Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
It's easy to hear "ask, seek, knock" as just three ways of saying the same thing – just keep praying! But Jesus actually presents a progression here, showing how our prayer life can deepen from a simple request to persistent, earnest pursuit.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about prayer, urging them to be persistent and fervent in asking God for what they need. He uses a progression of actions – asking, seeking, and knocking – to emphasize the intensity and dedication required in their communication with God, assuring them that their earnest prayers will be answered. This follows his instructions on discerning false prophets and precedes his analogy comparing God's willingness to give good gifts to His children with earthly fathers giving gifts to their own.
Why three different actions – ask, seek, knock? It’s more than just a suggestion; it’s a picture of the heart’s journey toward God.
Jesus paints a vivid picture of prayer with three escalating actions:
Together, these three verbs show a progression from a simple request to a determined, active pursuit of God’s will and presence.
What kind of Father would we have if we couldn't trust Him with our deepest needs? Jesus uses a powerful comparison to reveal God's nature.
Jesus doesn't just tell us to pray; He assures us why we can. He contrasts human parents with our Heavenly Father:
Understand the original words
aiteō · Greek Verb
The fundamental act of bringing a request before God. It signifies dependence on Him, acknowledgment of His sovereignty, and the confidence that He hears the prayers of His children.
zēteō · Greek Verb
To actively pursue or look for something. In a spiritual sense, it denotes the ongoing, diligent effort to discover God’s will, presence, and Kingdom purposes.
krouō · Greek Verb
A metaphor for persistent prayer and the desire for access to God's presence or blessing. It implies a sense of urgency and expectation that the door will be opened by the Father.
This passage is nearly identical, presenting the same encouragement to ask, seek, and knock, reinforcing Jesus' consistent teaching on persistent prayer.
Jeremiah 29:13This Old Testament verse promises that when you seek God with all your heart, you will find Him, echoing the 'seek and you shall find' principle.
1 John 5:14This verse provides a crucial condition for our asking: if we ask anything according to God's will, He hears us, clarifying that God's promises in Matthew 7:7 are not limitless but aligned with His good purposes.
Proverbs 8:17This verse speaks of those who seek wisdom earnestly finding it, mirroring the assurance in Matthew 7:7 that diligent seeking will lead to discovery.
John 16:24Jesus here encourages asking in His name, promising that it will bring joy, directly linking the act of asking with receiving through the mediation of Christ.
bensonMatthew 7:7: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:"
Matthew 7:7-11 . Ask, &c. — The exhortation contained in these verses may be considered as connected with the caution given in those immediately preceding, and then the sense of it will be, If you be at a loss to know who are and who are not proper subjects of reproof or admonition; or to whom you may with propriety speak of the higher truths of Christianity, even of those of experime…
barnesMatthew 7:7: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:"
Ask, and it shall be given you ... - There are here three different forms presented of seeking the things which we need from God - asking, 'seeking, and knocking. The latter is taken from the act of knocking at a door for admittance. See Luke 13:25 ; Revelation 3:20 . The phrases signify to seek with earnestness, diligence, and perseverance. The promise is, that what we seek shall be…
It's easy to hear "ask, seek, knock" as just three ways of saying the same thing – just keep praying! But Jesus actually presents a progression here, showing how our prayer life can deepen from a simple request to persistent, earnest pursuit.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about prayer, urging them to be persistent and fervent in asking God for what they need. He uses a progression of actions – asking, seeking, and knocking – to emphasize the intensity and dedication required in their communication with God, assuring them that their earnest prayers will be answered. This follows his instructions on discerning false prophets and precedes his analogy comparing God's willingness to give good gifts to His children with earthly fathers giving gifts to their own.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about prayer, urging them to be persistent and fervent in asking God for what they need. He uses a progression of actions – asking, seeking, and knocking – to emphasize the intensity and dedication required in their communication with God, assuring them that their earnest prayers will be answered. This follows his instructions on discerning false prophets and precedes his analogy comparing God's willingness to give good gifts to His children with earthly fathers giving gifts to their own.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Matthew 7:7 is available in the Sola app.
We're promised that what we ask will be given, but does that mean we get everything we want? There's a vital condition woven into the promise.
While Jesus’ words are a powerful invitation to bold prayer, the promise isn’t a blank check for every desire. The context and subsequent verses clarify the essential condition:
"“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." — It's easy to hear "ask, seek, knock" as just three ways of saying the same thing – just keep praying! But Jesus actually presents a progression here, showing how our prayer life can deepen from a sim…
