Prayer for Unity Among Believers
John 17:20-26
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
Jude
Revelation
John.17.20 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Ου: PART,neg
- περι: PREP
- τουτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- δε: CONJ
- ερωτω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- μονον: ADV
- αλλα: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- περι: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- πιστευοντων: PART,pres,act,gen,pl,m
- δια: PREP
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- λογου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- εμε: PRON,acc,sg,1
Parallels
- Romans 10:17 (verbal): Explicitly links faith to hearing 'the word of Christ'—matches Jesus' claim that people will 'believe in me through their word.'
- Acts 4:4 (thematic): A concrete instance in Acts where many 'believed' after hearing the apostles' message, illustrating belief coming through the disciples' witness.
- Matthew 28:19-20 (structural): The Great Commission sends the disciples to make disciples and teach them Jesus' words—parallel in purpose: apostolic witness leads others to faith.
- John 20:31 (thematic): States the evangelistic purpose of the Gospel ('that you may believe')—parallels Jesus' prayer for future believers who will come to faith through the apostles' testimony.
- John 17:21 (structural): Immediate context of the High Priestly Prayer: Jesus expands the petition to those who will believe through the disciples and prays for their unity, linking mission, belief, and communal unity.
Alternative generated candidates
- I do not ask on behalf of these only, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word.
- I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word,
John.17.21 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ινα: CONJ
- παντες: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- εν: PREP
- ωσιν: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,pl
- καθως: CONJ
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
- πατερ: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- εν: PREP
- εμοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- καγω: CONJ+PRON,nom,sg,1
- εν: PREP
- σοι: PRON,dat,sg,2
- ινα: CONJ
- και: CONJ
- αυτοι: PRON,nom,pl,3
- εν: PREP
- ημιν: PRON,dat,pl,1
- ωσιν: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,pl
- ινα: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κοσμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- πιστευη: VERB,pres,act,sub,3,sg
- οτι: CONJ
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- απεστειλας: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
Parallels
- John 17:11 (structural): Earlier petition in the same high-priestly prayer asking that believers ‘may be one, even as We are one’—directly parallels the unity motif and prayer form.
- John 10:30 (verbal): Jesus’ statement ‘I and the Father are one’ supplies the immediate Christ–Father unity language that John 17:21 grounds the desired believer-unity in.
- John 13:34-35 (thematic): The command to love one another and the claim that love/unity will mark Jesus’ disciples connects unity with evangelistic witness (‘that the world may believe’).
- Ephesians 4:3-6 (thematic): Paul’s exhortation to preserve the unity of the Spirit and the confession of one body, one Spirit, one Lord echoes the theological basis and ethical imperative for Christian unity.
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (thematic): The body-of-Christ imagery and the idea that believers are united into one body by the Spirit parallels John 17’s concern that believers be ‘one’ in Christ for corporate identity and witness.
Alternative generated candidates
- That they all may be one; even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.
- that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.
John.17.22 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- καγω: CONJ+PRON,nom,sg,1
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- δοξαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- δεδωκας: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- δεδωκα: VERB,perf,act,ind,1,sg
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- ινα: CONJ
- ωσιν: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,pl
- εν: PREP
- καθως: CONJ
- ημεις: PRON,nom,pl,1
- εν: PREP
Parallels
- John 17:21 (structural): Immediate parallel in the same high-priestly prayer: repeats the purpose clause that believers 'may be one,' linking the gift of glory to unity as in 17:22.
- John 17:23 (verbal): Direct continuation: explains how the glory given to believers results in unity—'I in them and You in Me'—reinforcing the reciprocal indwelling motif.
- John 10:30 (verbal): Jesus' declaration 'I and the Father are one' supplies the model of divine unity that Jesus invokes as the pattern believers are to mirror in 17:22.
- Ephesians 4:4-6 (thematic): Paul's emphasis on 'one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one God and Father of all' echoes New Testament theology that Christian unity is grounded in the single reality of God and Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 1:10 (thematic): Paul's appeal for believers to be 'perfectly united in the same mind and judgment' parallels John 17's concern that the church embody visible, doctrinal and relational unity.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.
- The glory that you gave me I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one.
John.17.23 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- εγω: PRON,nom,sg,1
- εν: PREP
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- και: CONJ
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
- εν: PREP
- εμοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- ινα: CONJ
- ωσιν: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,pl
- τετελειωμενοι: PART,perf,pass,nom,pl,m
- εις: PREP
- εν: PREP
- ινα: CONJ
- γινωσκη: VERB,pres,act,sub,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κοσμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- απεστειλας: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
- και: CONJ
- ηγαπησας: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
- αυτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- καθως: CONJ
- εμε: PRON,acc,sg,1
- ηγαπησας: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
Parallels
- John 17:21 (verbal): Same prayer theme of unity so that the world may know the Father sent Jesus; closely parallels language and intent (''that they may all be one... that the world may believe'').
- John 17:22 (structural): Immediately connected clause in the High Priestly Prayer: Jesus gives glory so that his followers 'may be one' as the Father and Son are one—provides the theological basis for the perfected unity mentioned in v.23.
- John 10:30 (thematic): Jesus' statement 'I and the Father are one' supplies the model of divine unity that Jesus desires his disciples to share and that justifies the petition 'as you are in me and I in you.'
- John 13:35 (thematic): The world’s recognition of Jesus’ mission through the visible love/relationship of his followers echoes v.23's claim that unity/love enables the world to know the Father sent Jesus.
- Ephesians 4:3-6 (thematic): Paul’s exhortation to preserve the unity of the Spirit and the goal of one body/one faith parallels the Johannine theme of believers' perfected unity rooted in the Father–Son relationship.
Alternative generated candidates
- I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to unity—so that the world may know that you sent me and that you loved them even as you loved me.
- I in them and you in me, that they may be perfected into one; so that the world may know that you sent me and that you loved them even as you loved me.
John.17.24 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- πατερ: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- δεδωκας: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- θελω: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- ινα: CONJ
- οπου: ADV,rel
- ειμι: VERB,pres,act,ind,1,sg
- εγω: PRON,nom,sg,1
- κακεινοι: PRON,nom,pl,m
- ωσιν: VERB,pres,act,subj,3,pl
- μετ᾽εμου: PREP+PRON,gen,sg,1
- ινα: CONJ
- θεωρωσιν: VERB,pres,act,sub,3,pl
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- δοξαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- εμην: PRON,acc,sg,1
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- δεδωκας: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,sg
- μοι: PRON,dat,sg,1
- οτι: CONJ
- ηγαπησας: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- προ: PREP
- καταβολης: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- κοσμου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- John 17:5 (verbal): Same petition about glory and pre‑existence—Jesus asks to be glorified with the glory he had with the Father before the world was formed (echoes 'before the foundation of the world').
- John 17:22 (verbal): Immediate Johannine parallel: Jesus speaks of the glory the Father gave him and that he has given to his disciples—ties directly to 'that they may see my glory which you have given me.'
- John 1:14 (thematic): Reports that the disciples 'beheld his glory' (the glory of the only Son from the Father), thematically connecting the desire in 17:24 that believers should see Jesus' glory.
- Ephesians 1:4–5 (allusion): Paul describes believers as chosen or loved in Christ 'before the foundation of the world,' paralleling the Johannine claim that the Father loved the Son 'before the foundation of the world' and the eternal dimension of divine love/election.
Alternative generated candidates
- Father, I desire that those whom you have given me may be with me where I am, to behold my glory that you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
- Father, I desire that those you have given me may be with me where I am, to behold my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before the foundation of the world.
John.17.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Πατερ: NOUN,voc,sg,m
- δικαιε: ADJ,voc,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- κοσμος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- σε: PRON,acc,sg,2
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εγνω: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εγω: PRON,nom,sg,1
- δε: CONJ
- σε: PRON,acc,sg,2
- εγνων: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- και: CONJ
- ουτοι: PRO,nom,pl,m
- εγνωσαν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- συ: PRON,nom,sg,2
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- απεστειλας: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
Parallels
- John 1:10-11 (verbal): The Johannine phrase that 'the world did not know him' parallels Jesus' statement that the world does not know the Father, highlighting the motif of the world's ignorance/rejection.
- John 17:8 (verbal): Earlier in the same prayer Jesus says the disciples 'knew in truth that I came from you,' closely echoing the claim here that 'these have known that you sent me.'
- John 17:3 (thematic): Focuses on knowing the Father ('this is eternal life, that they know you'), connecting the present verse's emphasis on intimate knowledge of the Father as central to the disciples' relationship to Jesus.
- John 6:44 (thematic): Affirms the Father's initiating role in drawing people to Jesus and undergirds the claim that the disciples (but not the world) truly recognize Jesus as sent by the Father.
Alternative generated candidates
- Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you; and these know that you sent me.
- Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you; and these have known that you sent me.
John.17.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εγνωρισα: VERB,aor,act,ind,1,sg
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- το: ART,acc,sg,n
- ονομα: NOUN,acc,sg,n
- σου: PRON,gen,sg,2
- και: CONJ
- γνωρισω: VERB,fut,act,ind,1,sg
- ινα: CONJ
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- αγαπη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ην: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- ηγαπησας: VERB,aor,act,ind,2,sg
- με: PRON,acc,sg,1
- εν: PREP
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- καγω: CONJ+PRON,nom,sg,1
- εν: PREP
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
Parallels
- John 17:6 (verbal): Same petition about Jesus' disclosure of the Father's name to the disciples—'I have manifested your name' echoes the verbal claim to have made God known to those given to him.
- John 17:23 (thematic): Close thematic parallel: Jesus prays that believers be one 'so that the world may know that you sent me and that you loved them even as you loved me,' linking divine love with the mission and unity he desires.
- John 15:9-10 (verbal): Direct verbal/theological parallel: 'As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.' Both passages center on the Father’s love for the Son being shared with the disciples.
- John 14:23 (structural): Echoes the promise of divine indwelling—'We will come to him and make our home with him'—paralleling Jesus' wish 'that the love ... may be in them, and I in them.'
- 1 John 4:16 (allusion): Develops the Johannine theme: 'God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him,' closely reflecting the motif of divine love abiding in believers and God/Christ abiding in them.
Alternative generated candidates
- I have made your name known to them, and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.
- I have made your name known to them, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.
I do not ask on behalf of these only, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word.
That they all may be one — even as you, Father, are in me and I in you — that they also may be in us; so that the world may believe that you sent me.
The glory you gave me I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one.
I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to complete unity, so that the world may know that you sent me and that you have loved them even as you loved me.
Father, I desire that those you have given me may also be with me where I am, to behold my glory — the glory you gave me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Righteous Father, the world did not know you, but I knew you; and these know that you sent me.
I have revealed your name to them, and I will continue to reveal it, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.