Not for these only do I pray, but for those also who believe in me through their word,
Parallel translations
- KJV Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
- BSB I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message,
- NKJV “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
- NASB “I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word,
- NLT “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus widens his prayer beyond the present disciples to all who will believe in him through their message. His intercession reaches every future believer.
Overview
This verse explicitly includes later generations of Christians in Jesus' high-priestly prayer; all who come to faith through the apostolic word are prayed for here. It underscores the place of gospel proclamation as the means by which people believe. Every Christian throughout history can take comfort that Jesus, on the night of his betrayal, prayed specifically for them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- John 17:6–11I revealed your name to the people whom you have given me out of the world. They were yours, and you have given them to me. They have kept your word.
- Acts 2:41Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.
- Acts 4:4But many of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
- Rom 15:18–19For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed,
- Eph 4:11He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;
- Rom 16:26—
- 2 Tim 1:2to Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 17:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.