The Bible invites believers to pray about everything (Philippians 4:6-7), without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), following Jesus' pattern in the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7-8); God hears those who call on Him (Psalm 145:18; Jeremiah 29:12).
Prayer is conversation with God: praise, request, confession, and thanksgiving. These King James passages show how Jesus taught prayer and how the early church practiced it.
How Jesus taught us to pray
1. Matthew 6:9-13
"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."
The Lord's Prayer: God's name, kingdom, and will first; then daily needs, forgiveness, and deliverance from evil.
2. Matthew 7:7-8
"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."
A triple invitation: ask, seek, knock. Persistence in prayer is welcomed, not scolded.
3. Luke 11:1
"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."
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray after watching Him pray. Prayer is learned by following His example.
4. Mark 11:24
"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
Jesus links prayer with believing. Faith does not invent outcomes; it trusts the Father who hears.
Pray about everything
5. Philippians 4:6-7
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
"Be careful for nothing" means do not be anxious. Pray with thanksgiving; God's peace guards heart and mind.
6. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
Rejoice, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything: a short rule for Christian life and prayer.
7. Colossians 4:2
"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;"
Continue (persist) in prayer, and stay watchful with thanksgiving. Prayer is both discipline and alertness.
8. James 5:16
"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."
Confession and intercession belong together. James says the fervent prayer of a righteous person "availeth much."
God hears and helps
9. Psalms 145:18
"The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth."
The LORD is near to all who call on Him "in truth" (sincerely). Nearness is tied to honest prayer.
10. Jeremiah 29:12
"Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you."
Spoken to exiles in Babylon: when you pray, God promises to listen. Distance and hardship do not close His ear.
11. 1 John 5:14-15
"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."
Confidence in prayer rests on asking "according to his will." God hears, and we have the petitions we ask of Him.
12. Romans 8:26
"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."
When we do not know what to pray, the Spirit helps our weakness and intercedes with groanings we cannot put into words.
A short prayer
Our Father in heaven, teach me to pray as Jesus taught. I bring You my thanks and my needs. Help me pray without ceasing, trust that You hear me, and rest in the peace that guards my heart. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
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Frequently asked questions
What Bible verse says to pray without ceasing?
1 Thessalonians 5:17: "Pray without ceasing."
Where is the Lord's Prayer in the Bible?
Matthew 6:9-13 (and a shorter form in Luke 11:2-4). Jesus gave it as a pattern when His disciples asked Him how to pray.
Why is prayer important according to the Bible?
Prayer brings requests to God with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-7), aligns us with His will (1 John 5:14), and is how we cast cares on Him. James 5:16 says fervent prayer "availeth much."
What does "ask, seek, knock" mean?
In Matthew 7:7-8 Jesus invites persistent prayer: ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about peace · Bible verses about anxiety · Bible verses about faith · Bible verses about gratitude · Bible verses about trusting God
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