John 17

17:15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [one]¹.

17:17  Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth¹.

17:19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth¹.

Our Lord's prayer as to the apostles ( John 17:1-19 ) is, therefore, athreefold petition, viz.: that they may be kept in unity, kept from theworld and the devil, and that they may be set apart and equipped forthe gospel service.

17:20  Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word¹;

17:21  that they may all be one¹; even as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us²: that the world may believe that thou didst send me³.

17:22  And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them¹; that they may be one, even as we [are] one²;

17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me², and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me³.

17:24  Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory¹, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

17:25  O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me;

17:26  and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known¹; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them².

It is a significant fact that the two of the five petitions of thisprayer are for Christian unity. It may be said generally of all thepetitions that they ask the Father to complete that which the Son hasalready begin and completed to the limit of his present circumscribedpower.