1 John 3:22
New International Version
and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.

New Living Translation
And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

English Standard Version
and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

Berean Standard Bible
and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.

Berean Literal Bible
and whatever we might ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and we do the things pleasing before Him.

King James Bible
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

New King James Version
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

New American Standard Bible
and whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

NASB 1995
and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

NASB 1977
and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

Legacy Standard Bible
and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.

Amplified Bible
and we receive from Him whatever we ask because we [carefully and consistently] keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight [habitually seeking to follow His plan for us].

Christian Standard Bible
and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
and can receive whatever we ask from Him because we keep His commands and do what is pleasing in His sight.

American Standard Version
and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

Contemporary English Version
He will give us whatever we ask, because we obey him and do what pleases him.

English Revised Version
and whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and receive from him anything we ask. We receive it because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

Good News Translation
We receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

International Standard Version
Whatever we request we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

Majority Standard Bible
and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.

NET Bible
and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing to him.

New Heart English Bible
and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

Webster's Bible Translation
And whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

Weymouth New Testament
and whatever we ask for we obtain from Him, because we obey His commands and do the things which are pleasing in His sight.

World English Bible
so whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and whatever we may ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commands, and we do the things pleasing before Him,

Berean Literal Bible
and whatever we might ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and we do the things pleasing before Him.

Young's Literal Translation
and whatever we may ask, we receive from Him, because His commands we keep, and the things pleasing before Him we do,

Smith's Literal Translation
And whatever we ask, we receive of him, for we keep his commands, and do things pleasing before him.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of him: because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.

Catholic Public Domain Version
and whatever we shall request of him, we shall receive from him. For we keep his commandments, and we do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

New American Bible
and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

New Revised Standard Version
and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing to him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And we shall receive all the things that we ask from him, because we keep his commandments and we do good before him.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
and whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

Godbey New Testament
and whatsoever we may ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things pleasing before him.

Haweis New Testament
And whatsoever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight.

Mace New Testament
whatever we ask, we shall receive it of him, because we keep his commandments, and do what is agreeable to him.

Weymouth New Testament
and whatever we ask for we obtain from Him, because we obey His commands and do the things which are pleasing in His sight.

Worrell New Testament
and whatsoever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments, and do the things that are pleasing before Him.

Worsley New Testament
and whatsoever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Love One Another
21Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God, 22and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. 23And this is His commandment: that we should believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and we should love one another just as He commanded us.…

Cross References
John 14:13-14
And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. / If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it.

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.

John 16:23-24
In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Truly, truly, I tell you, whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you. / Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Matthew 7:7-8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.

Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

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. / And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.

Hebrews 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 66:18
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

Psalm 145:18-19
The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth. / He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.

Jeremiah 29:12-13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. / You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Isaiah 58:9
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk,


Treasury of Scripture

And whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

whatsoever.

1 John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

Psalm 10:17
LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

Psalm 34:4,15-17
I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears…

because.

1 John 3:23,24
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment…

Matthew 7:24,25
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: …

Matthew 17:5
While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

do.

John 6:29
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

John 8:29
And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

John 9:31
Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Jump to Previous
Commandments Commands Eyes Gives Laws Obey Obtain Pleases Pleasing Receive Requests Sight Whatever Whatsoever
Jump to Next
Commandments Commands Eyes Gives Laws Obey Obtain Pleases Pleasing Receive Requests Sight Whatever Whatsoever
1 John 3
1. He declares the singular love of God toward us, in making us his sons;
3. who therefore ought obediently to keep his commandments;
11. as also to love one another as brothers.














and we will receive from Him whatever we ask,
This phrase emphasizes the assurance of answered prayer for believers. It reflects the intimate relationship between God and His children, where requests made in alignment with His will are granted. This promise is contingent upon the believer's alignment with God's desires, as seen in John 15:7, where abiding in Christ and His words is key to receiving what is asked. The concept of asking and receiving is rooted in the understanding of God as a loving Father who delights in giving good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11).

