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Effective Prayer
John writes to believers so they may know they have eternal life and keep believing in the Son of God. From that confidence, he explains a bold way to pray and a careful response to sin.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
In these verses, John addresses people who believe in the name of the Son of God. He says why he has written, then links that assurance to prayer. He speaks about asking according to God’s will, and he gives careful instruction about praying when a fellow believer is seen sinning.
1 John 5:13–17Main takeaway
Because believers have life in the Son, they can pray boldly according to God’s will and should respond seriously and prayerfully to sin.
Explore the prayer
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Written so believers may knowJohn begins with purpose. He has written to those who believe in the name of the Son of God so they may know they have eternal life and may continue to believe.
Explanation
John begins with purpose. He has written to those who believe in the name of the Son of God so they may know they have eternal life and may continue to believe. The passage starts with assurance, not uncertainty. Eternal life is presented here as something believers may know.
02Boldness in prayerJohn then says believers have boldness toward God. This boldness is not saying we may ask absolutely anything on our own terms.
Explanation
John then says believers have boldness toward God. This boldness is not saying we may ask absolutely anything on our own terms. He says, “if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us”. Prayer here is confident and dependent on God’s will at the same time.
03Confidence that God hearsVerse 15 builds on verse 14. If believers know that God listens, then they know they have the petitions they have asked from him.
Explanation
Verse 15 builds on verse 14. If believers know that God listens, then they know they have the petitions they have asked from him. The stress is on God hearing and granting in connection with the kind of asking John has just described, asking according to God’s will.
04Praying when we see sinJohn gives one clear example of prayer. If someone sees a brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he should ask, and God will give life for such cases.
Explanation
John gives one clear example of prayer. If someone sees a brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he should ask, and God will give life for such cases. John also says there is sin leading to death, and he does not say that a request should be made concerning this. He does not define that sin further here.
05Sin is still sinJohn closes with an important balance. “All unrighteousness is sin,” so no sin is treated as harmless.
Explanation
John closes with an important balance. “All unrighteousness is sin,” so no sin is treated as harmless. Yet he repeats that there is sin not leading to death. The passage calls believers to take sin seriously, while also urging prayer for others in the situation John describes.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01According to verse 13, why did John write to these believers?
Look for the two purposes John names: that they may know they have eternal life and continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
02What sets the boundaries for bold prayer in verses 14 and 15?
Notice that John ties confidence in prayer to asking according to God’s will, and then says God listens and grants those petitions.
03What does John say to do when someone sees a brother sinning a sin not leading to death?
Read verse 16 carefully. John says he shall ask, and he also adds a careful limit about sin leading to death.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
1 John 5:13–17
13These things I have written 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 continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
14This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
15And if we know that he listens to us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
16If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life for those who sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I don’t say that he should make a request concerning this.
17All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.