John 17 · KJV
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John 17

Jesus prays to be glorified

These 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: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Jesus looks up to heaven and prays. The hour has come, he says; he asks the Father to glorify the Son so that the Son may glorify the Father. He has finished the work he was given, and asks to share again the glory he had with the Father before the world existed.

What does this mean?

"Glorify" means to reveal someone's greatness or honour, and in John it is tied to Jesus' death and resurrection. "All flesh" means all humanity. Verse 3 defines eternal life as knowing God and the one he sent, not simply living for ever.

Historical context

Chapter 17 has often been called Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer" since the sixteenth century, because in it he intercedes for his followers as a priest prays for the people.

Why does it matter?

The prayer looks back to the prologue: the glory "before the world existed" recalls the Word who was with God in the beginning (1:1). Jesus' statement that he has finished his work anticipates his last word on the cross, "It is finished" (19:30).

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Jesus prays for his disciples

I 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. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For 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. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And 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. While 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. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I 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. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Jesus prays for the disciples the Father gave him, who have received his words and believed. Because he is leaving the world and they remain in it, he asks the Father to protect them, keep them united and guard them from the evil one. He sends them into the world as the Father sent him.

What does this mean?

"Son of perdition" (KJV) or "son of destruction" (WEB) is a Hebrew-style expression for someone destined for ruin; here it refers to Judas. "Sanctify" means to set apart for God. "The evil one" means the devil.

Historical context

In the Old Testament, priests, the people of Israel and sacred objects were "sanctified" or consecrated, set apart for God's service. Jesus applies this language to himself and to his followers.

Why does it matter?

The disciples are to be "not of the world" yet sent into it, a tension that runs through John's view of Jesus' followers. The theme of being sent, which has described Jesus throughout the Gospel, now passes to the disciples and is fulfilled in 20:21.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Jesus prays for all who will believe

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That 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. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I 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. Father, 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. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And 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.

Jesus extends his prayer to those who will believe through the disciples' message. He asks that they may all be one, as he and the Father are one, so that the world may believe the Father sent him. He asks that they may be with him and see his glory, and that the Father's love may be in them.

What does this mean?

"Made perfect in one" (KJV) or "perfected into one" (WEB) means brought to complete unity. "Foundation of the world" means its creation.

Historical context

The Gospel was written for readers decades after Jesus' ministry, so this part of the prayer speaks directly about people in the writer's own time and later.

Why does it matter?

The words "that they may all be one" have become a watchword for movements seeking unity among divided Christian churches. The prayer ends where the Gospel began, with love, glory and making the Father known.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

Chapters

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21

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Reading

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Appearance

Verse numbersSmall numerals within the text
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