because we keep His commandments
Obedience to God's commandments is a central theme in the Johannine epistles. This phrase underscores the connection between obedience and answered prayer. Keeping God's commandments is not merely about following rules but is an expression of love and commitment to God (John 14:15). The commandments referred to here are not burdensome but are fulfilled in love for God and neighbor (1 John 5:3, Matthew 22:37-40). This obedience is a reflection of the believer's transformed life in Christ.

and do what is pleasing in His sight.
This phrase highlights the importance of living a life that is pleasing to God, which goes beyond mere rule-following to encompass the attitudes and intentions of the heart. Pleasing God involves a holistic approach to life, where actions, thoughts, and motives align with His will. Hebrews 11:6 states that without faith it is impossible to please God, indicating that faith is foundational to a life that pleases Him. The idea of living to please God is also echoed in Romans 12:1-2, where believers are urged to offer themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. John the Apostle
The author of 1 John, one of Jesus' closest disciples, known for his emphasis on love and obedience in his writings.

2. Early Christian Community
The recipients of the letter, likely facing challenges in maintaining faith and love amidst false teachings.

3. God
The one from whom believers receive what they ask, emphasizing His role as a loving Father who responds to His children.

4. Commandments
Refers to the teachings and instructions given by God, particularly those emphasized by Jesus, such as love for God and neighbor.

5. Prayer
The act of asking and receiving from God, central to the believer's relationship with Him.
Teaching Points
Obedience and Prayer
Our prayers are effective when they are coupled with a life of obedience to God's commandments. This obedience is not about legalism but about a loving response to God's grace.

Pleasing God
To do what is pleasing in God's sight involves aligning our desires and actions with His will. This requires a heart transformed by the Holy Spirit, seeking to honor God in all things.

Confidence in Prayer
Believers can have confidence in their prayers when they are rooted in a relationship with God characterized by love and obedience. This confidence is not presumptuous but is based on God's promises.

Motives Matter
The effectiveness of our prayers is linked to the purity of our motives. We must examine our hearts to ensure our requests align with God's purposes and not merely our own desires.

Relationship with God
The promise of receiving what we ask is deeply connected to our relationship with God. As we grow in intimacy with Him, our prayers naturally align with His will.Verse 22. - And (as a guarantee that this confidence is not baseless or misdirected) whatsoever we ask, we receive from him. Note the present tense: λαμβάνομεν, not ληψόμεθα. Whatever the child of God asks as such, he ipso facto obtains (John 15:7). This is the ideal condition of things; for the child of God cannot ask what displeases his Father. And we are his children "because we keep his commandments." The ὅτι must not be connected too closely with λαμβάνομεν, as if our obedience were the cause of God's hearing our prayers. Our obedience shows that we are such as can pray efficaciously. (For the parallelism, comp. Exodus 15:26; Isaiah 38:3.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

we will receive
λαμβάνομεν (lambanomen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

from
ἀπ’ (ap’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

Him
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

whatever
(ho)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

we ask,
αἰτῶμεν (aitōmen)
Verb - Present Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 154: To ask, request, petition, demand. Of uncertain derivation; to ask.

because
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

we keep
τηροῦμεν (tēroumen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 5083: From teros; to guard, i.e. To note; by implication, to detain; by extension, to withhold; by extension, to withhold.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

commandments
ἐντολὰς (entolas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 1785: An ordinance, injunction, command, law. From entellomai; injunction, i.e. An authoritative prescription.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

do
ποιοῦμεν (poioumen)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

what
τὰ (ta)
Article - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

is pleasing
ἀρεστὰ (aresta)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 701: Pleasing, satisfactory, acceptable. From aresko; agreeable; by implication, fit.

in His sight.
ἐνώπιον (enōpion)
Preposition
Strong's 1799: Neuter of a compound of en and a derivative of optanomai; in the face of.


Links
1 John 3:22 NIV
1 John 3:22 NLT
1 John 3:22 ESV
1 John 3:22 NASB
1 John 3:22 KJV

1 John 3:22 BibleApps.com
1 John 3:22 Biblia Paralela
1 John 3:22 Chinese Bible
1 John 3:22 French Bible
1 John 3:22 Catholic Bible

NT Letters: 1 John 3:22 And whatever we ask we receive (1J iJ 1Jn i jn 1 jo)
1 John 3:21
Top of Page
Top of Page