What Jesus said about
Prayer
Lord, teach us to pray
Luke 11:1
The short answer
Jesus’ own followers did not know how to pray, so they asked him. He gave them a short prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, and told them God already knows what they need.
Prayer does not need special words or the right feelings. It can be as short as the tax collector’s one sentence.
In the Gospels
-
Luke 11:1–4
“Teach us to pray”
The disciples watch Jesus pray and ask him to teach them. He answers with the prayer Christians still say together every Sunday.
Read Luke 11:1–4
1 When he finished praying in a certain place, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say, ‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ ”
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
-
Matthew 6:5–8
Pray simply
Jesus warns against praying to be seen, or piling up words. God is a Father who knows what you need before you ask.
Read Matthew 6:5–8
5 “When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. 7 In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. 8 Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
-
Luke 18:9–14
Two men at the temple
One man lists his good deeds to God. The other stands at a distance and says only, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Jesus says the second goes home right with God.
Read Luke 18:9–14
9 He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
World English Bible, public domain. The whole chapter on Free Scripture → · Read in the NRSVue, the ELCA’s standard translation →
The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, explained on Free Scripture
How Lutherans read this
Lutherans pray the Lord’s Prayer every Sunday and teach it to children first, because it is Jesus’ own answer to “how.” They also pray set prayers morning and evening, so there are always words ready on days when a person has none.
A question to take with you
Which line of the Lord’s Prayer would you most want to mean today?
Further reading from the Lutheran tradition: 5 works in the library.