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John 15:7

in John 15

If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

KJV

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

This verse in John 15

Commentary

18 notes on this verse
My words - My doctrine; my commandments. Abide in you - Not only are remembered, but are suffered to remain in you as a living principle, to regulate your affections and life. Ye shall ask ... - See Joh 14:13. This promise had particular reference to the apostles. It is applicable to other Christians only so far as they are in circumstances similar to the apostles, and only so far as they possess their spirit.

This site's exposition

If you remain in Me and My words remain in you

on John 15:7-8

The promise of asking whatever you wish sits inside its own condition, His words remaining in the one who asks. A will shaped by those words asks for what He wants. Verse 8 names much fruit as the Father's glory and the mark of a disciple.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers5 voices

A commentator

Augustine of Hippo

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

(Tract. lxxxi. 4) For then may His words be said to abide in us, when we do what He has commanded, and love what He has promised. But when His words abide in the memory, and are not found in the life, the branch is not accounted to be in the vine, because it derives no life from its root. So far as we abide in the Saviour we cannot will any thing that is foreign to our salvation. We have one will, in so far as we are in Christ, another, in so far as we are in this world. And by reason of our abode in this world, it sometimes happens that we ask for that which is not expedient, through ignorance. But never, if we abide in Christ, will He grant it us, Who does not grant except what is expedient for us. And here we are directed to the prayer, Our Father. Let us adhere to the words and the meaning of this prayer in our petitions, and whatever we ask will be done for us.

A commentator

Augustine of Hippo

Tractates on John 81 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"If ye abide in me," He says, "and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." For abiding thus in Christ, is there aught they can wish but what will be agreeable to Christ? So abiding in the Saviour, can they wish anything that is inconsistent with salvation? Some things, indeed, we wish because we are in Christ, and other things we desire because still in this world. For at times, in connection with this our present abode, we are inwardly prompted to ask what we know not it would be inexpedient for us to receive. But God forbid that such should be given us if we abide in Christ, who, when we ask, only does what will be for our advantage. Abiding, therefore, ourselves in Him, when His words abide in us we shall ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us. For if we ask, and the doing follows not, what we ask is not connected with our abiding in Him, nor with His words which abide in us, but with that craving and infirmity of the flesh which are not in Him, and have not His words abiding in them. For to His words, at all events, belongs that prayer which He taught, and in which we say, "Our Father, who art in heaven." Let us only not fall away from the words and meaning of this prayer in our petitions, and whatever we ask, it shall be done unto us. For then only may His words be said to abide in us, when we do what He has commanded us, and love what He has promised. But when His words abide only in the memory, and have no place in the life, the branch is not to be accounted as in the vine, because it draws not its life from the root. It is to this distinction that the word of Scripture has respect, "and to those that remember His commandments to do them." For many retain them in their memory only to treat them with contempt, or even to mock at and assail them. […]

A commentator

Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 10 · Written before 444.

proposed

Shall we say that faith bare and alone is sufficient for one to attain the fellowship that is from above—will even the band of demons rise up to fellowship with God, since they acknowledge God's unity and have believed that God exists? How could this be? For the mere knowledge that the one God is the creator and producer of all things is useless. But I think it necessary that the confession of piety toward God should accompany faith. For one who does this abides in Christ and will be seen to possess his words, according to the text in the book of Psalms, "I have laid up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you."

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on the Gospel of John 76 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

Then He showeth what it is to "abide," and saith, "If My words abide in you." Seest thou that with reason I said above, that He seeketh the proof by works? For when He had said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask I will do it," He added, "If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments." And here, "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you." "Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." This He said to show that they who plotted against Him should be burnt up, but that they should bear fruit.

A commentator

Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 10 · Written before 444.

proposed

He says that the love of unbroken union with Him, and the keeping in mind as a Divine and spiritual treasure entrusted to them the pure treasure of the lessons of the Gospel, and the true instruction of the doctrines of the faith, established also by unerring interpretations, will be the root of the most perfect goodness. For the whole discourse of the Saviour would convey this meaning to us, if we consider the aim set forth in the Gospels.
11 more voices on this verse

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

Clement of Alexandria

The Instructor Book 3 · Written before 215.

proposed

He who has the almighty God, the Word, lacks nothing and never is in dire straits for what he needs. For the Word is a possession that lacks nothing and is the cause of all abundance. If someone says that he has often seen the righteous person in need of food, this is rare, and it happens only where there is not another righteous person. Notwithstanding, let him read what follows: "For the righteous one shall not live by bread alone but by the word of the Lord," who is the true bread, the bread of the heavens. The good person, then, can never be in difficulties so long as he keeps intact his confession toward God. For it belongs to him to ask and to receive whatever he requires from the Father of all and to enjoy what is his own if he keeps the Son. And he also should feel that he lacks nothing.

