I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
I have manifested, [ Efaneroosa (G5319 ), 'I manifested'] thy name - `Thy whole revealed character toward mankind,'
Unto the men which thou gavest, [ dedookas (G1325 ), 'hast given'] me out of the world. He had said to them in the foregoing discourse, "I have chosen you out of the world." (John 15:19). Here He says the Father had first given them to Him out of the world; and it was in pursuance of that gift from everlasting that He in time made that choice of them.
Thine they were - as the sovereign Lord and Proprietor of all flesh (John 17:2),
And thou gavest them me - as the Incarnate Son and Saviour, to be themselves separated from the world and saved, in the first instance (according to the principles of John 6:37-40), and then to be separated to the high office of gathering in others.
And they have kept thy word - retained it (Luke 8:15); not taking it up superficially, as multitudes did, only to abandon it when they saw where it would lead them, but forsaking all for it.