Neither pray I for these alone. — Comp. Note on John 17:9. The thought of the work to which the Apostles are to be consecrated and sent leads on to the wider thought of the Church which shall believe through their word, and the prayer is enlarged to include them.
But for them also which shall believe on me through their word. — All the best MSS. read, “but for them also which believe;” but the sense is not affected by the change. As we have again and again found in these Chapter s, the future of the Church is so immediately in our Lord’s thoughts that it is spoken of as actually present. “Their word” is their witness concerning Him through which men should believe (John 15:27). He had manifested the nature of God to them; and they who had received His word and witnessed His work would become, by the indwelling of the Spirit in them, the means of extending this revelation of God to others. They would do this by means of the word which, in His name, they would preach. (Comp. Romans 10:14 et seq.)