The prayer he taught: Our Father
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
Matthew 6:9
In the Sermon on the Mount, the model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Jesus invites us to call God Father.
The words and acts of Jesus
The Prayers of Jesus
Jesus prayed, often, and the Gospels preserve his very words. He taught a model prayer beginning Our Father. In Gethsemane he prayed, Not as I will, but as thou wilt. In John 17 he prayed for his people. From the cross he prayed for his killers and gave up his spirit into the Father's hands. Each prayer below is quoted from the King James Version and cited, with when and why he prayed it.
To watch Jesus pray is to see the heart of the Son toward the Father. These are his recorded prayers in the Gospels, set in the moments that gave them their meaning.
Thanksgiving to the Father
“I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”
Matthew 11:25
A prayer of joyful thanks that the Father reveals himself to the humble rather than the self-important.
At the tomb of Lazarus
“Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.”
John 11:41
Prayed aloud before raising Lazarus, so the crowd would know the Father had sent him (John 11:42).
His prayer for his people
“Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one.”
John 17:20-21
The high priestly prayer of John 17, on the last night, in which he prays for all who would ever believe, including you.
In Gethsemane
“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
Matthew 26:39
In the garden before his arrest, in agony, surrendering his will to the Father's.
Forgiveness from the cross
“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
Luke 23:34
As he was being crucified, he prayed for the very people putting him to death.
The cry of forsakenness
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Matthew 27:46
From the cross, quoting Psalm 22, entering the depths of human anguish and abandonment for our sake.
His last breath
“Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
Luke 23:46
His final prayer as he died, trusting himself wholly to the Father even in death.
What this shows about Jesus
Jesus prayed in the small hours and all night long, in joy and in agony, for himself and for us. In John 17 he prayed for everyone who would ever believe, which means he prayed for you by name in advance. He still lives to pray for his own. You never pray alone.
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These are his own words and deeds
Everything on this page is drawn straight from the Gospels, nothing added, nothing softened. The living Christ is not an argument to be won but a Person to be met, and he still draws near to everyone who comes to him with an open heart. Read his own words, watch what he does, and see. The Gospel of John is a gentle place to begin.
Meet JesusRead the Gospel of JohnThe gospelJesus Christ is Lord.
Frequently asked questions
- What prayers did Jesus pray?
- The Gospels record the model 'Our Father' prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), his prayer of thanksgiving (Matthew 11:25), his prayer for his people in John 17, his surrender in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39), and his words from the cross (Luke 23:34, 46).
- What did Jesus pray in the garden of Gethsemane?
- 'O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt' (Matthew 26:39). It is the deepest picture of his surrender to the Father's will.
- Did Jesus pray for us?
- Yes. In John 17:20 he prayed 'for them also which shall believe on me through their word', which includes every future believer. The New Testament also says he lives to intercede for his own.