John 17
John 17 is the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It portrays a prayer of Jesus Christ addressed to His Father, placed in context immediately before His betrayal and crucifixion, the events which the gospel often refers to as His glorification.[1] Methodist theologian Joseph Benson calls this prayer "Our Lord’s Intercessory Prayer", because "it is considered as a pattern of the intercession he is now making in heaven for his people".[2] The New King James Version divides this chapter into three sections:
- Verses 1-5: Jesus Prays for Himself
- Verses 6-19: Jesus Prays for His Disciples
- Verses 20-26: Jesus Prays for All Believers.[3]
John 17 | |
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John 17:1-2 on Papyrus 107, written in 3rd century. | |
Book | Gospel of John |
Category | Gospel |
Christian Bible part | New Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 4 |
The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that John composed this Gospel.[4]
Text
The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 26 verses.
Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
- Papyrus 108 (2nd/3rd century; extant verses 23-24)
- Papyrus 66 (~200; complete)
- Papyrus 107 (3rd century; extant verses 1-2,11)
- Codex Vaticanus (325-350)
- Codex Sinaiticus (330-360)
- Codex Bezae (~400)
- Codex Alexandrinus (400-440)
- Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (~450; complete)
- Papyrus 84 (6th century; extant verses 3, 7-8)
- Papyrus 60 (~700; complete).
- Papyrus 59 (7th century; extant verses 24-26).
Jesus' Prayer
Jesus refers to His Father six times in this chapter, calling God "Father" (Greek: πατηρ, pater), "Holy Father" (Greek: πατηρ ἅγιε, pater hagie, John 17:11) and "Righteous Father" (Greek: πατηρ δικαιε, pater dikaie, John 17:25). These are the only occurrences in the New Testament of the vocative forms αγιε and δικαιε, used in direct address to God.[5]
Verse 1
- Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You".[6]
Alternatively, "After Jesus had spoken these words ..." (to his disciples, in chapter 16),[7] namely:
- "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."[8]
Benson suggested that "these words" refers to "the words recorded in the three preceding chapters" (chapters 14 to 16).[2]
Verse 2
- "As You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.[9]
"Over all flesh" (σαρκός, sarkos), from the noun σὰρξ (sarx),[10] becomes "all people" in the New International Version and the Good News Translation. Alfred Plummer argues that "fallen man, man in his frailty, is specially meant".[11]
Verse 12
- While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.[12]
The words "in the world" are omitted by the best authorities.[11] Judas' actions fulfill the words of Psalm 41:9:
- Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.[11]
Verse 21
- that they all may be one, 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.[13]
See also
- Farewell Discourse
- Jerusalem
- Jesus Christ
- That they all may be one
- Ut unum sint
- Other related Bible parts: John 13, John 14, John 15, John 16
References
- Halley, Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook: an Abbreviated Bible Commentary. 23rd edition. Zondervan Publishing House. 1962.
- Benson, J., Benson Commentary on John 17, accessed 6 June 2019
- John 17:1-26: New King James Version
- Holman Illustrated Bible Handbook. Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. 2012.
- Englishman's Concordance, ἅγιε and δίκαιε
- John 17:1: New King James Version
- John 17:1 NRSV
- John 16:33: NKJV
- John 17:2: NKJV
- Englishman's Concordance, σὰρξ, accessed 29 November 2020
- Plummer, A. (1902), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on John 17, accessed 29 November 2020
- John 17:12
- John 17:21
External links
- John 17 King James Bible - Wikisource
- English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- Multiple bible versions at Bible Gateway (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)
Preceded by John 16 |
Chapters of the Bible Gospel of John |
Succeeded by John 18 |