June 7 :: 2 Chronicles 28-29; John 17

Just read in John 17 how Jesus prayed for those given to Him by the Father. 

How much does He love you to pray like this? 

He loves you so much.

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. 

For you have given him authority over everyone. 

He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. 

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. 

I brought glory to you here on earth by 
completing the work you gave me to do.  

Now, Father, bring me into the glory 
we shared before the world began.

“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. 

Now they know that everything I have is a 
gift from you, 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.

“My prayer is not for the world, but for those 
you have given me, because they belong to you. 

All who are mine belong to you, and you 
have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 

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. 

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.

“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. 

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. 

I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, 
but to keep them safe from the evil one. 

They do not belong to this world any more than I do.  

Make them holy by your truth; teach 
them your word, which is truth. 

Just as you sent me into the world, 
I am sending them into the world.  

And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for 
them so they can be made holy by your truth.

“I am praying not only for these disciples but also 
for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 

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.

“I have given them the glory you gave me, 
so they may be one as we are one. 

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. 

Father, I want these whom you have 
given me to be with me where I am. 

Then they can see all the glory you gave 
me because you loved me even before the world began!

“O righteous Father, the world doesn’t 
know you, but I do; and these disciples 
know you sent me.  

I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. 

Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them.”