JESUS PRAYS FOR US

Passage: John 17:20-26

Key verse: 21

NIV

Jesus Prays for All Believers

20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one,(A) Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.(B) May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.(C) 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me,(D) that they may be one as we are one(E)— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me(F) and have loved them(G) even as you have loved me.

24 “Father, I want those you have given me(H) to be with me where I am,(I) and to see my glory,(J) the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.(K)

25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you,(L) I know you, and they know that you have sent me.(M) 26 I have made you[a] known to them,(N) and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them(O) and that I myself may be in them.”

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Footnotes
  1. John 17:26 Greek your name
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

20 “I do not (A)ask for these only, but also for those (B)who will believe in me through their word, 21 (C)that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that (D)they also may be in (E)us, so that the world (F)may believe that you have sent me. 22 (G)The glory that you have given me (H)I have given to them, (I)that they may be one even as we are one, 23 (J)I in them and you in me, (K)that they may become perfectly one, (L)so that the world may know that you sent me and (M)loved them even as (N)you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be (O)with me (P)where I am, (Q)to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me (R)before the foundation of the world. 25 (S)O righteous Father, even though (T)the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 (U)I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love (V)with which you have loved me may be in them, and (W)I in them.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. So that the world may believe (2

-23)

Jesus prayed for all those who would become Jesus' disciples through the witness of the Twelve. The New Testament is the Apostles' testimony. When we see the Church of Jesus so split and divided, we wonder what Jesus meant when he prayed for the unity of believers. But all who believe the Bible, repent of their sins, confess Jesus as the Christ, and allow his Spirit to rule their lives are one--whether they know it or not. The Church does not need to seek unity for the sake of unity. Jesus wants his people to be one for the sake of mission. When Christians love one another, the people of the world can believe in God who sent his Son.

2. The great hope of all believers (24-26)

Our great hope is to be with Jesus and to behold his glory--the glory he shared with the Father before the world began. Until that day, Jesus continues to make himself known to those who love him. When he dwells in us, we can love others.

Prayer: Lord, dwell in me, and help me to love my fellow believers with your love.

One Word: Let us be one--that the world may believe