John 17:15 Commentary and Bible Study

Modern translations will tend to add the word, one. That thou shouldest keep them, or words to that effect, from the evil one. Our King James Version in common with all the older versions keeps it as ‘the evil.’ And although it makes little difference, because ultimately Satan is behind all evil, yet I think the older versions are right, and it is easy to prove. The world is the theme as seen in verse 14 – ‘I have given them [the disciples] thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.’ Verse 15 follows on: ‘Keep them from the evil’, meaning the evil world or the evil that is in the world. And verse 16 – ‘They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.’ And then in verse 18 – ‘As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.’ Seven times the world is used. And so in verse 15, the end of the verse the Lord prays that ‘thou shouldest keep them from the evil.’ It is all the evil that is in the world.