Prayers in the Bible

Though most of us are familiar with the Lord’s Prayer, the Gospels contain several other prayers of Jesus. In John 17, we read Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer uttered on the night of His betrayal and arrest. After praying for Himself (vv. 1–5), Jesus prays for His disciples (vv. 6–19) and for all believers (vv. 20–26). He asks the Father to protect the church, sanctify it, and cause it to grow. Jesus also prays three short prayers on the cross (Luke 23:34; Mark 15:34; Luke 23:46).

Other prayers of Jesus include a prayer of thanks (John 6:11), a prayer before raising Lazarus (11:41–42), and a prayer after entering Jerusalem (12:27–28). Moreover, Jesus often withdrew from others to spend time in prayer with His Father (Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; John 6:15). He exemplifies what it means to “pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Alyson Kieda