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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Yhn C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21
Yhn 17 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26
OET (OET-LV) And I_am no_longer, in the world, and_yet they in the world are, and_I am_coming to you.
holy father, keep them in the name of_you, to_which you_have_given to_me, in_order_that they_may_be one, as we are.
OET (OET-RV) I’m about to leave this world and come to you, but they will stay here in it. Holy father, use your power to keep protect the ones that you gave me, so that they might be united just like you and I are one.
In this section, chapter 17, Jesus prayed to God his Father. He asked his Father to restore the glory that he had before he came to earth. He also asked his Father to protect his disciples from evil. He prayed for people in the future who would believe in him. He also told his Father that he wanted his disciples to always be with him.
Sometimes it is difficult to know to whom the pronouns “they” and “them” refer. Most of the time, Jesus was praying for the 11 disciples with him. However, he also prayed for all Christians, including those who would believe in him in the future. And even some of the prayers for the 11 disciples could also be thought to be prayers for future believers.
Here are some other possible Section Headings:
Jesus Prays for Himself, His Disciples, and His Church (GW)
Jesus’ prayer for his disciples
Jesus asked God to protect his disciples from Satan.
I will no longer be in the world,
Now I am leaving the world,
Very soon I will return to you(sing) in heaven.
I will no longer be in the world: In Greek the present tense was often used to refer to something that would happen very soon. The clause I will no longer be in the world therefore here indicates that Christ would soon leave the world. For example:
I won’t be in the world much longer (GW)
I will remain in the world no longer (NIV)
in the world: This phrase here means “on this earth” instead of being in heaven with God.
but they are in the world,
but my disciples will remain here.
But my followers will stay here on earth,
but: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as but here introduces a contrast between Jesus’ situation and the disciples’ situation. Jesus was leaving the world but his disciples were remaining. Here are other ways to translate this conjunction:
and yet (NASB)
however
they are in the world: This clause indicates that Jesus’ disciples would remain living on earth. The Greek text emphasizes the word they to contrast it with “I” in 17:11a. Jesus was no longer in the world, but his disciples were. For example:
they are staying in this world (NLT)
as for them, they are still here in this world (Tagbanwa Back Translation)
and I am coming to You.
I am coming to you(sing) in heaven.
and/while I am leaving them and coming to you(sing) in heaven.
and I am coming to You: This clause indicates that Christ was going to heaven to be with God his Father, God. In a way he was already on his way because he had begun his journey to the cross.
I: The Greek text emphasizes this pronoun. For example:
I myself am coming to you
coming: In some languages it may not be natural to speak of coming to a place where you are not. In those languages it may be more natural for Jesus to speak about “going” because he was leaving where he was. For example:
I am going to you
You: This pronoun is singular and refers to God the Father.
In some languages it is more natural to put 17:11c before 17:11a. For example:
11cAnd now I am coming to you; 11aI am no longer in the world, 11bbut they are in the world. (GNT)
Holy Father, protect them by Your name,
Father, Holy One/God, please keep them safe in your name,
My Father, you(sing) are holy/pure. Please keep these followers of mine true to who you are.
Holy Father: This phrase is used to address God. Jesus called God the Father Holy. God is holy because he is different from those he created. He is different because he is unique, perfect, pure and completely good. Also, he deserves to be worshiped and honored. See KBT Holy A.1, and see how you translated this word in Luke 1:49, Acts 3:14 and Revelation 3:7, 4:8.
In some languages a literal translation of Holy Father may imply that Jesus also had a Father who was not holy. In those languages it may be necessary to avoid this wrong meaning by translating Holy Father as a separate clause. For example:
Father, you who are holy, protect…
Father, O Holy One! Protect…
Holy: This word indicates that God is morally perfect, divine, unique, and deserving of worship.
Father: This word is one that a child would use when speaking to his father. It indicates affection and respect. See the note and how you translated the word in 17:1.
protect them: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as protect means “keep” or “keep safe (protect).” Jesus asked God to keep his disciples safe, to guard them from harm. The same word is used in 17:6, where it refers to keeping (obeying) God’s word, and in 17:15, where it refers to protecting from Satan. Here it has the same idea as in 17:15 (and probably 17:12). But it could also have the idea of keeping them connected or faithful to God (his name). Here are other ways to translate this phrase here:
keep them safe (GNT)
take care of them (Uma Back Translation)
keep them in your name (ESV)
In some languages it may be necessary to say what God would protect the disciples from. If this is true in your language, you should indicate that he should keep them safe from Satan or from evil. For example:
protect them from Satan/evil
by Your name: The Greek word that the BSB translates as by has more than one possible meaning. There are two main ways to interpret the Greek phrase here that the BSB translates as by Your name.
