Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
What does John 17:17 mean?
Christ next prayed for the disciples, that they might not only be kept from evil, but made good. It is the prayer of Jesus for all that are his, that they may be made holy.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside John 17:16-17 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. Sanctify them - This word means to render pure, or to cleanse from sins, 1 Thessalonians 5:23 ; 1 Corinthians 6:11 . Sanctification in the heart of a Christian is progressive. It consists in his becoming more like God and less attached to the world; in his getting the ascendency over evil thoughts, and passions, and impure desires; and in his becoming more and more weaned from earthly objects, and attached to those things which are unseen and eternal. The word also means "to consecrate, to set apart to a holy office or purpose." See John 17:19 ; also the notes at John 10:36 .
Key words
- Sanctify
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Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Context in John 17
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John 17 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as passion, resurrection, and epilogue. John presents Jesus in contemplative, symbolic, and theological richness as the Word, Lamb, Light, Bread, Shepherd, Resurrection, Way, Vine, and Son. Read this chapter with the wider themes of incarnation, life, and light in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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