39 Bible Verses about Prayer, In The Church
Most Relevant Verses
These men continued in united prayer [for the kingdom to come? See 1:6; Matt. 6:10] along with [certain] women, Mary the mother of Jesus and His [half-] brothers.
And these [new converts] continued regularly [to listen] to the teaching of the apostles and to share with them; they broke bread [in memory of Jesus] and continued praying.
So, after Peter and John were released, they went [back to the other disciples] and reported everything the leading priests and elders [of the Jews] had said to them. And when the disciples heard this report they united their voices to God in prayer [saying]: "O, Lord, You made the heaven, the earth, the sea and everything in them. [You] said, through the Holy Spirit and by means of [the inspired writings of] our forefather David, your servant, [Psa. 2:1-2], 'Why did the [unconverted] Gentiles rage [at the Messiah], and the people [of Israel] devise useless plans [for opposing Christ]?read more.
The kings of the earth [i.e., Herod and Pilate] took their stand [against Jesus], and the rulers [of the Jews] gathered against the Lord and against His Anointed One [i.e., Christ].' For [truly] it was both Herod and Pontius Pilate, together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, who gathered together in this city [of Jerusalem] against your Holy Servant Jesus to do what your plan and wisdom predetermined should happen. So, now Lord, take account of the threats [of these Jewish leaders] and give your servants all the boldness [we need] to speak your message, while you perform [miraculous] healings and signs and wonders through the name [i.e., by the authority] of your Holy Servant Jesus." And after they had prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and these disciples were all filled with [the power of] the Holy Spirit and they were able to speak the message of God with boldness.
After thinking about the matter [for awhile], he decided to go to the house of Mary, mother of John Mark, where a large gathering [of Christians] was praying.
After speaking these things Paul knelt down and prayed with all of the elders.
When we had completed preparations for the next day's voyage we left, and headed out [to sea] on our journey. All the disciples, together with their wives and children, escorted us out of the city and knelt down and prayed with us as we said goodbye to each other.
As these men were ministering to the Lord [i.e., this probably means worshiping] and fasting, the Holy Spirit said [to one of them by way of inspiration]: "Set Barnabas and Saul apart for Me, [commissioning them] to do the work for which I have called them." Then, as these prophets and teachers fasted and prayed [for the two men], they placed their hands on them [signifying their appointment for this ministry] and sent them away.
Then they prayed, "Lord, you know the inner thoughts of all men, so show us which one of these two men should be selected to replace Judas in this ministry and this group of apostles, from which he fell away to go to where he belonged" [i.e., to the place of punishment for unrepentant sinners].
[Then] they presented these men to the apostles, who prayed for them while placing their hands on them [to signify their appointment].
And when Paul and Barnabas had appointed elders [for the churches] in every congregation and had prayed and fasted [over these elders], they committed them to [the care of] the Lord, in whom they had come to trust.
So, Peter was kept in jail, but the church continued to pray earnestly to God for him. [See verse 12].
So, they stoned Stephen [to death] as he called out to the Lord, saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit [as I die]." Then he kneeled down and called out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold them responsible for this sin [of killing me]." And when he said this he fell asleep [in death].
Then the large crowd began attacking them, and the city officials had their clothes ripped off and ordered them to be beaten. After beating them severely, they threw them in jail and ordered the jailor to have them securely guarded. After receiving these orders, the jailor threw them into the maximum security cell and had their feet securely fastened in wooden restraints.read more.
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God while the [other] prisoners listened.
Then Peter asked them all to leave [the room]; he knelt down and prayed over her body, saying, "Tabitha, get up." She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
Now in that general vicinity there was property belonging to the chief of the island, a man named Publius, who welcomed us courteously and entertained us for three days. And it happened that Publius' father lay sick with a fever and dysentery. Paul went [to his house] and, after praying and placing hands on him, healed him.
Continue to pray regularly; stay alert and be thankful.
Be joyful as you hope [i.e., for future blessings]. Persevere in spite of the troubles you experience. Continue steadfastly in prayer.
[Then] offer all kinds of prayers and requests in [harmony with] the Holy Spirit at all times, and be alert constantly in making requests for all the saints [i.e., God's holy people].
First of all, then, I urge you to offer [special] requests, prayers, intercessions [Note: "Intercessions" probably refers to praying on behalf of others], and thanksgivings for all people.
But the end of everything [as far as your lives are concerned] is near, so be sensible, and sober [so as to be] prayerful.
At the same time, pray for us also, that God will open up a door [of opportunity] for [proclaiming] the message, so we can tell about the [previously] hidden secret of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned. [Pray] that I will make it [clearly] known, as I ought to.
And [also pray] for me to be given boldness of speech in opening my mouth to make known the secret plan of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in prison. [And pray] that I may be able to proclaim the Gospel boldly, as I ought to.
