Print Page Options Listen to John 17

Jesus Prays to Be Glorified

17 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven(A) and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come.(B) Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.(C) For you granted him authority over all people(D) that he might give eternal life(E) to all those you have given him.(F) Now this is eternal life: that they know you,(G) the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.(H) I have brought you glory(I) on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.(J) And now, Father, glorify me(K) in your presence with the glory I had with you(L) before the world began.(M)

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

“I have revealed you[a](N) to those whom you gave me(O) out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me(P) and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you,(Q) and they believed that you sent me.(R) I pray for them.(S) I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me,(T) for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine.(U) And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world,(V) and I am coming to you.(W) Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one(X) as we are one.(Y) 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost(Z) except the one doomed to destruction(AA) so that Scripture would be fulfilled.(AB)

13 “I am coming to you now,(AC) but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy(AD) within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them,(AE) for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.(AF) 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.(AG) 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.(AH) 17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth.(AI) 18 As you sent me into the world,(AJ) I have sent them into the world.(AK) 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.(AL)

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,(AM) Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.(AN) May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.(AO) 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me,(AP) that they may be one as we are one(AQ) 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me(AR) and have loved them(AS) even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me(AT) to be with me where I am,(AU) and to see my glory,(AV) the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.(AW)

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you,(AX) I know you, and they know that you have sent me.(AY) 26 I have made you[e] known to them,(AZ) and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them(BA) and that I myself may be in them.”

Footnotes

  1. John 17:6 Greek your name
  2. John 17:11 Or Father, keep them faithful to
  3. John 17:12 Or kept them faithful to
  4. John 17:17 Or them to live in accordance with
  5. John 17:26 Greek your name

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.

Jesus Prays for His Followers

17 After Jesus said these things, he ·looked [L raised his eyes] toward heaven and ·prayed [L said], “Father, the ·time [L hour; C the time of his death and resurrection] has come. ·Give glory to [Glorify; Honor] your Son so that the Son can ·give glory to [glorify; honor] you. You gave the Son ·power [authority] over all ·people [T flesh] so that the Son could give eternal life to all those you gave him. And this is eternal life: that people know you, the only true God, and that they know Jesus Christ, the One you sent. Having ·finished [completed] the work you gave me to do, I ·brought you glory [glorified/honored you] on earth [C by leading people to praise God]. And now, Father, ·give me glory [glorify/honor me] ·with you [or in your presence]; give me the ·glory [honor] I had with you before the world ·was made [existed; began].

“I ·showed what you are like [L revealed your name; C God’s reputation/character] to ·those [L the people] you gave me from the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have ·obeyed your teaching [L kept your word]. Now they know that everything you gave me comes from you. [L Because] I gave them the ·teachings [words; utterances] you gave me, and they ·accepted [received] them. They knew that I truly came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I am ·praying for them [asking on their behalf]. I am not ·praying for [asking on behalf of] people in the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours. 10 ·All I have is yours, and all you have is mine [L All mine are yours and all yours are mine]. And ·my glory is shown [I am glorified] through them. 11 I am coming to you; I will not stay in the world any longer. But they are still in the world. Holy Father, ·keep them safe by the power of [or keep them loyal to] your name, the name you gave me, so that they will be one, just as you and I are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of [or kept them loyal to] your name, the name you gave me. I ·protected [guarded] them, and only one of them, the ·one worthy of destruction [L son of destruction/perdition; C Judas], was lost so that the Scripture would ·come true [L be fulfilled; Ps. 41:9].

13 “I am coming to you now. But I ·pray [L say] these things while I am still in the world so that ·these followers [these disciples; L they] can have all of my joy [ L made complete; fulfilled] in them. 14 I have given them your ·teaching [word]. And the world has hated them, because they don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. 15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world but to ·keep them safe [protect them] from the ·Evil One [or evil; C the Evil One is the Devil]. 16 They don’t belong to the world, just as I don’t belong to the world. 17 ·Make them ready for your service [Sanctify them; Consecrate them; C setting them apart for service] through your truth; your ·teaching [word] is truth. 18 I have sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. 19 For their sake, I am ·making myself ready to serve [sanctifying/consecrating myself] so that they can be ·ready for their service of [sanctified/consecrated by] the truth.

20 “I ·pray for these followers [L ask not only for these], but I am also ·praying [L asking] for all those who will believe in me because of their ·teaching [message; proclamation; L word]. 21 Father, I ·pray [L ask] that they can be one. As you are in me and I am in you, I ·pray [L ask] that they can also be ·one in us [L in us]. Then the world will believe that you sent me. 22 I have given these people the ·glory [honor] that you gave me so that they can be one, just as you and I are one. 23 ·I will be in them and you will be in me [L I in them and you in me] so that they will be ·completely one [in perfect unity]. ·Then […so that] the world will know that you sent me and that you loved them just as much as you loved me.

