Jesus" was not asking the Father to remove the Eleven from the hostile world as He was about to leave it. He was petitioning Him to keep them loyal to Himself while they continued to live in it. Jesus repeated the thought of John 17:14 b in John 17:16 to stress the disciples" essential distinction from the world. It was, therefore, protection from "the evil" (Gr. ek tou ponerou) in the world that they needed. This phrase could mean evil generally, or it could be a reference to the evil one, Satan. Other occurrences of the phrase elsewhere encourage us to interpret it as referring to the devil here (cf. Matthew 6:13; 1 John 2:13-14; 1 John 3:12; 1 John 5:18-19). Even though Satan now stands condemned, He still controls the world ( 1 John 5:19). [source][source][source]
Throughout church history Christians have sought relief from the world"s hatred by withdrawing from it socially, and in other ways, or by compromising with it. Some individuals tend to withdraw from a disagreeable and dangerous environment while others prefer to blend into it. Jesus" will, however, was that His disciples should do neither of these things. He wanted them to remain loyal to God while continuing to participate in the amoral aspects of its life. Our sense of mission and our sense of identity should control our desire for comfort. [source][source][source]
"Christians must not take themselves out of the world but remain in meaningful contact with it, trusting in God"s protection while they witness for Jesus." [1][source]