TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 John 5:14–17. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here we have,
I.A privilege belonging to faith in Christ, namely, audience in prayer:
This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us, Jo1 5:14. The Lord Christ emboldens us to come to God in all circumstances, with all our supplications and requests. Through him our petitions are admitted and accepted of God. The matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the declared will of God. It is not fit that we should ask what is contrary either to his majesty and glory or to our own good, who are his and dependent on him. And then we may have confidence that the prayer of faith shall be heard in heaven.
II.The advantage accruing to us by such privilege:
If we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him, Jo1 5:15. Great are the deliverances, mercies, and blessings, which the holy petitioner needs. To know that his petitions are heard or accepted is as good as to know that they are answered; and therefore that he is so pitied, pardoned, or counselled, sanctified, assisted, and saved (or shall be so) as he is allowed to ask of God.
III.Direction in prayer in reference to the sins of others:
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for those that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it, Jo1 5:16. Here we may observe,
1.We ought to pray for others as well as for ourselves; for our brethren of mankind, that they may be enlightened, converted, and saved; for our brethren in the Christian profession, that they may be sincere, that their sins may be pardoned, and that they may be delivered from evils and the chastisements of God, and preserved in Christ Jesus.
2.There is a great distinction in the heinousness and guilt of sin: There is a sin unto death (Jo1 5:16), and there is a sin not unto death, Jo1 5:17.
(1.)There is a sin unto death. All sin, as to the merit and legal sentence of it, is unto death. The wages of sin is death; and cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them, Gal 3:10. But there is a sin unto death in opposition to such sin as is here said not to be unto death. There is therefore,
(2.)A sin not unto death. This surely must include all such sin as by divine or human constitution may consist with life; in the human constitution with temporal or corporal life, in the divine constitution with corporal or with spiritual evangelical life.
[1.]There are sins which, by human righteous constitution, are not unto death; as divers pieces of injustice, which may be compensated without the death of the delinquent. In opposition to this there are sins which, by righteous constitution, are to death, or to a legal forfeiture of life; such as we call capital crimes.
[2.]Then there are sins which, by divine constitution, are unto death; and that either death corporal or spiritual and evangelical. First, Such as are, or may be, to death corporal. Such may the sins be either of gross hypocrites, as Ananias and Sapphira, or, for aught we know, of sincere Christian brethren, as when the apostle says of the offending members of the church of Corinth, For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep, Co1 11:30. There may be sin unto corporal death among those who may not be condemned with the world. Such sin, I said, is, or may be, to corporal death. The divine penal constitution in the gospel does not positively and peremptorily threaten death to the more visible sins of the members of Christ, but only some gospel-chastisement; for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth, Heb 12:6. There is room left for divine wisdom or goodness, or even gospel severity, to determine how far the chastisement or the scourge shall proceed. And we cannot say but that sometimes it may (in terrorem - for warning to others) proceed even to death. Then, Secondly, There are sins which, by divine constitution, are unto death spiritual and evangelical, that is, are inconsistent with spiritual and evangelical life, with spiritual life in the soul and with an evangelical right to life above. Such are total impenitence and unbelief for the present. Final impenitence and unbelief are infallibly to death eternal, as also a blaspheming of the Spirit of God in the testimony that he has given to Christ and his gospel, and a total apostasy from the light and convictive evidence of the truth of the Christian religion. These are sins involving the guilt of everlasting death. Then comes,
IV.The application of the direction for prayer according to the different sorts of sin thus distinguished.
