Limitless Word
“I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your word.
John 17:6 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB I 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.
  • KJV I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
  • BSB I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours; You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
  • NKJV “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.
  • NLT “I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

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 says he has revealed the Father's name to those given to him out of the world, and they have kept his word. His disciples are the Father's gift, kept by grace.

Overview

To reveal God's 'name' is to make known his character and saving identity. Jesus speaks of his disciples as those the Father gave him out of the world, who belonged to the Father and now belong to the Son. Their keeping of his word, though imperfect, marks them as genuine. This verse highlights the Father's electing love and the Son's faithful revelation of God.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 40

  • John 17:26I made known to them your name, and will make it known; that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
  • 1 Jn 5:20We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
  • John 14:21–24One who has my commandments, and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.”
  • John 10:27–29My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
  • John 17:24Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may see my glory, which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
  • John 6:37All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out.
  • Exod 34:5–7Yahweh descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed Yahweh’s name.
  • John 17:2even as you gave him authority over all flesh, he will give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
  • Exod 3:13–15Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you;’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What should I tell them?”
  • John 15:19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
  • Eph 1:4–11even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love;
  • 2 Cor 4:6seeing it is God who said, “Light will shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
  • Matt 11:25–27At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants.
  • 2 Th 2:13–14But we are bound to always give thanks to God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief in the truth;
  • Luke 10:21–22In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”
  • Ps 22:22I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you.
  • John 15:7If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.
  • Rev 3:8“I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.
  • Ps 119:11I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
  • Exod 9:16but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;
  • Heb 3:6but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.
  • Prov 3:1–4My son, don’t forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:
  • 2 Tim 1:13Hold the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
  • Prov 2:10For wisdom will enter into your heart. Knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.
  • Heb 2:12saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among of the congregation I will sing your praise.”
  • John 8:31–32Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.
  • Ps 71:17–19God, you have taught me from my youth. Until now, I have declared your wondrous works.
  • John 18:9that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, “Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none.”
  • John 6:39This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day.
  • Rev 2:13“I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. You hold firmly to my name, and didn’t deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
  • Prov 2:1–5My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;
  • John 17:14I have given them your word. The world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
  • John 12:28Father, glorify your name!” Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
  • Acts 13:48As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of God. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
  • John 15:3You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.
  • Prov 23:23Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
  • Col 3:16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.
  • John 17:9–11I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
  • John 17:16They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
  • John 1:18No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (3)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 17:6YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 17:6 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.