John 17 - NKJV Woman's Study Bible

17:14–16 In this beautiful prayer, which is actually the Lord’s prayer, since Jesus prayed these words before his approaching death, he asked the Father not to take the disciples out of the world (see chart, Lessons from the Model Prayer). Instead he asked the Father to protect the disciples from the evil one, who is Satan. Jesus commissioned the disciples and sent them into the world to spread the Good News of the gospel.

17:20 Jesus prayed to the Father in behalf of all believers, not just for his small band of disciples. These were the “other sheep” to whom Jesus referred (Jn 10:16). He prayed for the Jews as well as the Gentiles, for all the people who would come to believe in Jesus through the disciples’ testimonies. His prayer embraced the distant future.