17 Jesus Prays
After Jesus had finished speaking to his disciples, he looked upwards
towards heaven and prayed: Father the time has come for you to bring glory to
your Son, in order that he may bring glory to you.
2 And you gave him power over all the people, so that he would give eternal
life to everyone you give him. 3 Eternal life is to know you, the only true God,
and to know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. 4 I have brought glory to you here
on earth by doing everything you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, give me back the
glory that I had with you before the world was created.
6 You have given me some followers in this world, and I have shown them
what you are like. They were yours, but you gave them to me, and they have
obeyed you. 7 They know that you gave me everything I have. 8 I told my
followers what you told me, and they accepted it. They know that I came from
you, and they believe that you are he one who sent me. 9 I am playing for them,
but not for the ones who belong to this world.(a) My followers belong to you,
and I am praying for them. 10 All that I have is yours, and all that you have is
mine, and they will bring glory to me.
11 Holy Father, I am no longer in the world. I am coming to you, but my
followers are still in the world. So keep them safe by the power of the name you
have given me. Then they will be one with each other, just as you and I are one.
12 While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power you have given me. I
guarded them, and not one of them was lost, except the one who had to be lost.
This happened so that what the scriptures say would come true.
13 Father, I am on my way to you. But I say these things while I am still
in the world, so that my followers will have the same complete joy that I do. 14
I have told them your message. But the people of this world hate them, because
they don't belong to this world, just as I don't.
15 Father, I don't you to take my followers out of this world, but keep
them safe from the evil one. 16 They don't belong to this world, and neither do
I. 17 Your word is truth. So let this truth make them completely yours. 18 I am
sending them into the world, just as you sent me. 19 I have given myself
completely to the truth.
20 Father, I am not praying just for these followers. I
am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my
followers will say about me. 21 I want all of them to be one with each other,
just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one
with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.
22 I have honoured my followers in the same way that you honoured me, in
order that they may be one with each other, just as we are one. 23 I am one with
them, and you are one with me, so that they may become completely one. Then this
world's people will know that you sent me. They will know that you love my
followers as much as you love me.
24 Father, I want everyone you have given me to be with me, wherever I am.
Then they will see the glory that you have given me, because you loved me before
the world was created. 25 Good Father, the people of this world don't know you,
and my followers know that you sent me. 26 I told them what you were like, and I
will tell them even more. Then the love that you have for me will become part of
them, and I will be one with them.
(a) world: See the note at 12. 31.
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