John 17 - The Message (MSG)

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.

You Might Also Like:

John 17 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

17 These things spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to the heaven, and said -- `Father, the hour hath come, glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee, 2 according as Thou didst give to him authority over all flesh, that -- all that Thou hast given to him -- he may give to them life age-dur...
Read More

John 17 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

17 These things Jesus spake, and when he had cast up his eyes into heaven [and the eyes lifted up to heaven], he said, Father, the hour cometh, clarify thy Son, that thy Son clarify thee. 2 As thou hast given to him power on each flesh, that all thing that thou hast given to him, he give to them ev...
Read More

John 17 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

17 When Jesus had said these things, he looked up to heaven and said, `Father, the time has come now. Make your Son's name great, so that your Son may make your name great. 2 You have given your Son power over all people. So all those you have given him will live for ever. 3 You are the only true Go...
Read More

John 17 - World English Bible (WEB)

17 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...
Read More

John 17 - The Voice (VOICE)

17 Jesus (lifting His face to the heavens): Father, My time has come. Glorify Your Son, and I will bring You great glory 2-3 because You have given Me total authority over humanity. I have come bearing the plentiful gifts of God; and all who receive Me will experience everlasting life, a new intima...
Read More

John 17 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

The Son Glorifies the Father17 Yeshua spoke these things; then, lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, so the Son may glorify You. 2 Even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, so may He give eternal life to all those You have given Him. 3 And this...
Read More

John 17 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

Jesus Prays for His Disciples17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,[a] “Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee, 2 since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. 3 And t...
Read More

John 17 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Jesus Prays for His Disciples17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son that the Son may glorify thee, 2 since thou hast given him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom thou hast given him. 3 And this...
Read More

John 17 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

17 Jesus spoke these things. And having lifted up his eyes to Heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, so that Your Son may also glorify You, 2 “As You have given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to all those whom You have given Him. 3 “And this is lif...
Read More

John 17 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Glorify the Son17 After Jesus had said this, he lifted up his eyes to heaven.‘Father,’ he said, ‘the moment has come. Glorify your son, so that your son may glorify you. 2 Do this in the same way as you did when you gave him authority over all flesh, so that he could give the life of God’s coming a...
Read More

John 17 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

Jesus Prays for His Disciples17 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all people,[a] to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And thi...
Read More

John 17 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

Jesus Prays for His Disciples17 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all people,[a] to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And thi...
Read More

John 17 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Jesus Prays for His Disciples17 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,(A)2 since you have given him authority over all people,[a] to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.(B)3 And t...
Read More

John 17 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

The most hearty and loving prayer of Christ to his Father for all those who receive the truth. 17 These words Jesus spoke, and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour is come. Glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you have given him power over all flesh, so that h...
Read More

John 17 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Prayer of Jesus17 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. 2 For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 3 And this is the way to hav...
Read More

John 17 - New Life Version (NLV)

Jesus Prays for Himself17 When Jesus had said these things, He looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come! Honor Your Son so Your Son may honor You. 2 You have given Him power over all men. He is to give life that lasts forever to all You have given to Him. 3 This is life that lasts ...
Read More

John 17 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Prays for Himself17 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, (A)the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 (B)as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He [a]should give eternal life to as many (C)as You have given Hi...
Read More