I am not asking that You take them out of the worldIn this phrase, Jesus is praying to the Father on behalf of His disciples. The context is the Upper Room Discourse, where Jesus prepares His followers for His impending departure. The request not to remove them from the world highlights the mission of the disciples to be witnesses and spread the Gospel. This echoes the Great Commission (
Matthew 28:19-20) and underscores the importance of believers living in the world to fulfill God's purposes. Theologically, it reflects the concept of being in the world but not of it (
John 15:19), emphasizing the call to engage with the world while maintaining spiritual distinctiveness.
but that You keep them from the evil one
Here, Jesus petitions for divine protection against Satan, referred to as "the evil one." This aligns with the Lord's Prayer, where Jesus teaches His followers to pray for deliverance from evil (Matthew 6:13). The phrase underscores the reality of spiritual warfare, as seen inEphesians 6:12, where Paul describes the struggle against spiritual forces. The request for protection implies that while believers are not removed from worldly challenges, they are safeguarded by God's power. This protection is not just physical but also spiritual, ensuring that their faith remains intact amidst trials and temptations.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
Jesus ChristThe speaker of this prayer, Jesus is interceding for His disciples before His crucifixion. This prayer is part of what is known as the High Priestly Prayer.
2.
The DisciplesThe immediate audience of Jesus' prayer, representing all believers who follow Christ. Jesus is concerned for their protection and sanctification.
3.
The WorldRefers to the fallen world system that is often in opposition to God's kingdom. Jesus acknowledges that His followers must live within this world.
4.
The Evil OneA reference to Satan, who is seen as the adversary of believers and the source of temptation and evil in the world.
5.
The FatherGod the Father, to whom Jesus is praying. This highlights the intimate relationship and unity within the Trinity.
Teaching Points
The Reality of Spiritual WarfareBelievers are engaged in a spiritual battle and need God's protection to stand firm against the evil one.
Living in the World, Not of the WorldChristians are called to be in the world but not conformed to it, maintaining their distinctiveness as followers of Christ.
The Power of Intercessory PrayerJesus' prayer for His disciples models the importance and power of praying for others, especially for their spiritual protection.
Dependence on God for ProtectionBelievers must rely on God's strength and protection rather than their own abilities to overcome the evil one.
The Assurance of God's KeepingJesus' prayer assures believers that God is actively involved in keeping them safe from spiritual harm.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of John 17:15?
2.How does John 17:15 guide us in praying for protection from evil?
3.What does "not take them out of the world" imply for Christians today?
4.How can we apply "protect them from the evil one" in daily life?
5.Which other scriptures emphasize God's protection from evil forces?
6.How does John 17:15 influence our understanding of spiritual warfare?
7.What does John 17:15 reveal about God's protection from evil?
8.How does John 17:15 align with the concept of free will?
9.Why does Jesus pray for protection rather than removal from the world in John 17:15?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from John 17?
11.Is escapism considered a sin?
12.What does the Bible say about Yin Yang?
13.What are Christian Weapons?
14.What does "Not of This World" signify?What Does John 17:15 Mean
I am not askingJesus, in His high-priestly prayer, looks directly to the Father. The opening phrase shows deliberate, focused intercession:
•John 17:1–3 reveals He prays only what aligns with the Father’s will—He never pleads for something contrary to God’s redemptive plan.
•Hebrews 7:25 reminds us that Christ “always lives to intercede,” so this request models His ongoing advocacy for believers.
• By saying “I am not asking,” He distinguishes between possible desires of the disciples (escape) and the perfect will of God (mission).
that You take them out of the worldRemaining on earth is intentional, not accidental:
• InJohn 20:21 Jesus commissions: “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” Their presence is vital for gospel witness.
•Matthew 5:13-16 calls believers “salt” and “light,” roles requiring proximity to a needy world.
•Philippians 2:15 pictures believers “shining as lights in the world,” confirming that separation is spiritual, not spatial.
•Acts 1:8 promises power “to the ends of the earth,” implying ongoing engagement, not evacuation.
but that You keep themProtection, not isolation, is the heart of His petition:
•John 10:28-29 assures that no one can “snatch them out of My Father’s hand,” highlighting divine preservation.
•1 Peter 1:5 says we are “shielded by God’s power,” reinforcing the Father’s active guardianship.
• Jude 24 celebrates the One “able to keep you from stumbling,” echoing Jesus’ prayer for sustaining grace amid hostile surroundings.
Practical implications:
– Safety is found in God, not in retreat.
