30 Bible Verses about Prayer, Persistence In

I waited patiently for the LORD. He turned to me, and heard my cry.

LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you.

Seek the LORD and his strength. Seek his face forever more.

Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, saying, "There was a judge in a certain city who did not fear God, and did not respect man. A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'read more.
He would not for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her justice, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.'" The Lord said, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. Won't God avenge his chosen ones, who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them? I tell you that he will avenge them quickly. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

He said to them, "Which of you, if you go to a friend at midnight, and tell him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him,' and he from within will answer and say, 'Do not bother me. The door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give it to you'?read more.
I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs. "I tell you, ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.

All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.

with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:

rejoicing in hope; enduring in troubles; continuing steadfastly in prayer;

Pray without ceasing.

Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it? Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn't the Judge of all the earth do right?"read more.
The LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake." Abraham answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes. What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there." He spoke to him yet again, and said, "What if there are forty found there?" He said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake." He said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?" He said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake." He said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake." The LORD went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day. When he saw that he did not prevail against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was strained, as he wrestled. The man said, "Let me go, for the day breaks." Jacob said, "I won't let you go, unless you bless me."read more.
He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." He said, "Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed." Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." He said, "Why is it that you ask what my name is?" He blessed him there. Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for, he said, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." The sun rose on him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped because of his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel do not eat the sinew of the hip, which is on the hollow of the thigh, to this day, because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew of the hip.

So I fell down before the LORD the forty days and forty nights that I fell down, because the LORD had said he would destroy you. I prayed to the LORD, and said, "Lord GOD, do not destroy your people and your inheritance, that you have redeemed through your greatness, that you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look to the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin,read more.
lest the land you brought us out from say, 'Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised to them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.' Yet they are your people and your inheritance, which you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm."

Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold. Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin?and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written."

She was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, and wept bitterly. She vowed a vow, and said, "LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your handmaid, and remember me, and not forget your handmaid, but will give to your handmaid a boy, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come on his head."

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit.

It happened at the time of the offering up of the offering, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, "LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Hear me, LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again." Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.read more.
And when all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, "The LORD, he is God. The LORD, he is God." And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Do not let one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon, and killed them there. And Elijah said to Ahab, "Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of a heavy rain." So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down toward the ground, and put his face between his knees. And he said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up, and looked, and said, "There is nothing." Then he said, "Go again" seven times. It happened at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, a small cloud, like a man's hand, is rising out of the sea." He said, "Go up, tell Ahab, 'Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn't stop you.'"

LORD, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before you. Let my prayer enter into your presence. Turn your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles. My life draws near to Sheol.read more.
I am counted among those who go down into the pit. I am like a man who has no help, set apart among the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more. They are cut off from your hand. You have laid me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. Your wrath lies heavily on me. You have afflicted me with all your waves. Selah. You have taken my friends from me. You have made me an abomination to them. I am confined, and I can't escape. My eyes are dim from grief. I have called on you daily, LORD. I have spread out my hands to you. Do you show wonders to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Selah. Is your loving kindness declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in Destruction? Are your wonders made known in the dark? Or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But to you, LORD, I have cried. In the morning, my prayer comes before you. LORD, why do you reject my soul? Why do you hide your face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted. Your fierce wrath has gone over me. Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me like water all day long. They completely engulfed me. You have put lover and friend far from me, and my friends into darkness.

I rise before dawn and cry for help. I put my hope in your words. My eyes stay open through the night watches, that I might meditate on your word. Hear my voice according to your loving kindness. Revive me, LORD, according to your ordinances.

Out of the depths I have cried to you, LORD. Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my petitions. If you, LORD, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?read more.
But there is forgiveness with you, therefore you are feared. I wait for the LORD. My soul waits. I hope in his word. My soul longs for the Lord more than watchmen long for the morning; more than watchmen for the morning.

saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." An angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. Being in agony he prayed more earnestly. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go there and pray." He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and severely troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch with me."read more.
He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire." He came to the disciples, and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What, could you not watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray, that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away from me unless I drink it, your desire be done." He came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I pray." He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed. He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch."read more.
He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire." He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words. Again he came and found them sleeping again, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him.

But as for me, I will look to the LORD. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

Wait for the LORD. Be strong, and let your heart take courage. Yes, wait for the LORD.

Our soul has waited for the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him. Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who makes wicked plots happen.

For in you, LORD, do I hope. You will answer, Lord my God.

Yes, in the path of your judgments, O LORD, have we waited for you. Your name and your renown are the desire of our soul.