What does 1 John 5:14 mean?
“And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
This is the confidence we have toward him: if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. Prayer's confidence rests on God's will, not the volume of our request.
"Confidence" or "boldness" — the same word used for a citizen's right to speak freely in the assembly. Believers have that standing before God.
"According to his will" is not a restriction; it is the channel. Asking aligned with God's purposes is asking him to do what he is already doing.
The next verse adds that knowing he hears us means we have the requests asked of him — assurance carried forward.
Original BibleDawn explanation · reviewed 2026-06-07. Drafted with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy.