And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
What does John 14:13 mean?
Whatever we ask in Christ's name, that shall be for our good, and suitable to our state, he shall give it to us. To ask in Christ's name, is to plead his merit and intercession, and to depend upon that plea.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside John 14:12-14 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on John 14:13
Whatsoever ye shall ask - This promise referred particularly to the apostles in their work of spreading the gospel; it is, however, true of all Christians, if what they ask is in faith, and according to the will of God, James 1:6 ; 1 John 5:14 . In my name - This is equivalent to saying on my account, or for my sake. If a man who has money in a bank authorizes us to draw it, we are said to do it in his name.
Key words
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And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,.
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And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,.
Context in John 14
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John 14 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as farewell discourse. John presents Jesus in contemplative, symbolic, and theological richness as the Word, Lamb, Light, Bread, Shepherd, Resurrection, Way, Vine, and Son. Read this chapter with the wider themes of incarnation, life, and light in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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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.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.