John 17:21Plain English VersionJoin them all together, Father, and make them one mob, just like you and me are joined together. It’s like you are in me, and I am in you. I want you to join them to us in the same way, so it’s like they are in us. Then people in the world can believe that you sent me to the world. See the chapter |
And not all of my people are from the same mob. They are not all Jewish people. I have other people too, and I have to bring them all together, like one mob of sheep. They will hear my voice, and they will come to me. Yes, I will bring all my people together into one mob, and I will look after them all, like a good shepherd looks after his sheep.
Very soon I will leave this world and come back to you. But my people will still be in this world, so, Father in heaven, I ask you to look after them. You can use your power to do that, the same power that you gave me. Join them together, and make them one mob, just like you and me are joined together, like we are one.
You are all joined to Jesus Christ, so you are all joined to each other. You are not different from each other any more. It doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or not. It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman. It doesn’t matter if somebody keeps you like a prisoner, or if you are free. None of that matters. You are all joined to Jesus Christ, so you are all the same as each other.
Listen, you heard the good news about Jesus Christ, and you trusted him, so keep on living the way he wants you to live, no matter what happens. Maybe I will come and visit you again, but maybe not. Maybe I will only hear what people tell me about you. Anyway, I want to find out that you are staying strong for Jesus, and that God’s spirit is joining you all together, so that you are all agreeing with each other and working together to tell people about Jesus.