17:24a
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am: In this clause, Jesus continued to pray. He prayed that all his followers would be with him.
Father: This word is one that a child would use when speaking to his father. It indicates affection and respect. See the note and how you translated the word in 17:1. In some languages it is necessary or more natural use a personal pronoun. For example:
My Father
I want: The word the Berean Standard Bible translates as I want introduces a polite request to God. In some languages it is more natural to express a polite request in other ways. For example:
please allow
those You have given Me: In the Greek text the clause those You have given Me indicates a change of topic. This whole expression refers to all those who would believe in Jesus, a change from the 11 disciples in 17:23. Here Jesus refers to the same people referred to in 17:2b. See the note there and how you translated a similar expression. Here is another way to translate this expression:
the people that you entrusted to me (Kankanaey Back Translation)
to be with Me where I am: This expression means “might be in the same place that I am.” It does not indicate that Jesus doubted that the Father would answer his prayer. Jesus knew that he was going to his Father in heaven, and he prayed that his followers would go there also.
where I am: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I am is present tense, but refers to the near future, after Jesus went to heaven. In some languages it is more natural to use a future tense. For example:
where I will be
17:24b
that they may see the glory: The clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as that they may see the glory is more literally “so that they may see my glory.” It introduces the purpose for Jesus’ prayer that his followers be with him. For example:
so they may know my great honor
-or-
Then they can see the greatness and brightness that you gave me
the glory: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the glory here refers to Christ sharing in the majesty and greatness of God. The disciples will see how Jesus Christ shares God’s highest status and greatness that shines. See Key Biblical Terms Glory 3 (B), and see how you translated glory in 17:5b and 22a.
my great honor and brightness
-or-
my shining divine status
17:24c
You gave Me: This expression tells something about Christ’s glory. It is glory that God gave Christ. God honored Christ, causing him to receive honor and the highest status with him. See how you translated this idea in 17:22a. For example:
with which you have honored me
-or-
which you have made mine (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
This is the honor and greatness that you gave to me.
17:24d
because You loved Me before the foundation of the world: This clause tells why God gave Christ glory. It repeats the idea in the last part of 17:23d. The past tense of the verb loved does not imply that God no longer loves Christ. Use a tense that indicates that God loved Christ in the past and continued to do so. For example:
because you have loved me since before the world began
-or-
because you have always loved me, even before the world existed
You: The pronoun You is singular and refers to God the Father.
before the foundation of the world: This phrase refers to eternity in the past, before God made the earth. In some languages it is more natural to translate this noun phrase as a clause with a verb. For example:
before the world began to be/exist
-or-
before the world was made (New Century Version)
-or-
before the world was created (Contemporary English Version)
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