.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson