John 17:9-26

9I pray for them. I am not praying for the people who belong to this world. No, I am praying for those people that you have given to me. I am praying for them because they are yours.

10Everything that I have is yours. And everything that you have is mine. These people have shown how great I am.

11I will not remain in the world any longer. I will return to you now. But they will still be here in the world. Holy Father, please keep them safe in your name. That is the powerful name that you gave to me. Then they can be united in the same way that you and I are united.

12While I was with them, I kept them safe in the power of your name. That is the name that you gave to me. I kept them safe so that only one of them turned away from you. That was the man who had to become lost. The Bible already said that it would happen in that way.

13Now, Father, I will come to you. I am saying these things while I am still in the world. Then these people, my disciples, can be completely happy. I want them to be completely happy in the same way that I am happy.

14I have given your message to them. The world's people have hated them because they do not belong to the world. They do not belong to the world, in the same way that I do not belong to the world.

15I am not asking that you will take them out of the world. But I ask you to keep them safe from the Devil.

16They do not belong to the world, in the same way that I do not belong to the world.

17Help them to belong completely to you, as they follow the truth. Your message is the truth.

18I have sent them into the world, in the same way that you sent me into the world.

19On their behalf I give myself to you, so that I belong completely to you. Then they also can completely belong to you, as they follow the truth.’

20‘I do not pray only for these people, my disciples. I pray also for those people who will believe in me because of my disciples' message.

21I pray that all of them will become united. You, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they also will be united in us. Then the world's people will believe that you sent me.

22I have given to them the same honour that you gave to me. Now they can be united in the same way that you and I are united.

23I will be in them, and you will be in me, so that they can be completely united. As a result, the world's people will know that you sent me. They will also know that you love my own people as you love me.

24Father, you have given these people to me. I want them to be with me where I am. Then they will see how great I am. You made me great because you loved me. You loved me even before the world began.

25Father, you always do what is right. The world's people do not know you, but I know you. These disciples know that you have sent me.

26I have shown them what you are like. And I will continue to show them what you are like. Then they will love other people, in the same way that you love me. And I myself will be in them.’