Before Jesus was betrayed He prayed to the Father for those who belong to Him ...
John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the
world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name
those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While
I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou
gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of
perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to
thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy
fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify (set apart to holiness) them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Comments by Pam Padgett
As we live on this earth, we see evil done around us in the world and we face various temptations. Jesus prayed that we be kept from the evil.
Truth from God separates us from evil works as
we believe the truth God gives to us about a matter and conform ourselves (what we think, do, and say) to that truth.
And those doing evil think us to be strange as we speak and do according to the
truth God gives to us, and they often separate from us.
An example: When I was working and there was deception going on
around me in reporting project status, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the following which showed me truth
from God and kept me from joining in the deception: 1John 1:5
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto
you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.