John 16:23 kjv
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
John 16:23 nkjv
"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.
John 16:23 niv
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 16:23 esv
In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
John 16:23 nlt
At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name.
John 16 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 16:24 | “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” | Direct instruction |
| John 14:13 | “Whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” | Assurance of answer |
| John 14:14 | “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it.” | Assurance of answer |
| John 15:7 | “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” | Condition for asking |
| John 15:16 | “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” | Purpose of asking |
| John 16:22 | “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” | Transition to verse 23 |
| Luke 11:9 | “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” | Encouragement to ask |
| Matthew 7:7 | “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” | Encouragement to ask |
| 1 John 5:14 | “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” | Condition of asking |
| 1 John 5:15 | “And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” | Assurance of answer |
| Ephesians 3:12 | “in whom we have such boldness and access and confidence through our faith in him.” | Access to God |
| Romans 5:2 | “through whom we have obtained access through faith into this grace in which we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” | Access to God |
| Philippians 4:6 | “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” | How to make requests known |
| Colossians 3:17 | “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” | Doing all in Jesus' name |
| Isaiah 42:8 | “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I will not give to another.” | God's glory |
| Isaiah 48:11 | “my glory I will not give to another.” | God's glory |
| Matthew 6:9 | “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” | Invoking God's name |
| Matthew 18:19 | “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” | Agreement in prayer |
| Mark 11:24 | “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” | Belief in prayer |
| Acts 4:12 | “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” | Uniqueness of Jesus' name |
John 16 verses
John 16 23 Meaning
In that day, you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf.
John 16 23 Context
This verse is part of Jesus' final discourse with His disciples before His crucifixion, as recorded in John chapters 13-17. In this passage, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His impending departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. He has just spoken about their present sorrow due to His absence, which will soon turn to joy when He returns. This verse clarifies the new access they will have to God the Father through Him, emphasizing the efficacy and privilege of prayer offered in Jesus' name. The historical context is the Upper Room discourse, immediately before Jesus' arrest, where He comforts and instructs His closest followers.
John 16 23 Word Analysis
- And (καὶ - kai): A conjunction connecting the preceding thought (sorrow and eventual joy) with the new statement about prayer.
- in (ἐν - en): A preposition indicating location or sphere. Here, it signifies the realm or basis of their requests.
- that day (ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ - ekeinei tē hēmera): Refers to a future time, specifically after Jesus' resurrection, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and His glorification. It denotes a new era of relationship with God.
- you (ὑμεῖς - hymeis): The plural "you," referring to the disciples.
- will ask (αἰτήσετε - aitēsēte): Future indicative tense of "aiteō," meaning to ask, request, or beg. It implies a direct petition.
- in (ἐν - en): Again, signifies the authority or medium through which they ask.
- my (ἐμῷ - emō): Possessive pronoun, indicating that the prayer is presented in the person and authority of Jesus.
- name (ὄνοματι - onomati): Refers to Jesus' identity, authority, character, and presence. Asking in His name means acting in accordance with who He is and His will.
- and (καὶ - kai): Another conjunction linking the statement of fact to the clarification.
- I (ἐγὼ - egō): Emphasizes Jesus' personal agency and reassurance.
- do not say (οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν - ouk echō legein): This phrase can be understood as "I will not say" or "I do not mean to say." The intent is to clarify a potential misunderstanding about the nature of His asking. It emphasizes that He is not merely relaying a message from the Father, but that His interaction is a direct promise.
- to you (ὑμῖν - hymin): The plural "you."
- that (ὅτι - hoti): Introduces a subordinate clause explaining what He will not say.
- I (ἐγὼ - egō): Jesus again.
- will ask (ἐρωτήσω - erōtēsō): Future indicative of "erōtaō," also meaning to ask, inquire, or request. This differs slightly from "aiteō" and can sometimes imply a more intimate or familiar question or request, though both are used for petitioning God. The contrast here may be subtle, perhaps suggesting that Jesus’ request of the Father is distinct from the disciples’ requests through Him.
- the Father (τὸν πατέρα - ton patera): Refers to God the Father.
- on your behalf (ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν - hyper hymōn): "Hyper" can mean "on behalf of," "for," or "instead of." In this context, it emphasizes that Jesus’ role is not one of mediation where He pleads their case for them in the sense of interceding separately. Instead, when they ask in His name, it is as if Jesus Himself is asking, as their advocate. The phrasing "I do not say... I will ask the Father on your behalf" indicates that the disciples' direct access through Jesus eliminates the need for a secondary intercession in the way they might be accustomed to thinking. Their requests, presented through Jesus, become His requests to the Father in a profound unity.
Phrase Group Analysis:
- "you will ask in my name": This is a pivotal phrase, signifying a new mode of access to God. It's not merely invoking His name as a magical formula but aligning one's desires and requests with Jesus' very being, purpose, and authority.
- "I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf": This highlights Jesus' role as the facilitator and embodiment of their access. It doesn't mean Jesus stops interceding (Hebrews 7:25), but rather that the disciples' direct approach through Jesus means they are asking in a way that is already effectively endorsed and presented by Jesus Himself. Their requests are integrated into His own petitioning of the Father.
John 16 23 Bonus Section
The assurance that Jesus does not need to ask the Father on their behalf underscores the intimacy and unity between Jesus and believers, and between Jesus and the Father. Because believers ask in Jesus' name, their petitions are essentially presented with His endorsement and within His ongoing relationship with the Father. This is a departure from the Old Testament's prescribed intercessory system. The Greek word "erōtaō" (used for Jesus' asking the Father) can imply a more profound level of questioning or request than "aiteō" (used for the disciples asking), suggesting the depth of communion Jesus shares with the Father. It emphasizes that by approaching the Father through Jesus, the disciples are tapping into the very filial relationship Jesus has. This directly contrasts with seeking intermediaries or relying solely on the law for access to God. Their access is guaranteed by Christ’s own divine Person and ongoing work.
John 16 23 Commentary
Jesus assures His disciples that a new reality awaits them after His departure and the coming of the Spirit. They will have direct access to the Father through prayer, presented in Jesus' name. This means praying in alignment with who Jesus is, His will, and His authority. They are not asking independently, but rather, their prayers become extensions of Jesus’ own relationship with the Father. While Jesus continually intercedes for believers (Hebrews 7:25), this verse emphasizes the disciples' personal petitionary power available through His advocacy and mediation, which makes their asking already connected to Jesus' own petitioning. It’s a shift from asking in someone else’s absence to asking in His empowering presence and authority. This privilege should lead to profound joy, as promised in verse 22 and elaborated in John 14:13-14.