Swindoll Study Bible - Book of John - Flipbook - Page 46
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to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will
grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful
joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of
labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way
to joy because she has brought a new baby into the
world. 22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you
again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you
of that joy. 23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for
anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father
directly, and he will grant your request because you
use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask,
using my name, and you will receive, and you will have
abundant joy.
25 “I have spoken of these matters in figures of
speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and
will tell you plainly all about the Father. 26 Then you
will ask in my name. I’m not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father himself loves you
dearly because you love me and believe that I came
from God.* 28 Yes, I came from the Father into the
world, and now I will leave the world and return to
the Father.”
29 Then his disciples said, “At last you are speaking
plainly and not figuratively. 30 Now we understand
that you know everything, and there’s no need to
question you. From this we believe that you came
from God.”
31 Jesus asked, “Do you finally believe? 32 But the
time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when you will
be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me
alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with
me. 33 I have told you all this so that you may have
peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials
and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome
the world.”
The Prayer of Jesus
17
After saying all these things, Jesus looked
up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has
come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to
you. 2 For you have given him authority over every
one. He gives eternal life to each one you have given
him. 3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to
know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the
one you sent to earth. 4 I brought glory to you here
on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
J ohn 1 7 : 2 4
5 Now,
Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.
6 “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. 7 Now they
know that everything I have is a gift from you, 8 for
I have passed on to them the message you gave me.
They accepted it and know that I came from you, and
they believe you sent me.
9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you
have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who
are mine belong to you, and you have given them to
me, so they bring me glory. 11 Now I am departing
from the world; they are staying in this world, but I
am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me
your name;* now protect them by the power of your
name so that they will be united just as we are. 12 During my time here, I protected them by the power of
the name you gave me.* I guarded them so that not
one was lost, except the one headed for destruction,
as the Scriptures foretold.
13 “Now I am coming to you. I told them many
things while I was with them in this world so they
would be filled with my joy. 14 I have given them
your word. And the world hates them because they
do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to
the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of
the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.
16 They do not belong to this world any more than I
do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your
word, which is truth. 18 Just as you sent me into the
world, I am sending them into the world. 19 And I
give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can
be made holy by your truth.
20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but
also for all who will ever believe in me through their
message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you
and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in
you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they
may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are
in me. May they experience such perfect unity that
the world will know that you sent me and that you
love them as much as you love me. 24 Father, I want
these whom you have given me to be with me where
16:27 Some manuscripts read from the Father. 17:6 Greek have revealed your name; also in 17:26. 17:11 Some manuscripts read you have given me these [disciples].
17:12 Some manuscripts read I protected those you gave me, by the power of your name.
UNITY John 17:21 Jesus prayed that believers would
to pray, He just said, “Father,” and then He talked to God
about His concerns. So many people worry about how
to pray or what to say. We should never be worried about
getting the words perfect or come to God’s throne thinking
our words are not worthy of the Lord’s hearing. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Just say, “Father,” and talk
to Him like you are His dearly loved child—which you are.
He’ll listen.
experience unity, not uniformity. He doesn’t expect us to
walk around in Christian uniforms. He doesn’t expect us
to all have the same temperament. He lets us be who we
are. Talk about variety: Look around! We’re all different.
However, we’re all linked as one in the same Person. He
prayed for our unity—“that they will all be one, just as you
and I are one.”
LIVING INSIGHTS
PRAYER John 17:1 When Jesus approached the throne