The prayer is supposed to be for life: He shall ask, and he (God) shall give them life. Life is to be asked of God. He is the God of life; he gives it when and to whom he pleases, and takes it away either by his constitution or providence, or both, as he thinks meet. In the case of a brother's sin, which is not (in the manner already mentioned) unto death, we may in faith and hope pray for him; and particularly for the life of soul and body. But, in case of the sin unto death in the forementioned ways, we have no allowance to pray. Perhaps the apostle's expression, I do not say, He shall pray for it, may intend no more than, "I have no promise for you in that case; no foundation for the prayer of faith." 1. The laws of punitive justice must be executed, for the common safety and benefit of mankind: and even an offending brother in such a case must be resigned to public justice (which in the foundation of it is divine), and at the same time also to the mercy of God. 2. The removal of evangelical penalties (as they may be called), or the prevention of death (which may seem to be so consequential upon, or inflicted for, some particular sin), can be prayed for only conditionally or provisionally, that is, with proviso that it consist with the wisdom, will, and glory of God that they should be removed, and particularly such death prevented. 3. We cannot pray that the sins of the impenitent and unbelieving should, while they are such, be forgiven them, or that any mercy of life or soul, that suppose the forgiveness of sin, should be granted to them, while they continue such. But we may pray for their repentance (supposing them but in the common case of the impenitent world), for their being enriched with faith in Christ, and thereupon for all other saving mercies. 4. In case it should appear that any have committed the irremissible blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, and the total apostasy from the illuminating convictive powers of the Christian religion, it should seem that they are not to be prayed for at all. For what remains but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, to consume such adversaries? Heb 10:27. And these last seem to be the sins chiefly intended by the apostle by the name of sins unto death. Then, 5. The apostle seems to argue that there is sin that is not unto death; thus, All unrighteousness is sin (Jo1 5:17); but, were all unrighteousness unto death (since we have all some unrighteousness towards God or man, or both, in omitting and neglecting something that is their due), then we were all peremptorily bound over to death, and, since it is not so (the Christian brethren, generally speaking, having right to life), there must be sin that is not to death. Though there is no venial sin (in the common acceptation), there is pardoned sin, sin that does not involve a plenary obligation to eternal death. If it were not so, there could be no justification nor continuance of the justified state. The gospel constitution or covenant abbreviates, abridges, or rescinds the guilt of sin.
Historical interpretation
Eight Centuries of Reception
4 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
"And this is the confidence which we have towards Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us." He does not say absolutely what we shall ask, but what we ought to ask.
Those who possess technical skills and know how to repair things are fully confident that when the need arises they will be able to do so. Similarly these holy men, John and the other apostles, knew from their own experience that if they asked God for what was pleasing and acceptable to him, they would obtain it. For God is most generous to those who have this knowledge and will grant the requests of those who ask according to his will.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, etc. He provides us with great confidence to hope for heavenly goods from the Lord, because even in this life, whatever we ask of him in a salutary manner, we obtain, according to what he himself promises believers in the Gospel: "I say to you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark XI). But it must be noted that we are heard by the Lord when praying in such a way, provided we ask for what he has commanded. He himself says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness" (Matthew VI). Hence, John rightly interposed after saying, "Whatever we ask, we receive from him," by adding, "according to his will." Therefore, we are commanded to have full and undoubted confidence of being heard only regarding those things which align not with our own benefits or temporal comforts but with the Lord's will. This is also to be included in the Lord’s Prayer: "Your will be done" (Matthew VI), that is, not ours. For if we remember the Apostle's words: "For we do not know what to pray for as we ought" (Romans VIII), we understand that sometimes we ask for things contrary to our own salvation, and it is most beneficial for us that those things we ask are denied by him who perceives our benefit more rightly than we do. This undoubtedly happened even to the teacher of the Gentiles himself.
I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God: that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe in the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.
As if in a summary at the end, John repeats the aforementioned and says: I have written these things to you as heirs of eternal life: for these things would not be written for those who do not live according to the hope of eternal life: because neither should holy things be given to dogs nor pearls be scattered before pigs, (Matt. 7:6) for they do not deserve praise. Therefore, writing these things as heirs of eternal life, John briefly repeats, as we have said, suggesting to them what has already been said: first, that it is necessary to firmly believe in the name of the Son of God, that is, in the divine worship handed down to us by Him: for this is what the name of the Son of God signifies, as we have said, to whom, namely, the grace of sacred baptism prepares the way.
Then, since there is no other sign of this unquestionable faith except trust, which we find in Him through irreproachable faith, as we have also said before. Again, He has set a sign of this trust, that we are not to be frustrated in all that is asked of us. But since not everyone achieves all that they ask for, nor are they always heard in what they request, He adds: according to His will: revealing indeed that the one asking, outside the will of the Master, is not to be heard, in accordance with blessed James: for he also said, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives," (James 4:3) that is, as it does not benefit you. However, converting this sign into a clearer indication, John says: "And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him:" saying something like this: If we ask according to His will, He hears us: and if He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we make our requests according to His will, and we have in ourselves the requests that we have asked. These, however, are His kingdom and righteousness (Matt. 6:33): which He also commanded us to ask for. Having said this, He also clearly proposes something of what He wants us to ask according to God's will.
For the entire letter is largely about extolling love for the brother and expressing the desire that we keep our love for the brother incorrupt, John now says that this is one of his wills, that “if anyone sees his brother sinning not unto death, he should ask, and it will be given to him.” (1 Jn. 5:16) And what will be given? “Eternal life.” To whom? To those who “sin not unto death.”
