Bible Verses About Prayer
The Catechism of the Catholic Church devotes its entire fourth section — over three hundred paragraphs — to prayer, calling it "the living relationship of the children of God with their Father who is good beyond measure" (§2565). Scripture presents prayer not as a technique for getting things but as a relationship, a conversation, a wrestling even — as Jacob literally wrestled with God at the Jabbok ford.
Jesus both taught prayer explicitly (the Our Father) and modeled it constantly, spending entire nights in prayer before major decisions. The New Testament letters are full of Paul's intercessory prayers for his communities, giving the Church both models to follow and actual prayer texts to adopt. The Psalms remain, as Saint Ambrose said, "the voice of the Church" — 150 prayers covering every emotion and circumstance of human life.
Note: 1 verse on this page is from the deuterocanonical books — books included in the Catholic Bible but absent from most Protestant translations (Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, 1–2 Maccabees).
9 verses — Douay-Rheims Bible (1899 Challoner revision) — Public domain
Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.Matthew 6:9-13 — Douay-Rheims
Jesus teaches the Lord's Prayer as a model for all Christian prayer, in the context of the Sermon on the Mount.
Pray without ceasing.1 Thessalonians 5:17 — Douay-Rheims
Paul's most concentrated command on prayer — the foundation for the Church's tradition of the Liturgy of the Hours prayed throughout the day.
And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.Luke 11:9-10 — Douay-Rheims
Jesus encourages persistence in prayer immediately after teaching the Our Father.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: to all that call upon him in truth.Psalm 145:18 — Douay-Rheims
A psalm of praise affirming God's nearness to those who pray — condition: calling upon him in truth.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what the Spirit desireth; because he asketh for the saints according to God.Romans 8:26-27 — Douay-Rheims
Paul on the Holy Spirit as the interior principle of Christian prayer, praying in and through us when we do not know how.
Confess therefore your sins one to another: and pray one for another, that you may be saved. For the continual prayer of a just man availeth much.James 5:16 — Douay-Rheims
James on intercessory prayer and its efficacy — a foundation for the Catholic practice of asking saints to pray for us.
The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds: and till it come nigh he will not be comforted: and he will not depart till the most High behold.Sirach 35:17Deuterocanonical — Douay-Rheims
A deuterocanonical verse on the power of humble prayer — the image of prayer piercing the clouds is beloved in the tradition.
Hitherto you have not asked any thing in my name. Ask, and you shall receive; that your joy may be full.John 16:24 — Douay-Rheims
Jesus at the Last Supper opens a new era of prayer: asking in his name, with the promise of fullness of joy.
And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place: and there he prayed.Mark 1:35 — Douay-Rheims
A characteristic detail of Mark's Gospel — Jesus withdrawing to pray before dawn, modeling the priority of prayer in a busy ministry.
Related Topics
Related Catholic Prayers
Source
All verse texts from the Douay-Rheims Bible (1899 Challoner revision), public domain. The Douay-Rheims is the traditional Catholic English Bible, translated from the Latin Vulgate.