A curated set of Bible verses on prayer, organized for quick reference. Each verse is in the King James Version and linked to BibleGateway for the surrounding context. For the longer treatment, see our full article on what the Bible says about prayer.
What Jesus taught about prayer
“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
“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
“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” — Matthew 6:7 KJV
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” — Matthew 7:7–8 KJV
“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” — Matthew 18:19–20 KJV
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” — Matthew 21:22 KJV
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” — Matthew 26:41 KJV
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” — Luke 18:1 KJV
What Paul prescribed
“Pray without ceasing.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” — Philippians 4:6 KJV
“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
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” — Colossians 4:2 KJV
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” — 1 Timothy 2:1–2 KJV
“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 Psalms as prayer book
“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.” — Psalm 102:1 KJV
“Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.” — Psalm 55:17 KJV
“I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.” — Psalm 116:1–2 KJV
“Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.” — Psalm 51:1 KJV
“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” — Psalm 107:1 KJV
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” — Psalm 19:14 KJV
Old Testament examples and promises
“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
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” — Jeremiah 33:3 KJV
“Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:12–13 KJV
“Now Daniel, when he knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” — Daniel 6:10 KJV
Promises about answered prayer
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.” — John 14:13–14 KJV
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” — John 15:7 KJV
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” — 1 John 5:14–15 KJV
“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
A short word
The Bible’s prayer verses come from every era and every kind of pray-er. Kings and shepherds, prophets and fishermen, apostles and ordinary believers. The common thread is that the Father hears. He is not bargained with or impressed; He is approached as Father by people He loves.
For the longer pastoral walk — the Hebrew and Greek vocabulary for prayer, the shape of the Lord’s Prayer, what prayer is not, and a simple ACTS pattern for beginning — see our full article on what the Bible says about prayer. And for hearing these verses in their historical and theological context, The Context Bible opens up five lenses on every verse. Open it in your browser or download free.
“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” — James 5:16 KJV