24 “Father, I want these people that you gave me to be with me where I am. ·I want them to […so that they may] see my ·glory [honor], which you gave me because you loved me before the ·world was made [foundation/creation of the world]. 25 ·Father, you are the One who is good [L Righteous Father,…]. The world does not know you, but I know you, and these people know you sent me. 26 I ·showed [made known to] them ·what you are like [L your name; 14:13], and I will ·show them again [continue to make it known]. ·Then […so that] they will have the same love that you have for me, and I will ·live [be] in them.”

Jesus Prays for Himself, His Disciples, and His Church

17 After saying this, Yeshua looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time is here. Give your Son glory so that your Son can give you glory. After all, you’ve given him authority over all humanity so that he can give eternal life to all those you gave to him. This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Yeshua Christ, whom you sent. On earth I have given you glory by finishing the work you gave me to do. Now, Father, give me glory in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world existed.

“I made your name known to the people you gave me. They are from this world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They did what you told them. Now they know that everything you gave me comes from you, because I gave them the message that you gave me. They have accepted this message, and they know for sure that I came from you. They have believed that you sent me.

“I pray for them. I’m not praying for the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours. 10 Everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine. I have been given glory by the people you have given me. 11 I won’t be in the world much longer, but they are in the world, and I’m coming back to you. Holy Father, keep them safe by the power of your name, the name that you gave me, so that their unity may be like ours. 12 While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name that you gave me. I watched over them, and none of them, except one person, became lost. So Scripture came true.

13 “But now, Father, I’m coming back to you. I say these things while I’m still in the world so that they will have the same joy that I have. 14 I have given them your message. But the world has hated them because they don’t belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world but to protect them from the evil one. 16 They don’t belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.

17 “Use the truth to make them holy. Your words are truth. 18 I have sent them into the world the same way you sent me into the world. 19 I’m dedicating myself to this holy work I’m doing for them so that they, too, will use the truth to be holy.

20 “I’m not praying only for them. I’m also praying for those who will believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that all of these people continue to have unity in the way that you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they may be united with us so that the world will believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I did this so that they are united in the same way we are. 23 I am in them, and you are in me. So they are completely united. In this way the world knows that you have sent me and that you have loved them in the same way you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given to me to be with me, to be where I am. I want them to see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the world was made. 25 Righteous Father, the world didn’t know you. Yet, I knew you, and these disciples have known that you sent me. 26 I have made your name known to them, and I will make it known so that the love you have for me will be in them and I will be in them.”

17 When Jesus had finished saying all these things he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Reveal the glory of your Son so that he can give the glory back to you. For you have given him authority over every man and woman in all the earth. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life—by knowing you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth! I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to. And now, Father, reveal my glory as I stand in your presence, the glory we shared before the world began.

“I have told these men all about you. They were in the world, but then you gave them to me. Actually, they were always yours, and you gave them to me; and they have obeyed you. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the commands you gave me; and they accepted them and know of a certainty that I came down to earth from you, and they believe you sent me.

“My plea is not for the world but for those you have given me because they belong to you. 10 And all of them, since they are mine, belong to you; and you have given them back to me with everything else of yours, and so they are my glory! 11 Now I am leaving the world, and leaving them behind, and coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your own care—all those you have given me—so that they will be united just as we are, with none missing. 12 During my time here I have kept safe within your family all of these you gave me.[a] I guarded them so that not one perished, except the son of hell, as the Scriptures foretold.

13 “And now I am coming to you. I have told them many things while I was with them so that they would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them your commands. And the world hates them because they don’t fit in with it, just as I don’t. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from Satan’s power. 16 They are not part of this world any more than I am. 17 Make them pure and holy through teaching them your words of truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world, 19 and I consecrate myself to meet their need for growth in truth and holiness.

20 “I am not praying for these alone but also for the future believers who will come to me because of the testimony of these. 21 My prayer for all of them is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.

22 “I have given them the glory you gave me—the glorious unity of being one, as we are— 23 I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one—so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want them with me—these you’ve given me—so that they can see my glory. You gave me the glory because you loved me before the world began!

25 “O righteous Father, the world doesn’t know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. 26 And I have revealed you to them and will keep on revealing you so that the mighty love you have for me may be in them, and I in them.”

Footnotes

  1. John 17:12 kept safe . . . all of these you gave me, literally, “kept in your name those whom you have given me.”