"If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this." /1 joh 5:16
How is this to be understood? Are there situations when you should not pray for someone? I don't understand this bible verse.
After going through like several version and cross-references just now (lol), my interpretation is based on two observations:
1.There is sin that leads to death, and sin that doesn't lead to death. Im assuming that there's sins that are unwillful (meaning you repent) and sins that are willful (meaning unrepentance).
2.This is towards a "brother", so its referring to someone who is of the faith, as opposed to those who are of the world.
So I would say that, the writer is encouraging those who see their brother struggling in the faith, to pray for him, and discourages those who see their brother willfully sinning to make partition for them, because they are damning themselves. But I think this verse, especially for the willful sinner, is not to be seen as law, but just to more highlight that God doesn't delight or give light to a believer who turns from God.
God hears the cries of his people, and several times has the cries of one faithful person, covers literally multitudes of sins (like Moses for Israel for example). So although the writers is phrasing it harshly and coldly, it does give a sort of wake-up call to how God judges the heart of his children. But you should pray for everyone.