John 17:5 is Jesus praying that the Father would return him to the glory he shared with God before the world was made. In plain terms, he is asking to be honored again in the presence of God, the position he had before he took on human life. He says this at the start of his prayer in the upper room, shortly before his arrest, and he speaks directly to God the Father.
Now, Father, glorify me with your own self with the glory which I had with you before the world existed.
John 17:5 (WEB)
What John 17:5 Means
The verse opens with “Now,” which signals that this is a turning point. Jesus has just explained that his work on earth is nearly finished, and so the next thing he asks for is his return to glory. The word “glorify” means to honor, reveal, or display someone’s true worth. Jesus is not asking for a reward he has not earned. He is asking that the Father would make visible again the glory that was always his.
The phrase “with your own self” points to a closeness between the Father and the Son. Jesus is asking to be glorified alongside the Father, in the Father’s presence, rather than in a separate or lesser place. The phrase “before the world existed” places this glory outside of time, before creation. The verse does not explain how the Son and Father shared that glory, but it clearly affirms that Jesus existed with the Father long before his birth in Bethlehem.
What the verse does not do is give a detailed picture of heaven or spell out how the glory will look. It is a prayer, not a description. It shows what Jesus desires and trusts the Father to bring about, and it reveals something about the relationship between the two.
The Context of John 17:5
John is traditionally regarded as the author of this Gospel, written to a community of believers who needed to understand who Jesus truly is. Chapter 17 is often called the “High Priestly Prayer” because Jesus prays for himself, for his disciples, and for all who will believe through their message. The prayer comes after the Last Supper and before he goes to the garden where he is arrested.
Reading verses 2 through 8 together shows that John 17:5 is connected to the work Jesus has just completed. In verse 4 he says he has glorified the Father on earth and finished the task he was given. Verse 5 then asks that the Father now glorify him. The request is grounded in a finished assignment, which means the verse reads less as a plea for status and more as a son asking to be welcomed home after faithful service.
Key Phrases in John 17:5
Philippians 2:9
Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name…
(WEB)
This verse says God has highly exalted Jesus and given him a name above every name. It shows the Father answering the kind of request Jesus makes in John 17:5, confirming that the return to glory is part of God’s plan.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
(WEB)
This verse opens the Gospel by declaring that the Word was with God and was God from the beginning. It provides the background for Jesus speaking of glory he shared with the Father before the world existed.
A Short Prayer From John 17:5
Father, you know how much I want to live in a way that honors you, and you know how often I fall short of that desire. Thank you that Jesus did not hold back from you but came to finish the work you gave him. Help me to trust that the work you have given me, even when it feels small or unseen, is known by you. When I feel tired or forgotten, remind me that my worth rests in your love and not in what others say. Draw me closer to you each day, so that whatever I do reflects the glory you have already shown me in Christ.
Amen.
