Interpretation of the Bible / John 17:15
John 17 is known as the Farewell Prayer, and in verse 15 Jesus asks His Father to keep His followers safe. This prayer shows Jesus’ concern for His disciples and His desire to protect them from the dangers of the world.
What does it mean to “take them out of the world”?
In this verse, Jesus is not asking for the believers to be physically removed from the world. In fact, He wants them to live in the world, but not to be of the world. This is a crucial distinction.
Believers must be willing to live in the world and preach the gospel despite the dangers and difficulties. Jesus knew that His followers would face temptation and persecution, but He prays that they would remain faithful no matter what.
What does it mean to “protect them from the evil one”?
The evil that Jesus is speaking of here is not only sin, but also the snares and wiles of the devil that seek to turn believers away from faith in Christ. So Jesus asks the Father to protect them and keep them spiritually strong so that they can fight temptations and remain firm in their faith.