17:15a

I am not asking that You take them out of the world: This clause indicates that Jesus wanted his disciples to remain on earth. He did not want God to take them away. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world (New International Version)
-or-
I do not pray you to take them out of the world (Revised English Bible)
-or-
To take them out of the world is not what I ask.

Jesus said what he was not asking before saying what he was asking. In some languages it is more natural to give the positive first and then the negative. For examples of how to do that, see the General Comment following 17:15b.

I am not asking: The word asking in this context means “praying” because Jesus was talking to God the Father. For example:

I do not pray (Revised English Bible)
-or-
I am not praying (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
My prayer/request is not…

them: This pronoun refers to Jesus’ disciples. In some languages it may be natural to make explicit whom the word refers to. For example:

my followers (Contemporary English Version)

the world: In this context this phrase refers to this physical earth and its fallen people. The disciples do not belong to the world, but they are living in the world. God’s people are to remain for some time living among the people of the world.

General Comment on 17:15a

In the Berean Standard Bible, what Jesus is not asking is an indirect quotation. In some languages it may be natural to translate what Jesus does not ask as a direct quotation inside Jesus’ words. For example:

I am not asking/praying, ‘Take my disciples out of the world.’

17:15b

but that You keep them from the evil one: This clause indicates that Jesus asked God the Father to keep his disciples safe from Satan. It contrasts with what Jesus did not ask God in 17:15a. Translate this clause in a way that contrasts naturally and effectively with 17:15a. For example:

but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil One (Good News Translation)

In some languages it may be natural to repeat the verb “asking” that is implied from 17:15a. For example:

but I ask you to protect them from the evil one (New Revised Standard Version)

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but here connects a negative statement (17:15a, what Jesus does not ask) to a positive statement (17:15b, what Jesus does ask). This kind of sentence emphasizes the positive statement. Languages have different ways to indicate this type of emphasis. Here are some ways to show the emphasis:

• Use the conjunction but as in the Berean Standard Bible.

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (New International Version)

• Use a conjunction other than but. This is a common way in English to show this type of emphasis. For example:

I do not say that you should remove them from the world; rather that you should protect them from Satan.

• Do not use a conjunction. For example:

I am not asking you to take them out of the world. I am asking you to keep them safe from the Evil One.

• Change the order of the clauses. For example:

15b My prayer is that you protect them from the evil one; 15a not that you take them out of the world.
-or-

15b I am asking you to keep my disciples safe from the evil one. 15a I am not asking you to take them out of the earth.

You should translate this emphasis in the way that is most natural in your language.

keep them from: This phrase means “keep them from being harmed.” Here is another way to translate this phrase:

keep them safe (NET Bible)

the evil one: This phrase is a title that refers to Satan, the chief of the evil spirits. See also 1 John 2:13–14. You may want to indicate in a footnote that this phrase refers to Satan. Here are other ways to translate this phrase

the ⌊one who is called⌋ the Evil One
-or-
the one who is really evil (TH)

General Comment on 17:15b

If you used a direct quotation in 17:15a, it may be natural to do so here also. For example:

I am praying, ‘Protect them from the evil one.’

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