Study the Bible by Topic
PRAYER

• MISCELLANEOUS SUB-TOPICS:

  • Prayer test proposed by Elijah
    1Kings 18:24-39

  • Pray daily, in the morning
    Psalms 5:3; 88:13; 143:8; Isaiah 33:2

  • Pray twice daily
    Psalms 88:1

  • Pray three times daily
    Psalms 55:17; Daniel 6:10

• MISCELLANEOUS SUB-TOPICS:

  • Pray all night
    Luke 6:12

  • Pray without ceasing
    1Thessalonians 5:17

  • Pray in secret
    Genesis 24:63; Matthew 6:6

  • Pray silent
    Psalms 5:1

  • Weeping in
    Ezra 10:1

  • In a loud voice, satirized by Elijah
    1Kings 18:27

  • Long prayers:

    • Of Pharisees
      Matthew 23:14

    • Of scribes
      Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47

  • Profuse, to be avoided
    Ecclesiastes 5:2; Matthew 6:7

  • Vain repetitions of, to be avoided
    Matthew 6:7

  • Tokens asked for, as assurance of answer:

    • By Abraham's servant
      Genesis 24:14

    • Gideon asks for a sign of dew on a fleece
      Judges 6:36-40

  • Instances of rebuked prayers:

    • Of Moses, at the Red Sea
      Exodus 14:15

    • When Moses prayed to see Canaan, the promised land
      Deuteronomy 3:23-27

    • Of Joshua
      Joshua 7:10

  • Evils averted by
    Jeremiah 26:19

  • Unbelief in
    Job 21:15

  • Private, enjoined
    Matthew 6:6

  • "The Lord's Prayer,"
    Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4

  • Prayer of the apostles
    Acts 1:24,25

  • Pray to idols
    1Kings 18:26-29

  • In Behalf of Nations:

    • See NATIONS, PRAYER FOR
      
      

• ANSWER TO PRAYER:

  • Withheld:

    • Of Balaam
      Deuteronomy 23:5; Joshua 24:10

    • Of Job
      Job 30:20; 42:12

    • Of the Israelites, when attacked by the Amorites
      Deuteronomy 1:45

    • The prayer of Jesus, "Let this cup pass away,"
      Matthew 26:39,42,44; 26:45-75

  • Delayed
    Psalms 22:1,2; 40:1; 80:4; 88:14; Jeremiah 42:7; Habakkuk 1:2; Luke 18:7

  • Exceeds petition:

    • Solomon asked for wisdom; the answer included wisdom, riches, honor, and long life
      1Kings 3:7-14; 2Chronicles 1:10-12

    • The disciples prayed for Peter; the answer included Peter's deliverance
      Acts 12:15; 12:5

  • Different from the request:

    • Moses asked to be permitted to cross the Jordan River; the answer was permission to view the land of promise
      Deuteronomy 3:23-27

    • The Israelites lusted for the fleshpots of Egypt; the answer gave them, flesh, but also leanness of soul
      Psalms 106:14,15

    • Martha and Mary asked Jesus to come and heal their brother Lazarus; Jesus delayed, but raised Lazarus from the dead
      John 11

    • Paul asked that the "thorn in the flesh" be removed; the answer was a promise of grace to endure it
      2Corinthians 12:8,9

• ANSWER TO PRAYER PROMISED
  Exodus 6:5; 22:23,27; 33:17-20; Deuteronomy 4:7,29-31; 1Kings 8:22,53; 1Chronicles 28:9; 2Chronicles 7:13-15; Job 8:5,6; 12:4; 22:27; 33:26; Psalms 9:10,12; 10:17; 18:3; 32:6; 34:15,17; 37:4,5; 38:15; 50:14,15; 55:16,17; 56:9; 65:2,5; 69:33; 81:10; 86:5-7; 91:15; 102:17-20; 145:18,19; Proverbs 2:3,5; 3:6; 10:24; 15:8,29; 16:1; Isaiah 19:20; 30:19; 55:6; 58:9; 65:24; Jeremiah 29:12,13; 31:9; 33:3; Lamentations 3:25; Ezekiel 36:37; Joel 2:18,19,32; Amos 5:4-6; Zephaniah 2:3; Zechariah 10:1,6; 13:9; Matthew 6:5-13; 7:7-11; 18:19,20; 21:22; Mark 11:24,25; Luke 11:5-13; 18:1-8; 21:36; John 4:10,23,24; 9:31; 14:13,14; 15:7,16; 16:23,24,26,27; Acts 7:34; 22:16; Romans 8:26; 10:12,13; Ephesians 2:18; 3:20; Hebrews 4:16; 10:22,23; 11:6; James 1:5-7; 4:8,10; 5:16; 1John 3:22; 5:14,15
  