The first word means “in” and the phrase “in your name” means “in who God is” (see “your name” in 17:6) or “(keep them) faithful to God.” For example:
Keep those you have given me true to your name. (NJB)
keep them safe in your name (NET) (ESV, RSV, NRSV, NASB, NET, NJB)
The first word means “by,” and the phrase by Your name means “by your power.” God’s name is connected with his power (see Psalm 54:1). For example:
by the power of your name (GNT) (BSB, NIV, GNT, NLT, REB, GW, CEV, NCV)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation fits the context better, because John never uses God’s name to represent his power unless he does here. And staying in the truth of God’s character would more naturally result in unity than being protected by his power.
the name You gave Me,
the name that you(sing) gave me,
That is the truth of who you(sing) are that you(sing) gave me,
the name You gave Me: There is a textual issue here regarding the Greek pronoun that the BSB leaves implicit:
Some Greek manuscripts say “which you have given me.” The pronoun is singular, referring to God’s name. For example:
that you have given me (NRSV) (BSB, ESV, NASB, NIV, RSV, CEV, GW, NET, NLT, GNT, REB, NCV)
Some Greek manuscripts say “whom you have given to me.” The pronoun is plural, referring to people. For example:
those you have given me (NJB) (KJV, NJB)
It is recommended that you follow option (1) because it has the best evidence from Greek manuscripts. Also, most English translations follow it.The UBS Greek text gives this option a B rating which means that there is only a little doubt about the decision.
The clause You gave Me here refers to God’s name in 17:11d. As the note there said, God’s name represents his character, who God is. God had given his name to Jesus, meaning that he revealed who he was in Jesus. The tense of the verb gave indicates that Jesus still possessed God’s name. In some languages it may be necessary to make it clearer what God gave to Jesus. For example:
in your name, the name you gave me
in your name, the truth of who you are, that you have given me
In some languages it may be natural to rearrange the information in these clauses. Jesus could say first that God had given Jesus his name, and then ask God to protect the disciples. For example:
11d–eHoly Father, you have given me your name; now keep them safe in that name.
so that they may be one as We are one.
so that they will be united together as we(dual) are united together.
in order that their hearts/minds may agree, just as our(dual) hearts/minds agree.
so that: The Greek connector that the BSB translated as so that introduces Jesus’ purpose in asking God to protect his disciples.
they may be one as We are one: Jesus wanted his disciples to be united. He wanted them to live in unity, just as he and his Father lived in unity. For example:
so that their unity may be like ours (GW)
so that they will be united just as we are (NLT)
one: The word one here refers to many people living in unity. Try not to imply that people will no longer be individuals or have their own character. In some languages it may not be possible to say that many people are one. Here are other ways to translate this idea:
live as though they are one
live in unity
be of one heart
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / pastforfuture
οὐκέτι εἰμὶ & πρὸς σὲ ἔρχομαι
no_longer (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί οὐκέτι εἰμί ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καί αὐτοί ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσίν κἀγώ πρός σέ ἔρχομαι Πάτερ Ἅγιε τήρησον αὐτούς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι σοῦ ᾧ δέδωκας μοί ἵνα ὦσιν ἕν καθώς ἡμεῖς)
Here Jesus uses am in the present tense to refer to something that will happen in the near future. If this is confusing in your language, you could use the future tense. Alternate translation: [I will no longer … I am about to come to you]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσίν
in the world in the world in the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί οὐκέτι εἰμί ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καί αὐτοί ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσίν κἀγώ πρός σέ ἔρχομαι Πάτερ Ἅγιε τήρησον αὐτούς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι σοῦ ᾧ δέδωκας μοί ἵνα ὦσιν ἕν καθώς ἡμεῖς)
Jesus uses world to refer to both being on the earth and being among the people in the world who oppose God. If this use of world would be confusing in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [in this world with people who oppose you, but they are in this hostile world]
Note 3 topic: guidelines-sonofgodprinciples
Πάτερ
Father
Father is an important title for God.
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative
τήρησον
keep
Here, keep is an imperative, but it communicates a polite request rather than a command. Use a form in your language that communicates a polite request. It may be helpful to add an expression such as “please” to make this clear. Alternate translation: [please keep]
Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
τήρησον αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου
keep (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί οὐκέτι εἰμί ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ καί αὐτοί ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ εἰσίν κἀγώ πρός σέ ἔρχομαι Πάτερ Ἅγιε τήρησον αὐτούς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι σοῦ ᾧ δέδωκας μοί ἵνα ὦσιν ἕν καθώς ἡμεῖς)
Here, name could refer to: (1) God’s power. Alternate translation: [keep them by your power] (2) God himself, as in [17:6](../17/06.md). In this case, Jesus would be requesting that God keep his disciples united with God. Alternate translation: [keep them in unity with you]
17:11 Jesus’ first concern for his disciples was that they . . . be united with an intimacy similar to the oneness shared by Jesus and the Father.
OET (OET-LV) And I_am no_longer, in the world, and_yet they in the world are, and_I am_coming to you.
holy father, keep them in the name of_you, to_which you_have_given to_me, in_order_that they_may_be one, as we are.
OET (OET-RV) I’m about to leave this world and come to you, but they will stay here in it. Holy father, use your power to keep protect the ones that you gave me, so that they might be united just like you and I are one.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.