JHN 17:1-5

Prayer for the Son

1These things Jesus spoke, and having lifted up His eyes to heaven, He said: 'Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, [17:2] even as You gave to Him authority over all flesh, so that all whom You have given to Him, He may give to them eternal life. [17:3] And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. [17:4] I myself glorified You on the earth, having completed the work that You have given Me that I may do. [17:5] And now, glorify Me, You yourself, Father, with Yourself, with the glory that I had with You before the world existing.'

In the world it was spoken into

In this prayer, Jesus speaks of 'the hour' , a term laden with eschatological significance in 1st-century Jewish thought. It refers not merely to a chronological moment but to the culmination of God’s redemptive plan, a decisive, divinely appointed time. Jesus’ request to be glorified echoes the Jewish understanding of divine glory (כבוד, kavod) as the visible manifestation of God’s presence and power. The mention of 'authority over all flesh' reflects a broader Jewish and Greco-Roman worldview where 'flesh' signifies humanity in its totality, both weak and mortal. Eternal life is defined not as mere immortality but as knowing 'the only true God' , a phrase that contrasts the genuine, authentic God with the false deities of pagan worship. The completion of the work evokes the idea of bringing something to its intended goal or perfection, a concept familiar in both Jewish covenantal theology and Greco-Roman philosophical thought. This prayer situates Jesus’ mission within the cosmic narrative of God’s sovereignty and redemption.

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How other translations render this

JHN 17:1

KJV: These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
BSB: When Jesus had spoken these things, He lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You.
Koinōnos: These things Jesus spoke, and having lifted up His eyes to heaven, He said: 'Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You,

JHN 17:2

KJV: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
BSB: For You granted Him authority over all people, so that He may give eternal life to all those You have given Him.
Koinōnos: even as You gave to Him authority over all flesh, so that all whom You have given to Him, He may give to them eternal life.

JHN 17:3

KJV: And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
BSB: Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
Koinōnos: And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

JHN 17:4

KJV: I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
BSB: I have glorified You on earth by accomplishing the work You gave Me to do.
Koinōnos: I myself glorified You on the earth, having completed the work that You have given Me that I may do.

JHN 17:5

KJV: And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
BSB: And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.
Koinōnos: And now, glorify Me, You yourself, Father, with Yourself, with the glory that I had with You before the world existing.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

JHN 17:1

has come:The word translated 'has come' refers to a specific, appointed time or season, not just a general passage of time. It implies a divinely ordained moment that has arrived.

JHN 17:2

flesh,:The word translated 'flesh' often refers to the whole human being, including their physical and mortal nature, rather than just the physical tissue.

JHN 17:3

true:The word translated 'true' here means genuine or authentic, in contrast to something false or merely a copy. It speaks to the ultimate reality of something.

JHN 17:4

having completed:The word translated 'having completed' carries the sense of bringing something to its intended goal or perfection, not just finishing a task. It implies a successful and full accomplishment.