I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours.
Parallel translations
- WEB I pray for them. I don’t pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
- KJV I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
- NKJV “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.
- NASB I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on the behalf of those whom You have given Me, because they are Yours;
- NLT “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you.
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 prays specifically for his disciples, those the Father has given him, rather than for the world at this point. His intercession is focused on his own.
Overview
This verse does not mean Jesus has no concern for the world; elsewhere he came to save it (3:16) and later prays that the world might believe (17:21). Here, in his high-priestly prayer, his focus is intercession for those given to him. It shows Christ as the great intercessor who prays for his people, a ministry he continues at the Father's right hand (Hebrews 7:25).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Heb 9:24For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.
- John 17:2For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.
- John 17:6I 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.
- Luke 22:32But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
- 1 Jn 5:19We know that we are of God, and that the whole world is under the power of the evil one.
- John 17:20I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message,
- 1 Jn 2:1–2My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
- John 14:16And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
- John 16:26–27In that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf.
- Rev 20:15And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
- Rev 13:8And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.
- Heb 7:25Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Rev 12:9And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
- Luke 8:34When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 17:9 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.