Easter Season · Seventh Sunday of Easter · Year B
John 17:11b-19
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
May 9, 2027
Overview & Insights
“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15)
Just as in verses 1–3, the Son’s work of “glorifying” the Father is defined as revealing or making the Father known, but in this case the revealing is to the specific group of disciples gathered to hear Jesus’ last instructions. The phrase those whom you gave me focuses on this limited group in contrast to all those you have given him (out of all people ) in verse 2. Such phrases as they have obeyed (v. 6), now they know (v. 7), they accepted, they knew, they believed (v. 8) are Jesus’ testimony to the Father that the revelation has taken place; his work is indeed finished. He bases his testimony explicitly on the disciples’ confession in 16:30, enlarging on his exclamation in 16:31, “You believe at last!” The disciples are the living trophies of Jesus’ mission on earth. As he reiterates his plea to glorify me in your presence (v. 5), he presents them to the Father with the acknowledgment that they were yours; you gave them to me (v.
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Commentary
John 17 - Jesus' High Priestly Prayer Enduring Word · David Guzik
David Guzik works through Jesus' prayer that his disciples be kept, made one, and set apart in truth.
John 17:11 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentators on the prayer that the disciples be kept in the Father's name and be one.
John 17 Commentary Precept Austin
Verse by verse notes with Greek word helps on Jesus' great high priestly prayer.
John 17:6-19 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed preaching commentary on Jesus praying for protection, unity and sanctification of his own.
Commentary on John 17:6-19 Working Preacher
A scholarly exegesis of the prayer keyed to the Seventh Sunday of Easter in the lectionary.
Seventh Sunday of Easter, Cycle B Loyola Press · Sunday Connection
Sunday Connection frames the Catholic Cycle B reading of John 17 as Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper.
Background & Word Study
John | Enter the Bible Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary background on the authorship, themes and structure of John's Gospel.
Gospel of John Overview BibleProject
Animated overview of John's literary design and its portrait of Jesus and the Father.
John 17:11 Interlinear BibleHub
Greek text with parsing and Strong's numbers for the prayer to keep and unite the disciples.
The Church Fathers
Sermons & Reflections
Questions preachers ask
What does Jesus pray for his disciples?
In his high-priestly prayer Jesus asks the Father to keep his own in the divine name and to guard them from the evil one, that they may be one and sanctified in the truth as he sends them into the world.
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