And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
What does 1 John 5:15 mean?
Upon all this evidence, it is but right that we believe on the name of the Son of God. Believers have eternal life in the covenant of the gospel.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside 1 John 5:13-15 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 1 John 5:15
And if we know that he hear us - That is, if we are assured of this as a true doctrine, then, even though we may not "see" immediately that the prayer is answered, we may have the utmost confidence that it is not disregarded, and that it will be answered in the way best adapted to promote our good. The specific thing that we asked may not indeed be granted, (compare Luke 22:42 ; 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 ), but the prayer will not be disregarded, and the thing which is most for our good will be bestowed upon us.
Context in 1 John 5
Show chapter context
1 John 5 belongs to the closing movement of the book, especially the section often described as assurance and final warning. First John is a profound epistle of light, truth, love, assurance, obedience, and confession of the incarnate Son. Read this chapter with the wider themes of love, truth, and assurance in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
Explore by topic
A guided collection of passages on God’s love, neighbor-love, steadfast covenant love, and the shape of love in Christian life.
Passages on trusting God, receiving Christ, persevering without sight, and the relation between faith and lived obedience.
Passages on asking, persistence, confession, dependence, and the way prayer shapes Christian life and attention.
Bible verses about eternal life
Core passages on everlasting life, union with Christ, resurrection hope, judgment, and the promise of life beyond death.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.