John 17:13
in John 17But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
KJV
And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
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This verse in John 17
Commentary
15 notes on this verseKeep in mind once more what we were just now saying, and you will easily understand the drift of the passage. For He on all occasions preserved the juxtaposition of the two aspects of His character, at the same time displaying the Divine majesty for which He was pre-eminent, and not discarding the proper limitations of the Human Nature which He assumed at His Incarnation. For there would be something absurd in the supposition that He wished to disown what He had willingly taken upon Himself.
This site's exposition
the son of destruction
on John 17:12-13
The son of destruction is Judas, named here without softening. Every other man given to the Son was protected and preserved by the Father's name. Jesus prays it aloud, in their hearing, so that His own joy may be fulfilled in them.
This site's exposition
But now I am coming to You
He is coming to the Father, yet He speaks while still in the world, after verse 11 said He would no longer be in it. The joy is the joy His resurrection, ascension and intercession would bring them, as at 15:11. The prayer is framed in a human manner.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(Tr. cvii) Or thus: That they might have the joy spoken of above: That they may be one, as We are one. This His joy, i. e. bestowed by Him, He says, is to be fulfilled in them: on which account He spoke thus in the world. This joy is the peace and happiness of the life to come. He says He spoke in the world, though He had just now said, I am no more in the world. For, inasmuch as He had not yet departed, He was still here; and inasmuch as He was going to depart, He was in a certain sense not here.
"And now," He says, "come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves." See! He says that He speaketh in the world, when He had said only a little before, "I am no more in the world:" the reason of which we have there explained, or rather have shown that He Himself explained it. Accordingly, on the one hand, as He had not yet departed, He was still here; and because He was on the very point of departure, in a kind of way He was no more here. But what this joy is whereof He says, "That they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves," has already been elucidated above, where He says, "That they may be one, even as we are." This joy of His that is bestowed on them by Him, was to be fulfilled, He says, in them; and for that very end declared that He had spoken in the world. This is that peace and blessedness in the world to come, for the attaining of which we must live temperately, and righteously, and godly in the present.
"But now I come to thee." Seest thou that the discourse is composed rather in a human manner? So that should any wish from these words to lower the Son, he will lower the Father also. Observe, in proof of this, how from the beginning He speaketh partly as though informing and explaining to Him, partly as enjoining. Informing, as when He saith, "I pray not for the world"; enjoining, as, "I have kept them until now," "and none of them is lost"; and, "do Thou therefore now keep them," He saith. And again, "Thine they were, and Thou hast given them unto Me" and "While I was in the world I kept them." But the solution of all is, that the words were addressed to their infirmity.
The Medieval Church2 voices
But now I come to you, and I leave them, and therefore I pray, that they themselves may conceive confidence from my prayer; therefore he says: These things I speak in the world, that is, I make this prayer while they themselves are listening, that …
But now I am coming to you, physically leaving them: "I am leaving the world and going to the Father" (16:28). He had said before, "I kept them in your name," so that some would not fall into unbelief by misunderstanding this present statement (v …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
"This," He says, "I speak in the world for the peace, consolation, and joy of the disciples, so that they may be encouraged and not troubled, since You receive them whole and will keep them, just as I also kept them, and lost none of …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And now come I to thee,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
My joy fulfilled ... - See the notes at Joh 15:11. The expression “my joy here probably refers to the joy of the apostles respecting the Saviour - the joy which would result from his resurrection, ascension, and intercession in heaven.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I pray for them--not as individuals merely, but as representatives of all such in every succeeding age (see on Joh 17:20). not for the world--for they had been given Him "out of the world" (Joh 17:6), and had been already transformed into the very opposite of it. The things sought for them, indeed, are applicable only to such.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
These verses, like every part of this wonderful chapter, contain some deep things which are "hard to be understood." But there are two plain points standing out on the face of the passage which deserve the special attention of all true Christians. Passing by all other points, let us fix our attention on these two. We learn, for one thing, that the Lord Jesus does things for His believing people which He does not do for the wicked and unbelieving. He helps their souls by special intercession.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
These verses, like every part of this wonderful chapter, contain some deep things which are "hard to be understood." But there are two plain points standing out on the face of the passage which deserve the special attention of all true Christians. Passing by all other points, let us fix our attention on these two. We learn, for one thing, that the Lord Jesus does things for His believing people which He does not do for the wicked and unbelieving. He helps their souls by special intercession. He says, "I pray for them—I pray not for the world, but for those who You have given Me." The doctrine before us is one which is specially hated by the world. Nothing gives such offence, and stirs up such bitter feeling among the wicked, as the idea of God making any distinction between man and man, and loving one person more than another. Yet the world's objections to the doctrine are, as usual, weak and unreasonable. Surely a little reflection might show us that a God who regarded good and bad, holy and unholy, righteous and unrighteous, with equal complacency and favor, would be a very strange kind of God! The special intercession of Christ for His saints is agreeable to reason and to common sense. Of course, like every other Gospel truth, the doctrine before us needs careful statement and Scriptural guarding. On the one hand, we must not narrow the love of Christ to sinners; and on the other we must not make it too broad. It is true that Christ loves all sinners, and invites all to be saved; but it is also true that He specially loves the "blessed company of all faithful people," whom He sanctifies and glorifies. It is true that He has wrought out a redemption sufficient for all mankind, and offers it freely to all; but it is also true that His redemption is effectual only to those who believe.
My joy fulfilled in themselves - See on Joh 15:11 (note).
The words behind it
20 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| νῦν | nun | Now | G3568 → | 145 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| σὲ | se | You | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| ἔρχομαι | erchomai | I am coming | G2064 → | 628 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ταῦτα | tauta | these things | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| λαλῶ | lalo | I speak | G2980 → | 294 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κόσμῳ, | kosmo | world, | G2889 → | 185 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἔχωσιν | echosin | they may have | G2192 → | 707 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χαρὰν | charan | joy | G5479 → | 58 times |
| τὴν | ten | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐμὴν | emen | of Mine | G1473 → | 839 times |
| πεπληρωμένην | pepleromenen | fulfilled | G4137 → | 86 times |
| ἐν | en | within | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ἑαυτοῖς. | he'autois | themselves. | G1438 → | 322 times |
νῦνNow
nunG3568 →145 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
σὲYou
seG4771 →2973 times
ἔρχομαιI am coming
erchomaiG2064 →628 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ταῦταthese things
tautaG3778 →1381 times
λαλῶI speak
laloG2980 →294 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
κόσμῳ,world,
kosmoG2889 →185 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ἔχωσινthey may have
echosinG2192 →707 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
χαρὰνjoy
charanG5479 →58 times
τὴν<the>
tenG3588 →19766 times
ἐμὴνof Mine
emenG1473 →839 times
πεπληρωμένηνfulfilled
pepleromenenG4137 →86 times
ἐνwithin
enG1722 →2738 times
ἑαυτοῖς.themselves.
he'autoisG1438 →322 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Galatians 5:22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
it leads to
- Colossians 3:12–17
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4–7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
- John 15:5
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
- James 3:17–18
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- John 15:2
He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful.
- Colossians 3:12–17
Through
Hebrews 12:2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand…
it leads to
- Micah 7:7
But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
- 1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
- 1 Peter 2:23–24
When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
- Micah 7:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
About John
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on John 107; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 17; Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John - Book 11; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, John; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 81; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.