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on John · Written before 1107.

proposed

Here the Lord explains to us what the words "if you abide in Me" mean. Namely: if you keep My commandments. For the words "if My words abide in you" mean that He desires union with them through deeds. For each one who lives in …

A commentator

Bonaventure

Commentary on John, Chapter 15 · Written in the 13th century.

proposed

If you abide in me. Above he showed that he is the origin of fruit through the opposite of abiding; but here he shows through abiding itself, which gives fruit both with respect to yourself and with respect to your neighbor. With respect to yourself: …

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on John · Written before 1274.

proposed

1995 Now we have the third reason for abiding in Christ: our prayers become effective. He is saying, in effect, If you abide in me, you will obtain this fruit, that is, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. Note that …

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Note, Those that abide in Christ as their heart's delight shall have, through Christ, their heart's desire. If we have Christ, we shall want nothing that is good for us. Two things are implied in this promise:-- First, That if we abide in Christ, and his word in us, we shall not ask any thing but what is proper to be done for us.

A commentator

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

proposed

If ye abide in me, ye shall ask - Prayers themselves are a fruit of faith, and they produce more fruit.

quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:80%@v4-7

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you,.... Abiding in Christ is here explained by his words or doctrines abiding in his disciples; by which are meant his Gospel, and the truths of it.

The Nineteenth Century4 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

The spiritual oneness of Christ and His people, and His relation to them as the Source of all their spiritual life and fruitfulness, are here beautifully set forth by a figure familiar to Jewish ears (Isa 5:1, &c.). I am the true vine--of whom the vine of nature is but a shadow. my Father is the husbandman--the great Proprietor of the vineyard, the Lord of the spiritual kingdom.
There is a wide difference between believers and believers. In some things they are all alike. All feel their sins; all trust in Christ; all repent and strive to be holy. All have grace, and faith, and new hearts. But they differ widely in the degree of their attainments. Some are far happier and holier Christians than others, and have far more influence on the world. Now what are the inducements which the Lord Jesus holds out to His people, to make them aim at eminent holiness?
There is a wide difference between believers and believers. In some things they are all alike. All feel their sins; all trust in Christ; all repent and strive to be holy. All have grace, and faith, and new hearts. But they differ widely in the degree of their attainments. Some are far happier and holier Christians than others, and have far more influence on the world. Now what are the inducements which the Lord Jesus holds out to His people, to make them aim at eminent holiness? This is a question which ought to be deeply interesting to every pious mind. Who would not like to be a singularly useful and happy servant of Christ? The passage before us throws light on the subject in three ways. In the first place, our Lord declares, "If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you." This is a distinct promise of power and success in prayer. And what does it turn upon? We must "abide in Christ," and Christ's "words must abide in us." To abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with Him—to be always leaning on Him, resting on Him, pouring out our hearts to Him, and using Him as our Fountain of life and strength, as our chief Companion and best Friend. To have His words abiding in us, is to keep His sayings and precepts continually before our memories and minds, and to make them the guide of our actions and the rule of our daily conduct and behavior. Christians of this stamp, we are told, shall not pray in vain. Whatever they ask they shall obtain, so long as they ask things according to God's mind. No work shall be found too hard, and no difficulty insurmountable. Asking they shall receive, and seeking they shall find. Such men were Martin Luther, the German Reformer, and our own martyr, Bishop Latimer.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

If ye abide in me, etc. - “Those,” says Creeshna, “whose understandings are in him, (God), whose souls are in him, whose confidence is in him, whose asylum is in him, are by the inspired wisdom purified from all their offenses, and go from whence they shall never return.” Geeta, p. 59. Observe, in order to have influence with God, we must - 1. Be united to Christ - if ye abide in me. 2. That in order to be preserved in this union, we must have our lives regulated by the doctrine of Christ - and my words abide in you. 3. That to profit by this union and doctrine, we must pray - ye shall ask. 4. That every heavenly blessing shall be given to those who continue in this union, with a loving, obedient, praying spirit: - ye shall ask what ye will, etc.

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Psalms 37:4

    Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

    it leads to

    • Psalms 145:19

      He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.

    • John 15:16

      You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will remain—so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.

    • Isaiah 58:14

      then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of…

    • 1 John 5:14–15

      And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

    • Psalms 21:1–2

      O LORD, the king rejoices in Your strength. How greatly he exults in Your salvation!

  • Through

    1 John 5:14

    And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

    it leads to

    • John 14:13

      And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

    • Jeremiah 29:12–13

      Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.

    • Jeremiah 33:3

      Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Where this verse is studied

About John

The Word Made Flesh, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Word Made Flesh, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, John; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on John 81; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 15; Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor Book 3; Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 10; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 76; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.