Skip to main content

    John 17 (KJV)

    Read John chapter 17 in the King James Version of the Holy Bible.

    John 17

    Deep Verse Commentaries in This Chapter

    John 17:3

    "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only…"

    John 17:17

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

    John 17:20-21

    "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shal…"

    Explore Topics Related to John 17

    Continue your study with related content from across our library:

    Devotional

    John 17:17 — Meaning & Devotional

    Sanctification

    Verses About

    Bible Verses About Praying for Children

    10 curated KJV verses

    Commentary

    John 17:20-21 Commentary

    In-depth study • Unity

    Commentary

    Isaiah 64:7 Commentary

    In-depth study • The Prayerless Hour Before the Potter

    Promise

    God Promises Power in United Prayer

    Bible promises about the extraordinary power of believers praying together in ag

    Spiritual Warfare

    Praying in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18)

    Praying in the Spirit is prayer led, prompted, and empowered by the Holy Spirit

    John 17 Summary

    John 17 records Jesus' High Priestly Prayer — His longest recorded prayer, offered on the night before His crucifixion. Jesus prays first for Himself: 'Glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.' He defines eternal life as knowing 'the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.'

    Jesus then prays for His disciples — not for the world but for those the Father gave Him. He asks the Father to keep them, sanctify them in truth, and protect them from the evil one. Finally, He prays for all future believers: 'That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.' His deepest desire is that believers be unified and that the world know the Father sent Him and loves them.

    Key Themes

    UnitySanctificationJesus Praying for BelieversGlory

    Key Verses in John 17

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

    — John 17:3

    Jesus defines eternal life not as endless existence but as knowing God — relationship is the essence of salvation.

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

    — John 17:17

    God's Word is the instrument of sanctification — believers grow holy through Scripture.

    "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."

    — John 17:21

    Christian unity is not optional — it's Jesus' deepest prayer, and it directly impacts the world's belief.

    Life Application

    Jesus prayed for you in John 17 — not in the abstract but specifically for everyone who would believe. His priorities are revealing: unity among believers, sanctification through truth, and protection from evil. Make these your priorities too, because they are on Jesus' heart.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the High Priestly Prayer?

    John 17 is called the High Priestly Prayer because Jesus acts as the ultimate High Priest interceding for His people. He prays for His own glorification, for His disciples' protection and sanctification, and for the unity of all future believers.

    Why does Jesus pray for unity?

    Jesus prays 'that they may be one' because Christian disunity contradicts the gospel and undermines the church's witness. The unity He envisions is modeled on the Trinity — diverse persons in perfect relational harmony. Unity, not uniformity, displays God's character to the world.

    Read the full summary of John

    Free Bible widgets and more ways to read