John 17:4 kjv
I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
John 17:4 nkjv
I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.
John 17:4 niv
I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.
John 17:4 esv
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
John 17:4 nlt
I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.
John 17 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 4:34 | "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work." | Jesus' mission is Father's will. |
| John 5:36 | "The works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—these bear witness" | Works prove His divine commission. |
| John 6:38 | "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him" | Subordination to Father's will. |
| John 8:29 | "And He who sent Me is with Me... I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." | Perfect obedience and companionship. |
| John 12:28 | "Father, glorify Your name... A voice came from heaven: "I have glorified it." | Father's glory revealed. |
| John 13:31 | "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in Him." | Mutual glorification of Father and Son. |
| John 14:10 | "The Father abiding in Me does His works." | Father works through the Son. |
| John 15:8 | "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit." | Disciples' fruitfulness glorifies God. |
| John 19:30 | "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. | The ultimate declaration of completion. |
| Luke 12:50 | "I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!" | Eagerness to fulfill His redemptive work. |
| Heb 10:7-9 | "I have come... to do Your will, O God." | Fulfillment of Old Covenant by obedience. |
| Phil 2:8-11 | "He humbled Himself... God highly exalted Him... to the glory of God the Father." | Obedience leading to glorification. |
| Isa 42:1-4 | "Here is My Servant... I will put My Spirit on Him... He will not grow faint." | Prophecy of the Suffering Servant's mission. |
| Ps 22:22-23 | "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You." | Praise and declaration of God's name/glory. |
| Col 2:14 | "Having canceled out the certificate of debt... by nailing it to the cross." | Accomplishment of sin's annulment. |
| Rom 5:18-19 | "Through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life." | Justification through Christ's obedient act. |
| Heb 1:3 | "He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature." | Jesus embodies God's glory. |
| 1 Pet 1:21 | "Who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory" | God's glory to Christ, leading to faith. |
| Eph 2:10 | "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works," | Believers' purpose in works for God's glory. |
| 1 Cor 10:31 | "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." | Principle of glorifying God in all actions. |
| Heb 9:12 | "He entered once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption." | The definitive and completed work of redemption. |
| Matt 3:17 | "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." | Divine affirmation of His person and work. |
John 17 verses
John 17 4 Meaning
In John 17:4, Jesus declares to His Father that He has fully achieved the purpose for which He was sent into the world. He states that through His completed mission and works on earth, He has effectively displayed the Father's inherent glory to humanity. This statement encapsulates Jesus' perfect obedience and the triumphant fulfillment of His divine assignment, leading to God's ultimate glorification. It is a profound declaration of completion and divine accomplishment before His crucifixion.
John 17 4 Context
John 17 is known as Jesus' "High Priestly Prayer." It takes place just hours before His crucifixion, after the Last Supper and before His arrest in Gethsemane. In this prayer, Jesus turns from His disciples (John 13-16) to commune intimately with His Father. The chapter is structured into three main parts: Jesus praying for Himself (verses 1-5), for His disciples (verses 6-19), and for all future believers (verses 20-26). John 17:4 falls within the first section, where Jesus reviews His earthly ministry, makes a profound statement about its completion, and asks to be glorified by the Father.
Historically and culturally, Jesus lived in a Jewish society deeply rooted in monotheism, where the "glory" of God (Hebrew: kavod) was a central concept, often associated with His visible presence (Shekinah), power, and majesty. To "glorify God" was the ultimate aim of a faithful life. Within this context, Jesus' claim to have glorified the Father by accomplishing "the work" was a powerful affirmation of His divine commission and success. It contrasted with the contemporary messianic expectations which often envisioned a political or military deliverer; Jesus defines His glorification of God through a path of sacrificial obedience and spiritual redemption.
John 17 4 Word analysis
- I (ἐγώ - egō): A strong personal pronoun, emphasizing Jesus' unique agency and self-awareness of His divine mission. It highlights His distinct personhood as the Son addressing the Father.
- have glorified (ἐδόξασά - edoxasa): From the verb δοξάζω (doxazō), meaning to honor, praise, or cause to be held in honor and majesty. It's a completed action (aorist tense), signifying a definitive achievement. This "glorification" is not mere verbal praise, but the manifestation of God's character and attributes through Jesus' life, teachings, miracles, and ultimately, His atoning death.
