John 17:2
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The context
The prayer that closes the farewell discourse, spoken before the arrest. Jesus asks to be glorified so that he may give eternal life, and defines eternal life in the next verse as knowing the Father and the one he sent. Verse 2 states the grant that makes the giving possible.
What it establishes
It establishes that authority over all flesh is given for a purpose: to give eternal life to those the Father has given him. Authority in this prayer is instrumental throughout, directed toward a gift rather than toward rule for its own sake.
What it does not establish
It does not resolve the tension over who is given. The verse names a definite group given to the Son, while the same Gospel speaks of a world God loved. Whether those statements are compatible as they stand is a live dispute, and this verse alone settles neither side.
Short note, first pass, October 2026. Corrections welcome.
Cited in these answers
Part of Scripture, Opened — the exegetical layer behind every citation on this site. Scripture quotations are from the ESV.