9. ‘For them who have believed I, who have laboured to bring them to this belief, am praying; for the world I am not praying.’ Ἐγώ, αὐτῶν and κόσμου are emphatic. Περί indicates the subject of the petition: for ἐρωτῶ see on John 14:16. Of course this does not mean that Christ never prays for unbelievers; John 17:23 and Luke 23:34 prove the contrary: but it is for the chosen few, in return for their allegiance, that He is praying now. He could not pray for unbelievers that they should be kept (John 17:11) and sanctified (John 17:17), but that they should be converted and forgiven.

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Old Testament