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Summary
First John 5:14 serves as a foundational declaration regarding the efficacy of prayer, asserting that believers can approach God with unwavering confidence, knowing that if their requests align with His divine will, He actively hears and responds. This verse encapsulates a profound truth about the believer's privileged access to God, emphasizing that the effectiveness of prayer is rooted not in human eloquence or persistence alone, but in a Spirit-led alignment with God's perfect purposes for His children and His kingdom.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically placed within the concluding section of John's First Epistle, following a powerful affirmation of the believer's eternal life and preceding a further elaboration on answered prayer. In 1 John 5:13, John explicitly states his purpose: "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye may have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." This establishes a bedrock of assurance in salvation, which then naturally extends to the assurance in prayer. Verse 15 immediately follows, reinforcing the promise: "And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." Thus, 1 John 5:14 acts as the pivotal link, connecting the certainty of salvation with the certainty of answered prayer, provided it meets the crucial condition of alignment with God's will. The entire chapter, 1 John 5, weaves together themes of faith, love, obedience, and the assurance of salvation, culminating in practical implications for the believer's walk, including prayer.
Historical & Cultural Context
John's First Epistle was written to a community of believers facing internal strife and external pressures, particularly from emerging Gnostic heresies. These false teachings denied the true humanity of Christ, minimized the importance of obedience, and promoted a pseudo-spiritual "knowledge" that often led to moral laxity or spiritual arrogance. In this context, John emphasizes foundational truths: the reality of Christ's incarnation, the necessity of love for one another, and the importance of obedience to God's commands as true marks of genuine faith. The concept of "confidence" (παρρησία, parrēsía) would have resonated deeply, as it implied open access and freedom of speech, a stark contrast to the esoteric "knowledge" claimed by the Gnostics. John reassures his audience that their access to God is not through secret rituals or special knowledge, but through their relationship with Christ, granting them the boldness to approach God directly and confidently, a privilege denied to those outside of true fellowship with God.
Key Themes
1 John 5:14 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in John's epistle. Firstly, Assurance is paramount; John consistently aims to provide his readers with certainty regarding their salvation and their relationship with God. This verse extends that assurance to the realm of prayer, guaranteeing that God hears prayers offered according to His will. Secondly, the theme of Knowing God is central. John repeatedly uses the verb "to know" (οἴδαμεν, oidamen) to denote a deep, experiential understanding of God, not just intellectual assent. This knowing informs the believer's confidence in prayer, as they grow in discerning God's character and will. Thirdly, God's Will and Sovereignty are underscored. The efficacy of prayer is not about manipulating God, but about aligning human desires with divine purposes. This theme echoes the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:10, where believers are taught to pray, "Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Finally, Fellowship with God is the ultimate goal. Confident, Spirit-led prayer is a vital expression of this fellowship, demonstrating the intimate, relational access believers have to their Heavenly Father through Christ, as highlighted throughout 1 John.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term conveys "all out-spokenness, i.e. frankness, bluntness, publicity; by implication, assurance." It signifies a boldness, freedom of speech, and open access, not a timid or hesitant approach. In the context of prayer, it speaks to the believer's privileged right to approach God directly and without fear, a privilege secured through Christ.
This verb means "to ask (in genitive case); ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require." It describes the act of making a request or petition. Unlike some other Greek words for asking (e.g., ἐρωτάω, erōtaō, which implies asking as an equal or superior), aitéō often suggests a request from an inferior to a superior, or a child to a parent, fitting the dynamic of a believer appealing to God.
A primary verb meaning "to hear (in various senses); give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand." In this context, "heareth" implies more than just perceiving sound; it denotes attentive listening, understanding, and a readiness to respond or grant the request. It signifies God's active engagement and benevolent reception of the believer's prayer.
Verse Breakdown
"And this is the confidence that we have in him,"
This opening clause establishes the premise of the verse: the believer possesses a specific "confidence" or boldness. The phrase "in him" (πρὸς αὐτόν, pros auton) refers to God, indicating that this confidence is directed towards Him and derived from the relationship believers have with Him. It is not an inherent human trait but a spiritual assurance granted through faith.
"that, if we ask any thing according to his will,"
This is the crucial condition for the confidence to be realized in answered prayer. The conjunction "that" (ὅτι, hoti) introduces the content of the confidence. The phrase "if we ask any thing" (ἐάν τι αἰτώμεθα, ean ti aitōmetha) indicates the scope of prayer—it can be "any thing." However, the critical qualifier "according to his will" (κατὰ τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ, kata to thelēma autou) sets the boundary. This is not a limitation but a guiding principle, ensuring that prayers align with God's perfect plan and purposes, which are always good, pleasing, and perfect.
