1 John 5:14–17

 ¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. ¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

Commentary 

Vs. 14-15 ¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 

Here the apostle John reaffirms that each and every believer has confidence in prayer with God, confidence that whatever we ask according to His Will we know we will receive. Prayer then is not a means of getting what we want, rather it is so that we have our hearts and minds and lives aligned with what God wants. Verse fifteen then continues on by affirming us telling us that if we are praying according to the Will of God then we should also know that we have prayers to pray given us by God. This then is something that each and every believer who prays to God has an ability to do because of the intimate connection with God we have through His Son and Holy Spirit who guides us into praying prayers from God. Knowing then God’s Word is where one should start if they want to pray their prayers from God (Psalm 141:2; Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4). 

Vs. 16-17 ¹⁶ If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 

Here the Apostle John tells us that we should pray for our brethren who do not commit a sin which leads to death (consider Luke 22:31-34; Gal. 6:1-2; Jude 20-23 etc.). Death here then likely refers to those who began well in the faith but who having known the truth turn away from it, even against it, which can be known by their words and deeds, and thus are those referred to in Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31, 39, 12:16-17 etc. Therefore, the Apostle John wants all brethren to know that sin is serious, and that no one should ever take having sinned, or having sin in their life lightly! For if sin remains in one’s life, one’s faith in the Lord Jesus Christ may also fall victim to it! 

Scripture Quotations 

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.