John 5 15

John 5:15 kjv

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole.

John 5:15 nkjv

The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

John 5:15 niv

The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

John 5:15 esv

The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him.

John 5:15 nlt

Then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.

John 5 verses

John 5 15 Meaning

This verse expresses the profound assurance believers have when approaching God in prayer. It affirms that when prayers are made with the understanding that God hears us (implicitly according to His will, as stated in the preceding verse), believers can have full confidence that the substance of their requests has already been granted in the spiritual realm, even before their physical manifestation. It speaks to the certainty of God's attentiveness and responsiveness to the petitions of His children.

John 5 15 Context

First John chapter 5 serves as a concluding section to John's epistle, consolidating major themes introduced throughout the book: assurance of salvation, overcoming the world, and the true identity of Jesus as the Son of God. Verses 14-17 specifically deal with the power of prayer and the certainty of receiving answers when prayers are offered in alignment with God's will. The historical and cultural context for John's original audience involved challenges from early Gnostic-like teachers (proto-Gnosticism and Docetism) who denied the full humanity and/or divinity of Christ. These false teachings eroded the assurance of believers, suggesting that true spiritual knowledge was reserved for a select few or that matter was inherently evil, separating God from the physical world. In response, John emphasizes practical righteousness, love for one another, and the real-world implications of believing in the incarnate Son of God, including confident access to God in prayer. There are no direct polemics in this specific verse, but the underlying confidence it instills implicitly counters any teaching that would create doubt in God's accessibility or responsiveness, reinforcing that salvation through Christ provides intimate fellowship and direct access to the Father.

John 5 15 Word analysis

• And (Καί - Kai): A conjunction linking this verse directly to the preceding one (1 Jn 5:14), emphasizing the continuous flow of thought about the "confidence" in prayer. It indicates a development or explanation of the confidence just mentioned.
• if we know (ἐὰν εἰδῶμεν - ean eidōmen):
  • Ean is a conditional particle, introducing a real possibility.
  • Eidōmen is from oida (οἶδα), signifying a settled, complete, intuitive, and experiential knowledge, rather than a learned or factual one (ginōskō). It's about knowing from personal experience and divine revelation, a deep understanding of God's character and promises.
• that He hears us (ὅτι ἀκούει ἡμῶν - hoti akouei hēmōn):
  • Hoti means "that," introducing the content of our knowledge.
  • Akouei (ἀκούει) from akouō (ἀκούω) means "to hear," but in a deeper sense than mere auditory perception; it implies listening with attention, taking note, and being inclined to respond. In biblical context, for God to "hear" is often synonymous with Him answering (Ps 66:19-20). The present tense suggests a continuous reality—He always hears.
  • Hēmōn (ἡμῶν) "us," refers to believers, emphasizing God's intimate relationship with His children.
• whatever we ask (ὃ ἐὰν αἰτώμεθα - ho ean aitōmetha):
  • Ho ean "whatever," indicates an expansive scope of prayer.
  • Aitōmetha is from aiteō (αἰτέω), typically meaning "to ask," "to request," "to beg," and often used of an inferior petitioning a superior or equal. It signifies specific requests, contrasting with erōtaō (ἐρωτάω) which implies asking a question or requesting information, sometimes on behalf of others. This "whatever" must be understood within the boundary established in v.14: "according to His will." A heart truly submitted to God will naturally align its desires with His.
• we know (οἴδαμεν - oidamen): This is a direct repetition of the strong "know" from the beginning of the verse. Its recurrence stresses the absolute certainty and conviction of the believer regarding prayer. It’s not a hopeful wish, but a firm spiritual understanding.
• that we have (ὅτι ἔχομεν - hoti echomen):
  • Hoti again introduces the content of the knowledge.
  • Echomen from echō (ἔχω) "to have," is in the present tense, denoting immediate possession. This is a crucial theological point: we "have" the petition now, in spiritual reality, even if the physical manifestation is yet to come. It underscores the assurance that the request is affirmed by God.
• the petitions (τὰ αἰτήματα - ta aitēmata): This is the plural form of the noun derived from aiteō. It refers to the specific requests or things asked for. It's the substance or content of the prayer.
• that we have asked of Him (ἃ ᾐτήκαμεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ - ha ēitēkamen ap' autou):
  • Ha refers back to "the petitions."
  • Ēitēkamen is the perfect active indicative of aiteō. The perfect tense describes an action completed in the past with continuing present results. It highlights the lasting efficacy of a prayer that has already been offered to God.
  • Ap' autou (ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ) "from Him" (referring to God), clarifies the source of the answer.

John 5 15 Bonus section

The assurance presented in 1 John 5:15, particularly "we know that we have the petitions," provides a theological framework for persistent prayer and patient waiting. It redefines "answered prayer" not always as immediate gratification but as a secure reality from the moment a prayer aligns with God's will. This perspective safeguards against despair when the physical answer is delayed, anchoring the believer's hope in God's unfailing word rather than fluctuating circumstances. Furthermore, the link between "knowing He hears us" and "knowing we have the petitions" suggests that confidence in prayer is directly proportional to one's understanding of God's character and His desire to commune with His children. The Holy Spirit's indwelling within believers (1 Jn 4:13) guides their prayers (Rom 8:26-27), implicitly aligning them with the Father's will and thus giving substance to "whatever we ask." This divine enablement ensures that what true believers ask for, they have because their desires have been purified and redirected by the Spirit.

John 5 15 Commentary

First John 5:15 is a powerful statement of assurance concerning answered prayer, building directly upon the prerequisite in verse 14—that we ask "according to His will." John assures believers that if they possess the deep, intuitive knowledge (oida) that God indeed listens intently (akouō) to their petitions, then they can have equal certainty that those specific requests (aitēmata) are already, in essence, theirs. The dual use of "we know" (oidamen) reinforces this unshakable confidence. The present tense of "we have" (echomen) signifies an immediate, spiritual possession of the requested items, independent of their future physical realization. This isn't merely a promise that God will grant something, but that the answer is already a present reality because God's will is perfectly aligned with the faithful, Spirit-led prayer. This confidence in having our petitions speaks to the intimate and powerful relationship believers have with God through Christ. It encourages steadfast faith, knowing that prayers offered in His will are heard and effective.

• Example: A person prays for wisdom in a difficult decision (Jas 1:5). This verse means they can know that God has already begun the process of imparting wisdom to them in His time and way, because wisdom is always God's will. The person then trusts for its manifestation.