Matthew 7:7
Bible Verses. Also called Matt. 7:7, Mt 7:7, Ask, seek, knock, Ask, and it shall be given you.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Scripture quotation from the King James Version (KJV). Read this chapter
Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you," is a promise concerning prayer. The verse is cherished as an encouragement to persistent prayer, though reading it as a promise that one will receive whatever one asks for has been debated.
About this articleAI draft from a Korean source. Notes on Korean Protestant practice. No sources listed. Not yet reviewed by a person.
- Origin
Drafted by AI from the Korean church.wiki article, then translated and adapted for English readers on 5 November 2026.
- Perspective
Includes notes on Korean Protestant practice; other traditions are noted where they differ.
- Sources
None listed yet. The article draws on the biblical text and general reference works. Add a source
- Review
Not yet reviewed by a person. Last edited by a person: never. Translation updated 5 November 2026. Edit history
Context
The verse appears in Matthew 7, within the Sermon on the Mount, following the teaching on judging others. After giving three commands with their accompanying promises, Jesus asks what father, if his son asks for bread, would give him a stone, or, if he asks for a fish, would give him a serpent. If even those who are evil know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more shall the Father in heaven "give good things to them that ask him" (Matthew 7:9-11). In Luke, the same saying follows the parable of the friend who comes at midnight to borrow bread, and it concludes by asking how much more the heavenly Father shall "give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him" (Luke 11:13).
Interpretation
- As persistent prayer: Many interpreters note that the Greek imperatives are in the present tense, which denotes continuing action, and render the verse as "keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking."
- As relationship with the Father: This reading holds that the ground of the promise lies in the character of the good Father rather than in the zeal of the one praying. It therefore emphasizes that what is received is not necessarily exactly what was requested, but what the Father regards as "good things."
- As three stages: A widely used homiletical interpretation sees asking, seeking, and knocking as progressively deepening degrees of earnestness.
Debates and Issues
Some object to teaching that reads this verse as a promise that one may receive whatever one desires, pointing out that other passages of Scripture attach conditions to prayer. Those who "ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" do not receive (James 4:3), and God hears when we ask "according to his will" (1 John 5:14). This objection appears frequently in critiques of prosperity theology. Others, by contrast, hold that overemphasizing such qualifications weakens Jesus' invitation to ask boldly.
Perspective: Korean Protestant practiceHow this idea is used in Korean churches, kept from the original Korean article.
In Korean Protestant churches, the verse is a standard text for encouraging prayer at early-morning prayer meetings, committed prayer (in which believers resolve to pray for a set period), and revival meetings. It is also regarded as fitting well with the tradition of tongsung kido (praying aloud together).
Related Passages
See also 6
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