John 17:20-26
That They May All Be One
20I am not asking on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of those who will believe in Me through their message,
21that all of them may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I am in You. May they also be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one—
23I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me.
24Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, that they may see the glory You gave Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
25Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, I know You, and they know that You sent Me.
26And I have made Your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love You have for Me may be in them, and I in them.”
Berean Standard Bible
Notice the human moment inside that they may all be one. Jesus prays for future believers who will trust through the disciples' word, asking that they may be one; he wants them to see his glory and to know the Father's love made known through him. John is not offering an abstract religious idea but bearing witness to what Jesus says, does, and reveals.
Even when the passage contains conflict, John does not invite contempt for every person who fails to understand. It invites discernment, patience, and a response shaped by truth rather than by panic or performance.
The tension in that they may all be one need not be rushed away. Some questions resolve in the scene; others remain open for a while. Faithful reading can hold a clear confession together with the humility to keep listening. John repeatedly moves from seeing to responding. The question is not only whether the family can explain the scene, but whether it is becoming more truthful, merciful, courageous, and attentive because of it. Those qualities are tested in small places: at the table, in conflict, in service, and when nobody is applauding.
Do not hurry to make the reading inspirational. Stay with that they may all be one, name what the text says and does not say, and consider what faithful action would look like in the next ordinary interaction at home, school, church, or work.
The next step may be small: an apology, a question asked gently, a boundary kept wisely, a person welcomed, or a truth finally spoken. Small does not mean insignificant when it is done in love.
Questions
1 What is this passage chiefly drawing our attention toward?
AnswerThe passage draws our attention to that they may all be one, especially the way Jesus meets people in a concrete moment and calls them toward life and truth. This is where careful reading becomes practice rather than merely collecting religious information.
2 What detail helps make the scene more than an abstract lesson?
AnswerJohn records this particular detail: Jesus prays for future believers who will trust through the disciples' word, asking that they may be one; he wants them to see his glory and to know the Father's love made known through him. It keeps the reading anchored in the event rather than in a general religious slogan.
3 What response does the passage invite from its hearers?
AnswerIt invites honest attention, humility about our own responses, and a willingness to let Jesus' words shape what we do next. The detail gives the family something specific to remember when the conversation moves into ordinary life.
4 How can a family carry this reading into ordinary life?
AnswerA household can name one faithful response connected to the scene, discuss it without pressure, and practice it in an ordinary situation. The aim is not control or performance but a wiser, more loving way of living together.
What This Means for Us
The grace in that they may all be one is not permission to stay unchanged. It gives us room to return, repair, and begin again, usually through repeated small acts of faithfulness rather than one dramatic moment.
John's witness gives both comfort and correction in that they may all be one. It offers hope without denying sin, and it warns without abandoning mercy; that balance should shape the way we speak at home.
Pray for the grace to follow through. The goal is not a perfect family discussion but a home where Scripture is allowed to shape real habits and relationships.
Prayer
Jesus, hold our attention on the people and promises in That They May All Be One. Make our home more honest, merciful, and ready to do the next good thing, especially when that goodness is quiet or costly. Amen.