Finally, brothers, pray for us, so that the Lord's message will spread quickly and be honored [by people], even as it was among you.
Is anyone among you sick? [Then] he should call for the elders of the church and they should pray for him, after pouring [olive] oil on him in the name [i.e., by the authority] of the Lord.
If anyone [of you] observes his brother [or sister] sinning [in a way that would not lead] to [spiritual] death, he should ask [God, in prayer, to help that person], and God will give him [spiritual] life, [that is], to such ones, provided their sin is not leading to [spiritual] death. There is such a sin that leads to [spiritual] death. [See Heb. 6:4-6; I Tim. 5:6; Heb. 10:26-27; II Pet. 2:20-22]. I am not suggesting that you should ask [God, in prayer] about such a situation. All wrongdoing is sinful, and [yet] there is a situation where [a person's] sin does not lead [him] to [spiritual] death.
So, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another to be healed [from sin sickness]. The special request of a righteous person is empowered with [great] effectiveness.
Now I urge you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ [See 12:1], and through the Holy Spirit's love [in us], that you people join me in fervently praying to God for me
as you cooperate by praying for us. Then, many people will give thanks [to God] on our behalf for the gift He has given to us through [your] many [prayers].
Every man who prays or prophesies [i.e., speaks in a public assembly, since prophecy was always for the benefit of others] with his [physical] head covered [Note: The Greek word here denotes "something hanging down" and could refer to long hair or a cloth shawl], shows disrespect for his head [i.e., Christ]. But every woman who prays or prophesies [in the public assembly] with her [physical] head uncovered [i.e., with hair or a shawl] shows disrespect for her head [i.e., for her husband. See verse 3]. Such appearance is the same as if her [physical] head were shaved. [Note: Various sources point out that a shaved or closely cropped head was an emblem of a prostitute or a woman found guilty of sexual unfaithfulness to her husband. See Num. 5:11-18].
[So], judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God [in the assembly] with her [physical] head uncovered [i.e., by hair or a shawl]? [And] does not the very nature of things teach you that it is disgraceful for a man to have long hair? [Note: The prevailing, worldwide custom, observable to Paul even in his day, was shorter hair on men and longer hair on women. The fact of exceptions to this arrangement only proves the rule. See Num. 6:5; I Sam. 1:11]. But if a woman wears long hair, it is a glory to her, for her hair is given to her for a covering [i.e., in place of the cloth shawl].
Brothers, select from among you seven men with good reputations, who are full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to take care of this matter. But we will continue earnestly in prayer and the preaching of God's word."
So, this is why, since the day we heard about these things, we do not stop praying for you and requesting that you people be filled [by God] with the knowledge of what He wants [for your lives], and with spiritual wisdom and understanding. [We pray for you] to live a life deserving of the Lord, pleasing to Him in every way, producing fruit in every good deed and growing in the knowledge of God.
I do not stop thanking [God] for you. I keep asking, in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you a spirit [i.e., a disposition] of wisdom and revelation [or, "give you the spiritual gifts of wisdom and revelation"], so you can have full knowledge of God. I pray that your minds will be enlightened so that you will know what the hope is, to which God has called you, and what the glorious abundance is, of God's inheritance in the saints [Note: Paul wanted them to appreciate the value God placed on them],read more.
and what God's tremendous power [working] in us believers is. [This power is] the same as that utilized by God's mighty strength, which He exerted when raising Christ from the dead and seating Him at His right side in the heavenly realms [i.e., heaven itself]. [There He is exalted] high above all rulers and authorities and powers and dominion and every name [i.e., title of honor] that can be given, not only in this present age but [also] in the one to come.
[I pray] that, according to God's glorious abundance, He would empower you to become [spiritually] strong through His Holy Spirit in your inner person, so that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. [I pray] that you will be rooted and grounded in [your] love, so that you, along with all the saints [i.e., God's holy people], will be [spiritually] strong enough to grasp how wide and long and high and deep [Christ's love is];read more.
and to know that His love for us surpasses [our] knowledge, so that you people will be completely filled with the fullness of God.
And I pray that your love may grow stronger and stronger, [along] with how much you know, and [that you may grow] in your ability to comprehend things. Then you will be able to approve of [only] what is best and be sincere and without just blame on the day of Christ's [return], having been full of qualities of righteousness, which come from Jesus Christ and produce honor and praise to God.
This is why we always pray for you also, so that our God will consider you worthy to be [i.e., to have been] called [into the kingdom] by Him, and will fulfill, by His power, every good purpose [or, "desire for goodness"] of yours and every act produced by [your] faith. [We pray this] so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored by you, and that you will be honored by Him, according to the unearned favor of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
