John 17:25
What does John 17:25 mean?
A plain-English look at John 17:25 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 17:25 means
Jesus addresses the Father as "Righteous Father," emphasizing His perfect justice and holiness. He states that the world, in its unbelief, did not recognize the Father, but Jesus Himself intimately knew Him. Crucially, His disciples, in contrast to the world, *did* come to know that the Father had sent Him. This highlights the stark spiritual divide between those who know God through Christ and those who remain in darkness, affirming the disciples' unique spiritual insight.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me;
KJV
King James Version · 1611O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Father of righteousness, I have knowledge of you, though the world has not; and to these it is clear that you sent me;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`Righteous Father, also the world did not know Thee, and I knew Thee, and these have known that Thou didst send me,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Just Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee. And these have known that thou hast sent me.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Righteous Father, — and the world has not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
Context
This verse serves as a summary and reaffirmation, reinforcing the contrasting spiritual states addressed throughout the prayer—Jesus and His disciples versus "the world." It solidifies the disciples' knowledge of Jesus' divine origin, which was a theme in earlier verses, providing a final theological underpinning for the entire prayer, especially for the importance of revealing God's name.
v.24Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
v.25This passage
v.26and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 16:27
for the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came forth from the Father.
- 1 John 5:19
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in the evil one.
- Romans 3:11
There is none that understandeth, There is none that seeketh after God;
- John 17:8
for the words which thou gavest me I have given unto them; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me.
- John 3:17
For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.
- 1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
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