How to pray

Bible verses about prayer to encourage you to pray

October 20, 2026 · 2 min read

Bible verses about prayer, grouped by theme, on why to pray, how to pray, praying with faith, and God hearing our prayers, with short notes.

These Bible verses about prayer show why we pray, how to pray, and how God hears us. Read them slowly, and pray them back to God. For verses about interceding for others, see Bible verses about praying for others.

What does the Bible say about prayer?

The Bible calls Christians to pray at all times (1 Thessalonians 5:17), to bring every request to God with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), and to pray with faith (James 1:6). It promises that God hears prayer offered according to His will (1 John 5:14), that the Spirit helps us when we don’t know what to pray (Romans 8:26), and that His peace guards our hearts (Philippians 4:7).

Verses that call us to pray

• “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
• “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).
• “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” (Romans 12:12).
• Jesus told a parable “to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).

Verses about how to pray

• “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).
• “Go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret” (Matthew 6:6).
• “Do not heap up empty phrases… for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Matthew 6:7-8).
• “Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9).

Verses about praying with faith

• “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).
• “Let him ask in faith, with no doubting” (James 1:6).
• “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16).

Verses about God hearing our prayers

• “This is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us” (1 John 5:14).
• “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).
• “Call to me and I will answer you” (Jeremiah 33:3).

Verses for when prayer is hard

• “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26).
• “Pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8).
• “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16).

Verses about peace in prayer

• “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).
• “Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Keep verses with your prayers

The Pray App suggests a Bible verse for each prayer card, and the verse shows on the card while you pray.

Pick a suggested verse for each prayer card.

The Pray App is free on the App Store. See how to pray when you don’t know what to say.