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Jesus' High Priestly Prayer

The Prayer of Glory, Unity, and Eternal Life

Prayers of Jesus📖 John 17

Context

On the night before His crucifixion, after teaching His disciples and instituting the New Covenant, Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven and prays. This prayer—often called the High Priestly Prayer—reveals Jesus acting as mediator between God and humanity, interceding first for Himself, then for His disciples, and finally for all future believers. It is a sacred glimpse into the heart of Christ and His relationship with the Father.

The Prayer

Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Reference: John 17

Breaking Down the Prayer

Let's explore each phrase to understand its deeper meaning.

"Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee"

Jesus identifies the appointed moment of His suffering, death, and exaltation (“the hour”) and asks that the Father’s glory be revealed through the Son’s obedient mission. (John 17:1)

"As thou hast given him power over all flesh... eternal life to as many as thou hast given him"

The Father has granted the Son authority and a saving mission: to give eternal life to those the Father gives Him. (John 17:2)

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee... and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent"

Eternal life is defined relationally: truly knowing the Father and the Son He sent—not merely existing forever. (John 17:3)

"I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do"

Jesus testifies that His earthly ministry fulfilled the Father’s assignment; His life has already displayed the Father’s character and purpose. (John 17:4)

"Glorify thou me... with the glory which I had with thee before the world was"

Jesus speaks of His pre-existence and shared glory with the Father, asking to be restored to that glory through His completed redemptive work. (John 17:5)

"I have manifested thy name... thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word"

Jesus has revealed the Father’s name (His character and identity) to the disciples, who belong to the Father and have responded by keeping His word. (John 17:6)

"They have known... all things... are of thee... they have believed that thou didst send me"

The disciples have received Jesus’ teaching as coming from the Father and have believed Jesus is the One sent by God. (John 17:7–8)

"I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me"

Jesus’ intercession is focused covenantally on His own—those entrusted to Him—because they belong to the Father. (John 17:9)

"All mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them"

The Father and Son share possession and purpose; the disciples will display Christ’s glory as they continue His mission. (John 17:10)

"Holy Father, keep... those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are"

Jesus asks for divine protection and preservation, with a purpose: deep unity among believers that reflects the unity of Father and Son. (John 17:11)

"None of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled"

Jesus kept the disciples, except Judas, whose betrayal fulfilled Scripture; this highlights both God’s sovereign plan and real human culpability. (John 17:12)

"That they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves"

Jesus desires His followers to possess His own joy—rooted in communion with the Father—even amid coming trials. (John 17:13)

"I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them... they are not of the world"

God’s word creates a new identity that clashes with the world’s values, leading to opposition against Jesus’ followers. (John 17:14)

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but... keep them from the evil"

Jesus does not ask for escape from the world, but protection from the evil one/evil—preserved faithfulness while remaining on mission. (John 17:15)

"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth"

Sanctification (being set apart as holy) happens through God’s truth; the Father’s word is the defining standard of reality and holiness. (John 17:17)

"As thou hast sent me... so have I also sent them... for their sakes I sanctify myself"

The disciples are commissioned into the world as Jesus was; Jesus ‘sets Himself apart’ for the cross so they may be truly sanctified. (John 17:18–19)

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word"

Jesus explicitly prays for future believers—those who will come to faith through the apostolic testimony (the gospel message). (John 17:20)

"That they all may be one... that the world may believe that thou hast sent me"

Unity is missional: the visible oneness of believers serves as a witness that Jesus truly is the Father’s sent Son. (John 17:21)

"The glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one"

Jesus shares ‘glory’ with His people—His revealed life and presence among them—so their unity mirrors divine unity. (John 17:22)

"I in them, and thou in me... perfect in one... that the world may know... and hast loved them"

Christian unity flows from indwelling communion (Christ in believers, Father in Son). This unity testifies that God loves believers with a real, covenant love. (John 17:23)

"Father, I will that they also... be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory"

Jesus expresses His desire for believers’ final destiny: to be with Him and see His glory—sharing in the future hope of resurrection life. (John 17:24)

"O righteous Father... I have known thee... these have known that thou hast sent me"

The world’s ignorance contrasts with Jesus’ perfect knowledge of the Father and the disciples’ true recognition that Jesus is sent by Him. (John 17:25)

"I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it... that the love... may be in them, and I in them"

Jesus continues to reveal the Father so believers live in God’s love; the goal is ongoing communion—God’s love in them, Christ dwelling in them. (John 17:26)

Spiritual Significance

What We Can Learn

How to Apply This Prayer

Here are practical ways to incorporate this prayer into your daily life.

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Jesus' High Priestly Prayer (John 17) | Biblical Prayer Guide