Bible Verses About Prayer

Prayer is the breath of the Christian life. These verses about prayer encourage us to pray boldly, persistently and with thanksgiving.

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” — Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)

The Lord's Prayer is given as a pattern — after this manner — rather than only as words to recite. Its petitions are short and mostly about ordinary needs.

“Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

Pray without ceasing, two words placed between rejoicing evermore and giving thanks. The brevity suggests a posture rather than a schedule.

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” — James 5:16 (KJV)

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, attached to confessing faults to one another. Prayer here is communal before it is powerful.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” — Matthew 7:7 (KJV)

Ask, seek, knock — three verbs of increasing persistence. The tense implies continuing rather than a single attempt.

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

If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us — the qualifier is stated up front. Confidence is placed in being heard rather than in getting.

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;” — Luke 18:1 (KJV)

Men ought always to pray and not to faint — the parable that follows is about a widow wearing down a judge. Persistence is illustrated by someone with no leverage.

“The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.” — Psalm 145:18 (KJV)

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him in truth. Nearness is conditioned on honesty rather than on eloquence.

“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” — Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV)

Call unto me and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. Spoken to a prophet who was in prison at the time.

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” — Romans 8:26 (KJV)

The Spirit maketh intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered, because we know not what we should pray for. Not knowing what to pray is treated as normal.

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” — Matthew 6:6 (KJV)

Enter into thy closet and shut thy door — privacy prescribed against the public praying just criticised. The reward promised is from a Father who sees in secret.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” — Ephesians 6:18 (KJV)

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance. It closes the armour passage, making prayer the way the armour is used.

“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” — Psalm 55:17 (KJV)

Evening, morning and at noon will I pray, and cry aloud — three fixed times named. It is the oldest description of a daily office in Scripture.

“And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” — Mark 1:35 (KJV)

Rising a great while before day, he departed into a solitary place and prayed there. The detail is given the morning after a night of healing crowds.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)

If my people shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn — four conditions before the promise. It was spoken to Solomon about a dedicated temple.

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” — Luke 11:1 (KJV)

Lord, teach us to pray, asked after the disciples watched him praying. They ask for instruction rather than for results.

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:” — Psalm 66:18 (KJV)

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me — an honest statement about an obstacle. Regard means cherish rather than merely commit.

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Frequently asked questions

What does the Bible say about prayer?

The 16 passages gathered on this page are the ones readers turn to most on prayer: Matthew 6:9-13, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, James 5:16, Matthew 7:7, 1 John 5:14, Luke 18:1, Psalm 145:18, Jeremiah 33:3, Romans 8:26, Matthew 6:6, Ephesians 6:18, Psalm 55:17, Mark 1:35, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Luke…

What is a good Bible verse about prayer?

Matthew 6:9-13 is the passage most often quoted on prayer, with 1 Thessalonians 5:17 and James 5:16 close behind. Which one helps depends on whether you need reassurance, instruction or simply company.

Where can I read these prayer verses?

You can read all of these verses about prayer — and the whole Bible, offline, in your preferred translation — free in the Quiethaven app for iPhone.