"he heareth us:"
This is the divine assurance and promise. If the condition of praying according to God's will is met, then God "heareth us." As analyzed in the key word section, "heareth" (ἀκούει, akouei) implies not just passive reception but active attention, understanding, and a readiness to respond. It signifies that God is attentive to the prayers of His children and will act in accordance with His divine nature and will.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Assurance is a pervasive theme, communicated directly through the word "confidence" (παρρησία) and reinforced by the definitive statement "he heareth us." This provides a strong sense of certainty to the reader. The structure of the verse itself is a Conditional Promise, presented with an "if... then" construction ("if we ask... he heareth us"). This highlights the reciprocal nature of prayer: human petition is met with divine response, contingent upon alignment with God's will. There is also an element of Relational Language, as the confidence is "in him" and "he heareth us," emphasizing the personal, intimate connection between the believer and God. Finally, the phrase "according to his will" serves as a form of Theological Qualification, ensuring that the promise of answered prayer is understood within the framework of God's sovereignty and wisdom, preventing a misinterpretation that prayer is a means to manipulate God.
Theological and Thematic Connections
The profound truth of 1 John 5:14 resonates throughout Christian theology, forming a cornerstone for understanding the nature of prayer, God's sovereignty, and the believer's relationship with Him. It teaches that genuine prayer is not merely a human endeavor but a divine-human encounter, where the believer, empowered by the Spirit, aligns their desires with God's perfect will. This alignment transforms prayer from a list of demands into an act of communion and submission, fostering deeper intimacy and trust. The confidence spoken of is not presumption, but a Spirit-given assurance rooted in God's character and His covenant faithfulness. It underscores that God is not a distant deity but an attentive Father who delights in hearing and responding to His children, always acting in accordance with His good and perfect plan.
Reflection and Application
For the contemporary believer, 1 John 5:14 offers both immense encouragement and a crucial corrective for our prayer lives. It invites us to approach God with a bold and unshakeable confidence, knowing that we have full access to His throne of grace through Christ. This confidence liberates us from timidity and doubt, empowering us to lay all our concerns before Him. However, the vital qualifier "according to his will" serves as a powerful reminder that true prayer is not about bending God's will to ours, but about aligning our hearts and desires with His perfect, good, and sovereign purposes. This requires spiritual discernment, a willingness to listen, and a trust that God's plan is always superior to our own. When we pray in alignment with His will, we are not merely making requests; we are participating in His divine work, experiencing the joy of seeing His kingdom purposes unfold through our petitions. This transforms prayer from a transactional exercise into a profound act of worship and partnership with the Almighty.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does "according to his will" mean I can only pray for things I'm sure God already wants?
Not necessarily. "According to his will" does not imply that we can only pray for things we already know are explicitly stated in Scripture as God's will, nor does it mean we should only pray for things we are absolutely certain God desires. Rather, it encourages a posture of submission and discernment. It means praying with a heart that seeks God's glory and purposes above personal desires, trusting that His will is always good. As we grow in our relationship with God and in understanding His Word, our desires naturally begin to align with His. Furthermore, Romans 8:26 reminds us that "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." This indicates that the Holy Spirit guides our prayers, helping us to pray in alignment with God's will even when we don't fully know it ourselves. So, we pray boldly for "any thing," but with an open hand, trusting God's wisdom to grant or deny according to His perfect plan.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The confidence and access to God described in 1 John 5:14 are profoundly Christ-centered. It is through Jesus Christ, and Him alone, that believers gain such unhindered access to the Father. The "confidence that we have in him" is not a self-generated boldness but a divine privilege secured by Christ's atoning work on the cross. His sacrifice tore the veil, opening the way into the holiest place, as described in Hebrews 10:19-22, allowing us to "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." Furthermore, Christ Himself perfectly exemplified praying "according to his will," most poignantly in Gethsemane, where He prayed, "nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." His life and ministry continually demonstrated perfect alignment with the Father's will, providing the ultimate model for our own prayer lives. Moreover, Jesus serves as our great High Priest, interceding for us at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34), ensuring that our Spirit-led prayers are presented and heard in perfect accordance with the Father's purposes. Thus, the efficacy of our prayers, and the confidence with which we offer them, are entirely dependent on our union with Christ and His ongoing mediatorial work.