  

• ANSWERED PRAYER
  Job 34:28; Psalms 3:4; 4:1; 6:8,9; 18:6; 21:2,4; 22:4,5,24; 28:6; 30:2,3; 31:22; 34:4-6; 40:1; 66:19,20; 77:1,2; 81:7; 99:6-8; 106:44; 107:6,7,13-20; 116:1,2; 118:5,21; 119:26; 120:1; 138:3; Lamentations 3:57,58; Hosea 12:4; Jonah 2:1,2,7; Luke 23:42,43; Acts 4:31; 2Corinthians 12:8,9; James 5:17,18
  
  

• ANSWERED PRAYER, INSTANCES OF:

  • Cain
    Genesis 4:13-15

  • Abraham:

    • Entreating for a son
      Genesis 15

    • For Sodom
      Genesis 18:23-33

    • For Ishmael
      Genesis 17:20

    • For Abimelech
      Genesis 20:17

  • Hagar, for deliverance
    Genesis 16:7-13

  • Abraham's servant, for guidance
    Genesis 24:12-52

  • Rebecca, concerning her pains in pregnancy
    Genesis 25:22,23

  • Jacob, for deliverance from Esau
    Genesis 32:9-32; 33:1-17

  • Moses:

    • For help at the Red Sea
      Exodus 14:15,16

    • For help at the waters of Marah
      Exodus 15:25

    • For help at Mount Horeb
      Exodus 17:4-6

    • For help in the battle with the Amalekites
      Exodus 17:8-14

    • For help concerning the complaint of the Israelites for meat
      Numbers 11:11-35

    • For help on behalf of Miriam's leprosy
      Numbers 12:13-15

  • Moses, Aaron, and Samuel
    Psalms 99:6

  • Israelites:

    • For deliverance from bondage
      Exodus 2:23-25; 3:7-10; Acts 7:34

    • For deliverance from Pharaoh's army
      Exodus 14:10-30

    • For deliverance from the king of Mesopotamia
      Judges 3:9,15

    • For deliverance from Sisera
      Judges 4:3,23,24; 1Samuel 12:9-11

    • For deliverance from Ammon
      Judges 10:6-18; 11:1-33

    • For God's favor under the reproofs of Azariah
      2Chronicles 15:1-15

    • For deliverance from Babylonian bondage
      Nehemiah 9:27

  • Gideon, asking for the token of dew
    Judges 6:36-40

  • Manoah, asking about Samson
    Judges 13:8,9

  • Samson, asking for strength
    Judges 16:28-30

  • Hannah, asking to give birth to a child
    1Samuel 1:10-17,19,20

  • David:

    • Asking whether Keilah would be delivered into his hands
      1Samuel 23:10-12

    • Asking about Ziklag
      1Samuel 30:8

    • Asking whether he should go into Judah after Saul's death
      2Samuel 2:1

    • Asking whether he should go to war against the Philistines
      2Samuel 5:19-25

    • In adversity
      Psalms 118:5; 138:3

  • Solomon, asking for wisdom
    1Kings 3:1-13; 9:2,3

  • Elijah:

    • Raising the widow's son
      1Kings 17:22

    • Asking for fire to come down upon his sacrifice
      1Kings 18:36-38

    • Asking rain to be withheld
      1Kings 17:1; 18:1,42-45; James 5:17

  • Elisha, leading the Syrian army
    2Kings 6:17-20

  • Jabez, asking for prosperity
    1Chronicles 4:10

  • Abijah, for victory over Jeroboam
    2Chronicles 13:14-18

  • Asa, for victory over Zerah
    2Chronicles 14:11-15

  • The people of Judah
    2Chronicles 15:15

  • Jehoshaphat, for victory over the Canaanites
    2Chronicles 18:31; 20:6-27

  • Jehoahaz, for victory over Hazael
    2Kings 13:4

  • Priests and Levites, when blessing the people
    2Chronicles 30:27

  • Hezekiah and Isaiah:

    • For deliverance from Sennacherib
      2Kings 19:14-20; 2Chronicles 32:20-23

    • To save Hezekiah's life
      2Kings 20:1-7,11; 2Chronicles 32:24

  • Manasseh, for deliverance from the king of Babylon
    2Chronicles 33:13,19

  • The Reubenites, for deliverance from the Hagarites
    1Chronicles 5:20

  • The Jews, returning from the captivity
    Ezra 8:21,23

  • Ezekiel, to have the baking of his bread of affliction changed
    Ezekiel 4:12-15

