1 John 5:14
This is the confidence we have toward him: if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.
What 1 John 5:14 means
John grounds confidence in prayer on being heard rather than on getting what we asked for. That distinction is what keeps the verse honest — it does not promise that every request is granted.
‘According to his will’ is not a loophole but a description of what prayer is for: aligning our asking with what God is actually doing. The following verse adds that if he hears us, we know we have what we asked — confidence resting on his character rather than our wording.
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Questions about 1 John 5:14
What does 1 John 5:14 mean?
It means believers can approach God confidently, knowing that when they ask for anything in line with his will, he hears them.
Does 1 John 5:14 mean God answers every prayer?
It promises that he hears, and specifies prayer according to his will. It is not a guarantee that every request is granted as asked — the qualifier is part of the promise, not fine print.