- You (σε - se): Refers directly to God the Father. It underlines the Trinitarian relationship and Jesus' filial devotion. All His actions were oriented towards exalting the Father.
- on the earth (ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς - epi tēs gēs): Specifies the locale of this glorification. Jesus' work was performed within the temporal and physical realm of human experience, directly engaging with the world God created and seeks to redeem, in contrast to a heavenly or abstract glorification. This earthly work demonstrates the Father's active involvement in human history.
- having accomplished (τελειώσας - teleiōsas): A participle from τελειόω (teleioō), meaning to complete, bring to an end, perfect, or fulfill. It suggests thoroughness and perfection, not just finishing, but doing so fully and without flaw. This term will resonate again with "It is finished" (τετέλεσται - tetelestai, from the related verb τελέω) on the cross (Jn 19:30).
- the work (τὸ ἔργον - to ergon): Singular and definite, emphasizing a specific, unified mission, not merely various good deeds. This "work" encompasses all that Jesus did—teaching, healing, casting out demons, suffering, and dying—culminating in the redemptive act on the cross.
- which (ὃ - ho): Introduces the specific nature and origin of the work.
- You (σύ - sy): Again, points back to the Father as the ultimate author and director of the mission.
- have given (δέδωκάς - dedōkas): From δίδωμι (didōmi), perfect tense, indicating a completed action with ongoing results. The Father bestowed this task upon Jesus, affirming its divine origin and authority.
- Me (μοι - moi): Underscores Jesus as the unique recipient and executor of the divine commission.
- to do (ἵνα ποιήσω - hina poiēsō): Purpose clause, signifying the explicit intention and objective for which the work was given.
Word-group analysis:
- "I have glorified You on the earth": This phrase declares the active, personal, and successful demonstration of God's majesty and nature in the human realm by Jesus. It means Jesus' entire earthly ministry has served as a mirror reflecting the Father's character perfectly. This directly contrasts with any belief that divinity is removed from or indifferent to earthly affairs.
- "having accomplished the work": This signifies the completed state of a divine task. It speaks to Jesus' faithful execution of His purpose to its divinely ordained end, anticipating His death as the final act of this accomplishment.
- "the work which You have given Me to do": This highlights the precise nature of Jesus' mission as a divinely assigned and completed task, emphasizing His obedience and the Father's sovereign will as the blueprint for all His actions. This work is unique to Him and central to salvation.
John 17 4 Bonus section
The structure of Jesus' High Priestly Prayer here, with Jesus first addressing His own fulfillment, sets the stage for His subsequent prayers for His disciples and for future believers. His completed work is the foundation upon which the Spirit's future work in and through His followers will be built. The teleiōsas (having accomplished) also foreshadows His eventual prayer for His own re-glorification, requesting a return to the pre-existent glory He shared with the Father (John 17:5). This request is founded upon His successful mission on earth. Furthermore, this verse underscores the complete and harmonious unity within the Godhead in carrying out the plan of salvation, where the Son perfectly executes the Father's will for the world's redemption. It establishes a divine standard for ministry and life, where true accomplishment lies in perfectly fulfilling the will of God, leading to His glorification.
John 17 4 Commentary
John 17:4 stands as a monumental declaration by Jesus at the precipice of His greatest act of obedience and love. It's not a boast, but a serene statement of divine satisfaction and filial accountability to the Father. "I have glorified You on the earth" means Jesus didn't just speak about God's glory; He manifested it through His incarnate life, suffering, and perfect obedience. His life was the Father's glory unveiled—the miracles, the compassionate teaching, the selfless servanthood. This glorification culminates in the complete and perfect "accomplishment of the work" given to Him. This singular "work" is His entire mission of redemption, which was divinely ordained to bring salvation to humanity. His approaching death on the cross, understood as the ultimate act of obedience and love, is the climax of this work, enabling the Father's righteousness and love to shine forth. Thus, this verse encapsulates Jesus' identity, purpose, and perfect fulfillment of His mission as the Christ, securing the Father's honor through His finished redemptive act.
Example: Just as an architect successfully completing a masterpiece building brings glory to the commissioning client and themselves, Jesus' perfect execution of the Father's plan for humanity brings ultimate glory to God, showcasing His wisdom, power, and love in the face of human sin and brokenness.