1 John 5:14
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”
King James Version (KJV)
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After assuring believers they have eternal life, John turns to the confidence this brings in prayer -- that God hears requests made according to his will.
What Does 1 John 5:14 Mean?
John points to a settled confidence believers can have in prayer: when we ask anything according to God's will, he hears us. The word "confidence" means boldness and freedom of speech -- we can come to God openly, not timidly. The key condition is "according to his will." This is not a limit that discourages prayer but a guide that aligns our asking with what God desires, which is always good. To be "heard" by God means more than that he listens; it carries the sense of attentive, favorable response. So the verse builds assurance: prayer that seeks God's will is never lost or ignored. This also reshapes how we pray. Rather than treating prayer as a way to bend God to our wishes, we learn to seek what he wants, trusting that his will is best. The next verse adds that if he hears us, we have what we asked. The flow gives believers great freedom: we can bring anything to God boldly, confident that requests in line with his will reach his ears and move his hand. Confidence in prayer rests on God's character and his good will.
In the Original Language
The Greek parresia ("confidence") means boldness and freedom of speech, and akouei ("heareth") implies attentive, favorable hearing rather than mere listening.
Cross References
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”
- Matthew 7:7
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
- John 15:7
“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
- James 1:5
Application
Pray boldly, bringing anything to God, while seeking his will -- trusting that requests aligned with his good purpose are truly heard.