  • Daniel:

    • For the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream
      Daniel 2:19-23

    • Interceding for the people
      Daniel 9:20-23

    • In a vision
      Daniel 10:12

  • Zacharias, for a son
    Luke 1:13

  • The leper, for healing
    Matthew 8:2,3; Mark 1:40-43; Luke 5:12,13

  • Centurion, for his servant
    Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:3-10; John 4:50,51

  • Peter, asking that Tabitha (Dorcas) be restored to life
    Acts 9:40

  • The disciples, for Peter
    Acts 12:5-17

  • Paul, to be restored to health
    2Corinthians 1:9-11
    
    

• BOLDNESS IN:

  • Enjoined
    Hebrews 4:16

  • Exemplified by Abraham in his inquiry concerning Sodom
    Genesis 18:23-32

  • By Moses, supplicating for assistance in delivering Israel
    Exodus 33:12,18
    
    

• CONFESSION IN
  Leviticus 5:5; 26:40; Numbers 5:5-7; Judges 10:10,15; 1Samuel 12:10; 1Kings 8:47; Ezra 9:6,15; Nehemiah 1:6,7; 9:2,33-35; Job 7:20; 40:4,5; Psalms 31:10; 32:3,5; 38:4-8,10,18; 40:12; 51:3,4; 69:5; 106:6,7; 119:176; 130:3; Proverbs 28:13; Isaiah 6:5; 59:12,13; Jeremiah 3:13,25; 14:7,20; Lamentations 1:18; 3:42; 5:16; Daniel 9:5-15
  
  

• FAMILY PRAYERS:

  • By Abraham
    Genesis 12:5,8

  • By Jacob
    Genesis 35:3

  • By Cornelius
    Acts 10:2
    
    

• PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER
  Genesis 18:23-32; 32:24-29; Exodus 32:32; Deuteronomy 9:25; Judges 6:36-40; 16:28; 1Samuel 1:10,11; 12:23; 1Kings 8:22-30; Ezra 9:5,6; Nehemiah 1:4-6; Psalms 17:1,6; 22:1,2,19; 28:1,2; 35:22,23; 55:1,2,16,17; 57:2; 61:1,2; 70:5; 86:3,6; 88:1,2,9,13; 102:1,2; 119:58,145-147; 130:1,2; 141:1,2; 142:1,2; Isaiah 38:2,3; 62:7; 64:12; Daniel 9:3,16-19; Jonah 1:14; Habakkuk 1:2; Matthew 15:22-28; Mark 7:25-29; Luke 7:3; 11:5-8; 18:1-7; 22:44; Romans 8:26; 2Corinthians 12:8; Ephesians 6:18; Hebrews 5:7
  
  

• INSTANCES OF PERSISTENCE IN:

  • Jacob
    Genesis 32:24-30

  • Moses
    Exodus 33:12-16; 34:9

  • Elijah
    1Kings 18:22-44

  • The two blind men of Jericho
    Matthew 20:30,31; Mark 10:48; Luke 18:39

  • The non-Jewish, Syro-Phoenician woman
    Matthew 15:22-28; Mark 7:25-30

  • The Roman centurion
    Matthew 8:5; Luke 7:3,4
    
    

• IMPRECATORY (call down a curse)
  Numbers 16:15; 22:6-11; 23:7,8; 24:9,10; Deuteronomy 11:29,30; 27:11-13; 33:11; Joshua 8:33,34; Judges 16:28; 2Samuel 16:10-12; Nehemiah 4:4,5; 5:13; Job 3:1-10; 27:7; Psalms 5:10; 6:10; 9:20; 10:2,15; 25:3; 28:4; 31:17,18; 35:4,8,26; 40:14,15; 54:5; 55:9,15; 56:7; 58:7; 59:5,11,15; 68:1,2; 69:23,24,27,28; 70:2,3; 71:13; 79:10,12; 83:13-17; 94:2; 109:7,9-20,28,29; 119:78,84; 129:5; 140:9,10; 143:12; 144:6; Jeremiah 11:20; 12:3; 15:15; 17:18; 18:21-23; 20:12; Lamentations 1:22; 3:64-66; Galatians 1:8,9; 2Timothy 4:14,15
  
  