– Ongoing mission and divine keeping operate together, never in conflict.
from the evil oneThe danger is personal, not abstract:
•1 John 5:19 states “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one,” confirming Satan’s pervasive influence.
•Ephesians 6:11-13 instructs us to “put on the full armor of God” so we can stand against his schemes.
•2 Thessalonians 3:3 promises, “The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.”
Jesus asks for protection against Satan’s deception, accusation, and temptation, not removal from spiritual battle. Victory is assured, yet vigilance is required.
summaryJohn 17:15 teaches that Jesus deliberately leaves His followers in the world for gospel impact, while simultaneously securing their safety through the Father’s power against Satan’s attacks. Believers live on mission, confident that the same God who sends them also shields them until their work is complete.
(15)
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world.--The thought may naturally have come to their minds that they would be most effectually kept from the hatred and danger of which He had spoken if they were to be with Him taken out of the world. But there is for them a work in the world (
John 17:18;
John 17:24). He has finished the work His Father gave Him to do; He has glorified the Father on the earth (
John 17:4). There is a work for them to glorify Him (
John 17:10), and He prays not that they should be taken out of the world before their work is done. The Christian ideal is not freedom from work, but strength to do it; not freedom from temptation, but power to overcome it; not freedom from suffering, but joy in an abiding sense of the Father's love; not absence from the world, but grace to make the world better for our presence; not holy lives driven from the world, and living apart from it, but holy lives spent in the world and leavening it.
But that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.--Comp. Note onMatthew 6:13. The usage of St. John is, beyond question, in favour of the masculine. The only other passages where he uses the word in the singular are1John 2:13-14;1John 3:12;1John 5:18-19. We have to bear in mind also that the present passage occurs in the second "Lord's Prayer," and that His prayer for them may with probability be interpreted in the same sense as the words in which He taught them to pray. On the whole, therefore, it seems likely, but yet is by no means certain, that we ought to read here, "that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one." . . .
Verse 15. - The prayer of Jesus based on this.
I pray (
ἐρωτῶ, not
αἰτεω; see Ver. 9; the
ἵνα here defines the contents of the prayer)
not that thou shouldest take them away - lift them up and out -
out of the world, as thou art taking me by death. This natural desire on the part of some of them is not in harmony with the highest interests of the kingdom. Those interests it would henceforth be their high function to subserve. There is much testimony for them to bear, there are many great facts for them completely to grasp, many aspects of truth which they must put into words for the life and salvation of
souls, individuals for them to teach and train, victories for them to win, examples which they must set before the world. If they are all to vanish from the eyes of men as Christ will do, the end of the manifestation will be sacrificed. The Lord prays, not that they should be taken out of the world,
but that thou shouldest keep them (
τηρήσῃς, not
φυλάξῃς)
from the evil. The
ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ is different from
Matthew 6:13,
ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ, and may possibly mean "from the evil one." Reuss, Meyer, and Revised Version accept the same translation here in virtue of
1 John 2:13;
1 John 3:12;
1 John 5:18;
Revelation 3:10, where the devil is regarded as dominating, the realm, the atmosphere, the spirit, and the kingdom of this world. Over against this kingdom the Lord Christ, as the devil's great Rival, rules in the kingdom of grace. Luther, Calvin, Hengstenberg. Godet, Authorized Version, and numerous other commentators, have regarded
τοῦ πονηροῦ as neuter, as referring to the great characteristic and all-subduing temper, the far-reaching glamour and the godless disposition of the world.
Τὸ πονήρον includes
ὁ πονήρος.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
I am not askingἐρωτῶ(erōtō)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2065:Apparently from ereo; to interrogate; by implication, to request.thatἵνα(hina)Conjunction
Strong's 2443:In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.You takeἄρῃς(arēs)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 142:To raise, lift up, take away, remove.themαὐτοὺς(autous)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.out ofἐκ(ek)Preposition
Strong's 1537:From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.theτοῦ(tou)Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.world,κόσμου(kosmou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889:Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).butἀλλ’(all’)Conjunction
Strong's 235:But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.thatἵνα(hina)Conjunction
Strong's 2443:In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.You keepτηρήσῃς(tērēsēs)Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 5083:From teros; to guard, i.e. To note; by implication, to detain; by extension, to withhold; by extension, to withhold.themαὐτοὺς(autous)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.fromἐκ(ek)Preposition
Strong's 1537:From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.theτοῦ(tou)Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.evil [one].πονηροῦ(ponērou)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 4190:Evil, bad, wicked, malicious, slothful.
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NT Gospels: John 17:15 I pray not that you would take (Jhn Jo Jn) 
