Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The ultimate goal of asking anything in Jesus' name isn't just getting our requests met, but ensuring that the Father is honored and revealed through the Son in the process. This means our prayers are meant to draw attention to Jesus' identity and His relationship with the Father, not just our own needs.
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is about to leave his disciples, and they are feeling anxious and confused, especially Philip who asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus gently rebukes Philip, explaining that seeing him is seeing the Father, as he is in the Father and the Father is in him, and his works demonstrate this divine connection. He then promises that those who believe in him will do even greater works than he did, as he goes to the Father, and ties this power to their prayers offered in his name.
Ever wonder what it truly means to ask for something 'in Jesus' name'? It's more than just adding a closing to your prayer.
When Jesus tells his disciples to ask in His name, He's not just giving them a magical phrase. It's about aligning our requests with who Jesus is and His mission.
What 'In My Name' Means:
It's about praying from a place of deep trust and connection, where your desires are increasingly shaped by His.
Why does Jesus promise to answer prayer? It’s not just for our benefit, but for a much grander purpose.
Jesus doesn't just promise that our prayers will be answered; He immediately reveals the ultimate goal: 'that the Father may be glorified in the Son.'
The Glory Connection:
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This shifts our focus from getting what we want to seeing God honored through His actions in our lives.
Understand the original words
doxasthē · Greek Verb
To be made manifest, honored, or celebrated in the excellence and character of God; the revelation of God's majesty and divine nature.
aitēsēte · Greek Verb
To present a request to God; in a biblical context, it implies reliance upon God's provision and alignment with His sovereign will.
onoma · Greek Noun
In the Bible, a name represents the person's character, authority, and presence; to ask in Jesus' name means to pray according to his authority, nature, and purpose.
This passage echoes the promise of answered prayer, specifying that our confidence comes from asking according to God's will, which aligns with the purpose of glorifying God mentioned in John 14:13.
Philippians 2:9-11These verses describe the exaltation of Jesus and the future confession of His Lordship, directly linking Christ's identity and role to the ultimate glorification of God the Father, which is the stated outcome of prayers offered in Jesus' name.
Matthew 7:7-8Jesus' teaching to 'ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you' provides a foundational assurance of God's willingness to answer prayer, with John 14:13 specifying the manner and purpose through which this promise is fulfilled in Christ.
Colossians 3:17This verse emphasizes that whatever we do, in word or deed, should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him, which mirrors the concept in John 14:13 that all actions, including prayer, are to be grounded in Christ for God's glory.
vincentJohn 14:13: "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
In my nameThe first occurrence of the phrase. See on Matthew 28:19. Prayer is made in the name of Jesus, "if this name, Jesus Christ, as the full substance of the saving faith and confession of him who prays, is, in his consciousness, the element in which the prayerful activity moves; so that thus that Name, embracing the whole revelation of redemption, is that which specifically m…
calvinJohn 14:8-14: "Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us."
- Philip saith to him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9. Jesus saith to him, Have I been so long time with you, and hast thou not known me, Philip? He who hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou, Show us the Father? 10. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words which I speak to you I speak not from myself; but my Father who dwelleth in me, he do…
The ultimate goal of asking anything in Jesus' name isn't just getting our requests met, but ensuring that the Father is honored and revealed through the Son in the process. This means our prayers are meant to draw attention to Jesus' identity and His relationship with the Father, not just our own needs.
Jesus is about to leave his disciples, and they are feeling anxious and confused, especially Philip who asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus gently rebukes Philip, explaining that seeing him is seeing the Father, as he is in the Father and the Father is in him, and his works demonstrate this divine connection. He then promises that those who believe in him will do even greater works than he did, as he goes to the Father, and ties this power to their prayers offered in his name.
Jesus is about to leave his disciples, and they are feeling anxious and confused, especially Philip who asks Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus gently rebukes Philip, explaining that seeing him is seeing the Father, as he is in the Father and the Father is in him, and his works demonstrate this divine connection. He then promises that those who believe in him will do even greater works than he did, as he goes to the Father, and ties this power to their prayers offered in his name.
"Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son." — The ultimate goal of asking anything in Jesus' name isn't just getting our requests met, but ensuring that the Father is honored and revealed through the Son in the process. This means our prayers…
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Last reviewed October 2026