Jesus prays for the Father to glorify the Son, defines eternal life as knowing the Father and the sent Son, and speaks of completing the Father’s work.
John 17:1–5
1 Jesus said these things, then lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;
2 even as you gave him authority over all flesh, so he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
3 This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
4 I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.
5 Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.
Jesus describes the disciples as those given by the Father, to whom he revealed the Father’s name and gave the Father’s words.
6 I 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.
7 Now they have known that all things whatever you have given me are from you,
8 for 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. They have believed that you sent me.
Jesus prays specifically for those given to him, who belong to Father and Son, and in whom Jesus is glorified.
9 I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
10 All things that are mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
Jesus asks the Holy Father to protect the disciples by his name so they may be one, and he notes that none has been lost except the son of destruction in fulfillment of Scripture.
11 I 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.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name. I have kept those whom you have given me. None of them is lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
Jesus prays that his joy would be fulfilled in the disciples and that they would be protected from the evil one while remaining in the world that hates them.
13 But now I come to you, and I say these things in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
14 I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.
16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
Jesus prays for the disciples to be sanctified by the truth of God’s word and sent into the world as Jesus was sent.
17 Sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.
18 As you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
19 For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
Jesus extends his prayer to all who will believe through the disciples’ message, praying for their unity in Father and Son.
John 17:20–26
20 Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who will believe in me through their word,
21 that 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.
Jesus gives glory to his people so they may be brought to complete unity, displaying to the world that the Father sent the Son and loved them.
22 The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one;
23 I 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.
Jesus desires that those given to him be with him where he is and behold his pre-creational glory from the Father’s love.
24 Father, 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.
Jesus contrasts the world’s ignorance with his knowledge of the Father and commits to making the Father known so the Father’s love and Jesus’ presence may be in believers.
25 Righteous Father, the world hasn’t known you, but I knew you; and these knew that you sent me.
26 I 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.”