Paragraph 17:9–12

Jesus asked God to protect his disciples from Satan.

17:9a

I ask on their behalf: This clause indicates that Jesus was praying to God for the benefit of his 11 disciples. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

I am praying for them (English Standard Version)
-or-
I pray for them (God’s Word)
-or-
I am praying ⌊to you (sing.)⌋ to help them

on their behalf: This phrase means “for their benefit.” Jesus prayed for God to help and bless his 11 disciples with him. These disciples are the ones he has prayed for since verse 6. It may be natural to make explicit whom the possessive pronoun their refers to. It refers to those whom God had given Jesus, his disciples, who had believed his message (17:6a–8d). The Greek text emphasizes this phrase to contrast it with “on behalf of the world” in 17:9b, which the Greek also emphasizes. For example:

for these ⌊my disciples/followers⌋

17:9b

I do not ask on behalf of the world: At this point, Jesus was praying for his disciples, not unbelievers. The Greek text emphasizes the phrase on behalf of the world to contrast it with “on their behalf” in 17:9a. For example:

I am not praying for the world (Revised English Bible)
-or-
I do not pray for the world (Good News Translation)
-or-
Who I am praying-for, it is not those who don’t believe in me (Kankanaey Back Translation)

the world: This phrase here refers to people who love and belong to the world and not to Christ. See the notes on the world in 1:10, 8:23, and 15:18–19. For example:

those who belong to this world (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the people who do not believe in me (Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)

General Comment on 17:9a–b

In some languages it may be natural to translate 17:9a–b as one main clause with one verb. For example:

I am praying for them, but not for those who belong to this world (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I am not praying for the people of this ⌊evil⌋ world but for these ⌊my disciples⌋ .

17:9c

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but here connects a negative statement (17:9b) to a positive statement (17:9c). 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.

I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me (English Standard Version)

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

I am not asking for the benefit of ⌊unbelievers⌋ ; rather, for the benefit of the ones you gave me.

• Do not use a conjunction. For example:

I do not ask this favor for all the people who live on earth. Those whom you delivered over to me are those I ask you to care for (Otomi Back Translation)

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

on behalf of those You have given Me: This expression repeats and emphasizes what Jesus said in 17:9a. See how you translated the similar expression there.

those You have given Me: This clause refers to Jesus’ disciples, the same people referred to in 17:6a. See the note there and how you translated the same clause. For example:

whom you entrusted to me (Kankanaey Back Translation)

17:9d

for they are Yours: This clause means “because they belong to you.” This clause gives the reason that Jesus was praying to God for his disciples. Jesus was praying to God for his disciples because they belonged to God. The Greek text emphasizes the word Yours. See how you translated a similar clause in 17:6b. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

because they belong to you (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
My followers belong to you (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
because it is you to whom they belong

General Comment on 17:9c–d

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 17:9c–d. For example:

9d My followers belong to you, 9c and I am praying for them. (Contemporary English Version)

General Comment on 17:9a–d

In some languages it may be confusing for Jesus to pray for the disciples, then the world, and then the disciples again. If that is true in your language, it may be natural to rearrange the order of 17:9a–d. For example:

9a I pray for these ⌊people⌋ 9c that you have given me 9d because they belong to you. 9b I do not pray for the ⌊people of the⌋ world.
-or-

9b I do not pray for the ⌊people of the⌋ world. 9a Instead I pray for those 9c that you have given me 9d because they are yours.

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