• INTERCESSORY

  • See INTERCESSION, JESUS, MEDIATION OF
    
    

• OF EVIL PEOPLE NOT HEARD

  • See WICKED, PRAYER OF
    
    

• PLEAS OFFERED IN
  Genesis 32:9-12; Exodus 32:11-13; 33:13; Numbers 14:13-18; 16:22; Deuteronomy 3:24,25; 9:18,25-29; Joshua 7:8,9; 2Samuel 7:25-29; 1Kings 8:25,26,59,60; 18:36,37; 2Kings 19:15-19; 2Chronicles 14:11; Nehemiah 1:8,9; 9:32; Psalms 4:1; 9:19,20; 25:6; 27:9; 31:3; 38:16; 69:6,13,16; 71:18; 74:10,11,18-23; 79:10-12; 83:1,2,18; 86:1-5,17; 89:49-51; 106:47; 109:21-27; 115:1,2; 119:38,42,43,49,73,94; 116,124,145,146,149,153,173-176; 143:11,12; Isaiah 37:15-20; 63:17-19; Jeremiah 14:21; 18:20,21; Lamentations 3:56-63; Joel 2:17
  
  

• PRAYER EXEMPLIFIED BY:

  • Lot
    Genesis 19:20

  • Eliezer
    Genesis 24:12

  • Jacob
    Genesis 32:9-12

  • Gideon
    Judges 6:22,36,39

  • Hannah
    1Samuel 1:10

  • David
    2Samuel 7:18-29

  • Hezekiah
    2Kings 20:2

  • Isaiah
    2Kings 20:11

  • Manasseh
    2Chronicles 33:18,19

  • Ezra
    Ezra 9:5,6

  • Nehemiah
    Nehemiah 2:4

  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah 32:16-25

  • Daniel
    Daniel 9:3,19

  • Jonah
    Jonah 2:1

  • Habakkuk
    Habakkuk 1:2

  • Anna
    Luke 2:37

  • Jesus
    Matthew 14:23; 26:36,39; Mark 1:35; Luke 9:18,29

  • Paul
    Acts 9:11

  • Peter
    Acts 9:40; 10:9

  • Cornelius
    Acts 10:30
    
    

• PRAYERS OF JESUS:

  • On a mountain
    Matthew 14:23; Mark 6:46; Luke 6:12; 9:28

  • In the garden of Gethsemane
    Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32; Luke 22:45

  • The Lord's prayer
    Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:1

  • However, see
    John 17:1-26

  • Before daylight
    Mark 1:35

  • In distress
    John 12:27; Hebrews 5:7

  • In the wilderness
    Luke 5:16

  • In behalf of Peter
    Luke 22:31,32

  • For the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) to come
    John 14:16

  • After the supper
    John 17
    
    

• REPENTANT PRAYER:

  • Of David
    Psalms 51:1-17

  • Of the tax collector
    Luke 18:13

  • See PRAYER, CONFESSION IN, SIN, CONFESSION OF
    
    

• SOCIAL PRAYERS:

  • General References
    Matthew 18:19; Acts 1:13,14; 16:25; 20:36; 21:5

  • Held in private houses
    Acts 1:13,14; 12:12

  • Held in the temple
    Acts 2:46; 3:1
    
    

• SUBMISSION IN:

  • By Jesus
    Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42

  • By David
    2Samuel 12:22,23

  • By Job
    Job 1:20,21
    
    

• THANKSGIVING AND, BEFORE RECEIVING FOOD
  Joshua 9:14; 1Samuel 9:13; Matthew 14:19; 15:36; 26:26,27; Mark 6:41; 8:6,7; 14:22,23; Luke 9:16; 22:19; John 6:11,23; Acts 27:35; Romans 14:6; 1Corinthians 10:30,31; 11:24; 1Timothy 4:3-5
  
  

• UNCLASSIFIED SCRIPTURES RELATING TO
  Genesis 32:24-28; Hosea 12:4; 1Chronicles 16:11,35; 2Chronicles 7:14; Nehemiah 4:9; Psalms 27:8; 105:3,4; 145:18; Proverbs 15:8; Ecclesiastes 5:2; Isaiah 55:6; Lamentations 3:41; Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 6:5-13; 7:7,8; 21:22; Mark 9:28,29; 11:24; Luke 11:1-13; 18:1; Romans 8:26; 1Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 3:11,12; 6:18,19; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; 1Thessalonians 5:17,18; 1Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 4:16; James 5:16; Jude 1:20; Revelation 5:8; 8:3,4