The Meaning of 1 John 5:15 Explained

1 John 5:15

KJV: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

YLT: and if we have known that He doth hear us, whatever we may ask, we have known that we have the requests that we have requested from Him.

Darby: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

ASV: and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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?

Context Summary

1 John 5:13-21 - Ask According To His Will
We know that we have eternal life. The rope is in our hand bearing us onward, but its ends are hidden from view in the past and in the future. We also know that God hears us when we comply with the conditions of true prayer. We know, moreover, that we can become the medium through which the life of God passes to others. Thus the humblest child may have power with God and man.
The Only-Begotten keeps the begotten. Evil can no more touch them than blight could reach the bush in the wilderness that was bathed in the celestial fire. Who would go back to the world? Enumerate and press to heart these four items of positive knowledge; but beware lest what is legitimate and natural in itself may become an idol. Love, knowledge, abiding, conquering-these are the keynotes of this wonderful letter. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 John 5

1  He who loves God loves his children, and keeps his commandments;
3  which to the faithful are not grievous
9  Jesus is the Son of God;
14  and able to hear our prayers

Greek Commentary for 1 John 5:15

And if we know [και εαν οιδαμεν]
Condition of first class with εαν — ean (usually ει — ei) and the perfect active indicative, assumed as true. See 1 Thessalonians 3:8; Acts 8:31 for the indicative with εαν — ean as in the papyri. “An amplification of the second limitation” (D. Smith). [source]
Whatsoever we ask [ο εαν αιτωμετα]
Indefinite relative clause with modal εαν — ean (= αν — an) and the present middle (as for ourselves) subjunctive of αιτεω — aiteō This clause, like ημων — hēmōn is also the object of ακουει — akouei know that we have Repetition of οιδαμεν — oidamen the confidence of possession by anticipation.The petitions (τα αιτηματα — ta aitēmata). Old word, from αιτεω — aiteō requests, here only in John, elsewhere in N.T. Luke 23:24; Philemon 4:6. We have the answer already as in Mark 11:24.We have asked Perfect active indicative of αιτεω — aiteō the asking abiding. [source]
The petitions [τα αιτηματα]
Old word, from αιτεω — aiteō requests, here only in John, elsewhere in N.T. Luke 23:24; Philemon 4:6. We have the answer already as in Mark 11:24. [source]
We have asked [ηιτηκαμεν]
Perfect active indicative of αιτεω — aiteō the asking abiding. [source]
Whatsoever we ask []
The whole phrase is governed by the verb hear. If we know that He heareth our every petition. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for 1 John 5:15

Luke 19:40 If these shall hold their peace [εαν ουτοι σιωπησουσιν]
A condition of the first class, determined as fulfilled. The use of εαν — ean rather than ει — ei cuts no figure in the case (See note on Acts 8:31; note on 1 Thessalonians 3:8; and the note on 1 John 5:15). The kind of condition is determined by the mode which is here indicative. The future tense by its very nature does approximate the aorist subjunctive, but after all it is the indicative. [source]
John 14:23 Abode [μονὴν]
See on John 14:2. Compare 1 John 2:24; 1 John 5:15. [source]
1 John 3:5 Ye know []
John's characteristic appeal to Christian knowledge. Compare 1 John 2:20, 1 John 2:21; 1 John 4:2, 1 John 4:14, 1 John 4:16; 1 John 5:15, 1 John 5:18; 3 John 1:12. [source]
1 John 5:18 We know [οιδαμεν]
As in 1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:14; 1 John 5:15, 1 John 5:19, 1 John 5:20. He has “ye know” in 1 John 2:20; 1 John 3:5, 1 John 3:15. [source]

What do the individual words in 1 John 5:15 mean?

And if we know that He hears us whatever we might ask we have the requests that we have asked from Him
καὶ ἐὰν οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀκούει ἡμῶν αἰτώμεθα ἔχομεν τὰ αἰτήματα ᾐτήκαμεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ

οἴδαμεν  we  know 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: οἶδα  
Sense: to see.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
ἀκούει  He  hears 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
ἡμῶν  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
  whatever 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
αἰτώμεθα  we  might  ask 
Parse: Verb, Present Subjunctive Middle, 1st Person Plural
Root: αἰτέω  
Sense: to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.
ἔχομεν  we  have 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: ἔχω  
Sense: to have, i.e. to hold.
αἰτήματα  requests 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: αἴτημα  
Sense: petition, request, required.
  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ᾐτήκαμεν  we  have  asked 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Active, 1st Person Plural
Root: αἰτέω  
Sense: to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require.

What are the major concepts related to 1 John 5:15?

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