SANTIFY THEM BY THE TRUTH

Passage: John 17:6-19

Key verse: 17

NIV

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

6 “I have revealed you[a](A) to those whom you gave me(B) out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me(C) and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you,(D) and they believed that you sent me.(E) 9 I pray for them.(F) I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me,(G) for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine.(H) And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world,(I) and I am coming to you.(J) Holy Father, protect them by the power of[b] your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one(K) as we are one.(L) 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by[c] that name you gave me. None has been lost(M) except the one doomed to destruction(N) so that Scripture would be fulfilled.(O)

13 “I am coming to you now,(P) but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy(Q) within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them,(R) for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.(S) 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.(T) 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.(U) 17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth.(V) 18 As you sent me into the world,(W) I have sent them into the world.(X) 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.(Y)

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Footnotes
  1. John 17:6 Greek your name
  2. John 17:11 Or Father, keep them faithful to
  3. John 17:12 Or kept them faithful to
  4. John 17:17 Or them to live in accordance with
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

6 (A)“I have manifested your name to the people (B)whom you gave me out of the world. (C)Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything (D)that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them (E)the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that (F)I came from you; and (G)they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. (H)I am not praying for the world but for those (I)whom you have given me, for (J)they are yours. 10 (K)All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and (L)I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but (M)they are in the world, and (N)I am coming to you. (O)Holy Father, (P)keep them in your name, (Q)which you have given me, (R)that they may be one, (S)even as we are one. 12 (T)While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have (U)guarded them, and (V)not one of them has been lost except (W)the son of destruction, (X)that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now (Y)I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have (Z)my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 (AA)I have given them your word, and (AB)the world has hated them (AC)because they are not of the world, (AD)just as I am not of the world. 15 I (AE)do not ask that you (AF)take them out of the world, but that you (AG)keep them from (AH)the evil one.[a] 16 (AI)They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 (AJ)Sanctify them[b] in the truth; (AK)your word is truth. 18 (AL)As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And (AM)for their sake (AN)I consecrate myself,[c] that they also (AO)may be sanctified[d] in truth.

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Footnotes
  1. John 17:15 Or from evil
  2. John 17:17 Greek Set them apart (for holy service to God)
  3. John 17:19 Or I sanctify myself; or I set myself apart (for holy service to God)
  4. John 17:19 Greek may be set apart (for holy service to God)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Jesus prayed for his disciples. During his messianic ministry, Jesus revealed God to them—God’s love, righteousness, holiness, power, and hope through his teaching and life. Jesus discipled them in three ways.

First, he ministered the word of God to them and called them to a life of obedience. He showed them, by example, his perfect obedience to God’s word. Through God’s word, they knew that Jesus came from God and that his words were the very words of God.

Second, he prayed that God might protect them. The world hates Jesus’ disciples just as it hated Jesus. The disciples needed God’s protection from the evil one so that they would be one.

Third, Jesus sent them into the world to serve to advance His kingdom. Jesus was leaving his disciples who would remain in the world to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19-20). To serve this mission, they needed to be sanctified by the truth, the word of God. To sanctify means to be set apart and devoted in holiness for sacred use for God. True disciples are those who obey God’s words, pray for God’s protection, and have God’s mission as they are sanctified by the truth.

Prayer: Sanctify me by your word so that I may serve you and advance your kingdom.

One Word: Jesus sent us into the world