Matthew 21:22
in Matthew 21If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
KJV
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
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This verse in Matthew 21
Commentary
13 notes on this verseBut whenever we are not heard when we pray, it is either because we ask something adverse to the means of our salvation; or because the perverseness of those for whom we ask hinders its being granted to them; or because the performance of our request is put off to a future time, that our desires may wax stronger, and so may have more perfect capacity for the joys they seek after.
This site's exposition
How soon is the fig tree withered away
on Matthew 21:20-22
The disciples marvel, How soon is the fig tree withered away, and Jesus turns their astonishment at the sign into a lesson on the faith that works it. Say unto this mountain, be thou removed, uses a common rabbinic idiom for overcoming what looks immovable, and spoken on the Mount of Olives facing the temple mount in the very week of its coming judgment, the saying carries a weight beyond a generic promise. The bench holds the promise as genuine and conditioned on believing prayer, not a formula divorced from the faith and the will of God it presumes.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 2 -- On Faith · Written before 523.
proposed
The door of the Giver is opened to the petitions of faith, even as He said, "Whatsoever ye shall ask, not being doubtful, ye shall receive." In the house of God faith giveth her commands like a mistress of wealth and a ruler of possessions. …
The Gentile dogs bark against us, affirming that the Apostles had not faith, because they were not able to remove mountains. To whom we answer, that many wonders were done by the Lord which are not written; and therefore we believe the Apostles to have done some not written; and that they were therefore not written, that the unbelieving might not have in them larger room for cavilling. For let us ask them, do they believe the miracles which are written, or do they not? And when they look incredulous, we can then establish that they who believe not the lesser would not have believed the greater.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 67 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
And that thou mightest learn, that for their sakes this was done, that He might train them to feel confidence, hear what He saith afterwards. But what saith He? "Ye also shall do greater things, if ye are willing to believe and to be confident in prayer." Seest thou that all is done for their sake, so that they might not be afraid and tremble at plots against them? Wherefore He saith this a second time also, to make them cleave to prayer and faith. For not this only shall ye do, but also shall remove mountains; and many more things shall ye do, being confident in faith and prayer.
(Verse 21, 22.) And Jesus answered and said to them, Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
The Medieval Church1 voice
Great is the promise which Christ makes to His disciples, the ability to move mountains, if only we are not ambiguous in faith, that is, we do not hesitate. Whatever we ask, unhesitantly believing in God's power, we shall receive. One might ask, "And if …
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
Likewise, he touches upon the power of faith with respect to prayer: "for all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing, you shall receive;" above (2:7): "Ask, and you shall receive."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And all things whatsoever,.... Not only miracles, but any other thing which may be for the honour of God, the interest of religion, the spreading of the Gospel, the enlargement of the kingdom, of Christ, their own spiritual good, and the welfare of immortal souls, ye shall ask in prayer, believing.
All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Faith is the soul, prayer is the body; both together make a complete man for any service. Faith, if it be right, will excite prayer; and prayer is not right, if it do not spring from faith.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
We have in these verses an account of two remarkable events in our Lord's history. In both, there was something eminently figurative and typical. Each was an emblem of spiritual things. Beneath the surface of each, lie lessons of solemn instruction. The first event that demands our attention, is our Lord's visit to the temple. He found His Father's house in a state which too truly shadowed forth the general condition of the whole Jewish church--everything out of order, and out of course. He found the courts of that holy building disgracefully profaned by worldly transactions. Trading, and buying, and selling, were actually going on within its walls. There stood dealers ready to supply the Jew who came from distant countries, with any sacrifice he wanted. There sat the money-changer, ready to change his foreign money for the current coin of the land. Bulls, and sheep, and goats, and pigeons, were there exposed for sale, as if the place had been a market. The jingling of money might there be heard, as if these holy courts had been a bank or an exchange. Such were the scenes that met our Lord's eyes. He saw it all with holy indignation. "He drove out all of those who sold and bought." He "overthrew the money changers' tables." Resistance there was none, for men knew that He was right. Objection there was none, for all felt that he was only reforming a notorious abuse, which had been basely permitted for the sake of gain. Well might He sound in the ears of the astonished traders, as they fled from the temple--"It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers!" Let us see in our Lord's conduct on this occasion, a striking type of what He will do when He comes again the second time. He will purify His visible church as He purified the temple.
We have in these verses an account of two remarkable events in our Lord's history. In both, there was something eminently figurative and typical. Each was an emblem of spiritual things. Beneath the surface of each, lie lessons of solemn instruction. The first event that demands our attention, is our Lord's visit to the temple. He found His Father's house in a state which too truly shadowed forth the general condition of the whole Jewish church--everything out of order, and out of course. He found the courts of that holy building disgracefully profaned by worldly transactions.
All things - ye shall ask in prayer, believing - In order to get salvation, there must be, 1. a conviction of the want of it: this begets, 2. prayer, or warm desires, in the heart: then 3. the person asks, i.e. makes use of words expressive of his wants and wishes: 4. believes the word of promise, relative to the fulfillment of his wants: and 5. receives, according to the merciful promise of God, the salvation which his soul requires.
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πάντα | panta | all things | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| ὅσα | hosa | as much as | G3745 → | 110 times |
| ἂν | an | maybe | G302 → | 165 times |
| αἰτήσητε | aitesete | you shall ask | G154 → | 70 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προσευχῇ | proseuchea | prayer | G4335 → | |
| πιστεύοντες, | pisteuontes | believing, | G4100 → | 237 times |
| λήμψεσθε.¶ | lempsesthe | you will receive. | G2983 → | 257 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πάνταall things
pantaG3956 →1235 times
ὅσαas much as
hosaG3745 →110 times
ἂνmaybe
anG302 →165 times
αἰτήσητεyou shall ask
aiteseteG154 →70 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇ<the>
teaG3588 →19766 times
προσευχῇprayer
proseucheaG4335 →
πιστεύοντες,believing,
pisteuontesG4100 →237 times
λήμψεσθε.¶you will receive.
lempsestheG2983 →257 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Matthew 7:7Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
it leads to
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- 1 John 3:22
and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 145:18–19
The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.
- Jeremiah 33:3
Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
- John 15:7
Through
Mark 11:24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
it leads to
- 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.
- James 1:5–6
Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Matthew 18:19
Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.
- 1 John 5:14–15
Where this verse is studied
About Matthew
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 67; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 2 -- On Faith; Rabanus Maurus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.