17
“Father, the Appointed Time Has Come”
1 After all+ these things had been said by Jesus, he looked up into the sky+ and said, “Father, the appointed time+ has come. Bring glory and honor to your Son,+ so that your Son may bring glory and honor to you.+
2 For you have given him authority over all mankind,+ so that to all whom you have given him he may give the life of the coming age.+
3 Now this is the life of the coming age+: That they may know you,+ the only true God, and the one you sent—Jesus the Messiah.+
4 As for me, it is+ you whose glory I have displayed on the earth,+ having finished the very+ work that you have given me to do.
5 And so now, you, Father, clothe and exalt me in your presence with the same glory that I had before the existence of the world+ in your very presence.+
6 I have displayed the glory and goodness of your name+ to the people+ whom you entrusted to my care+ from out of the world.+ It is+ you to whom they belonged, and it is+ me to whom you entrusted them, and it is+ your word that they have obeyed.
7 Now they understand that everything you have entrusted to me comes from you.+
8 For I have entrusted to them the very+ teaching+ that you entrusted to me;+ they accepted it and truly recognized+ that you are the one+ from whose very+ presence I came, and believed that you really did send+ me.
9 It is+ on their behalf that I am praying. I am praying not+ for the world, but for those whom you have entrusted to my care, because it is+ you to whom they belong.
10 To you belong all+ who+ are in my possession and care,+ and those in your possession and care belong to me, and my glory will surely be displayed in them.+
11 Although+ I will not remain+ in the world any longer, they themselves+ will remain in the world. I, though, am about to return to you.+ Holy Father, guard+ them by the power+ of your name, the name+ you have given me, so that they may be one just as you and I+ are one.+
12 During my time here with them,+ I guarded them by the power+ of your name, the name+ that you have given me, and kept watch over them, and none of them was lost, except one:+ The one doomed to destruction,+ so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
13 Now, however, I am returning to you,+ and these things I pray+ while still in the world so that the joy that I have may fill their own hearts.+
14 I have entrusted to them your teaching,+ and the world will surely hate+ them,+ because they don’t belong to the world, just as I myself+ don’t belong to the world.
15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to guard them from the evil one.
16 They to the world do not belong,+ just as I myself+ don’t belong to the world.
17 Set them apart as a special holy possession+ through the truth;+ your+ teaching+ is truth.+
18 Just as you sent me+ into the world, so I send+ them into the world.+
19 And for their sakes+ I set myself apart as specially yours for your holy purpose and use,+ so that they, too, may be set apart as specially and exclusively yours through the truth.+
20 “It is+ not for these only that I am praying, but also for those who will put their faith in me+ because of the message+ that these will proclaim,+
21 that all of them may be one,+ just as you, Father, are united with me,+ and I with you; that they, too, would themselves+ dwell in united fellowship with us, so that the world will believe that you really did send+ me.
22 And I will give them, as planned,+ the very+ glory that you have planned+ for me, so that they may be one,+ just as you and I+ are ourselves+ one—
23 I in union with them, and you in union with me; so that they may be brought into perfect unity; so that the world will know that you did in fact send+ me, and have loved and chosen+ them just as you have me.+
24 Father, those whom you have entrusted to my care, I desire that where I am, they, too, may be there+ with me themselves,+ so that they may see my glory, the glory that you have planned+ for me, because you loved and chose me before the foundation of the world.+
25 Righteous Father, even though+ the world itself+ does not know+ you, I+ do know you, and these men know that you sent+ me.
26 I have made your name known to them,+ and will continue to make it known, so that in them may dwell+ the same love that you have shown me,+ and I dwell in them myself.++”