John 17:17

John 17:17 (NASB)
“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

John 17:17 (NET)
Set them apart in the truth; your word is truth.

The context surrounding this verse is the prayer of Jesus, and at this point His prayer is for His disciples.

The Greek word translated "sanctify" or set apart or make holy has two meanings and the various English translations go with all three, thus God's actual message is rendered ambiguously.

The next Greek word translated in various ways is "in" (Greek transliteration "en) and we find (1) through, (2) by, (3) with and of course (4) in. Does Jesus want them set apart to teach the truth from God He had taught them?

 

If the idea is to set apart His disciples "by the truth" or "by means of God's truth" how does God's truth set people apart from others?

Some of the posters we find on this Baptist Board, see God's word through the filter of their previously acquired doctrine. Thus when a verse differs from their doctrine, then the verse does not actually mean what it seems to say. OTOH, if we view the world through God's word, then if man-made doctrines differ from God's word, we side with God's truth, rather than the doctrines of men.

Thus to be "set apart" by God's truth is to side with God's truth over and against all contrary claims.