Prayer

The practice and teaching of prayer.

Passages that substantially address this topic, in date order.

• Didache 10.1Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · The thanksgiving after the meal begins.
• Didache 10.2Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Thanks for God's name, knowledge, faith, and immortality.
• Didache 10.3Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Thanks for daily food and for spiritual food and eternal life.
• Didache 10.4Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Thanks for God's power.
• Didache 10.5Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · A prayer for the church to be kept, perfected, and gathered into God's kingdom.
• Didache 10.6Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · A closing prayer for Christ's coming: “Maranatha.”
• Didache 15.4Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Pray, give, and act as the gospel teaches.
• Didache 2.7Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Hate no one; reprove some, pray for others, and love some more than your own life.
• Didache 4.14Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Confess your sins in the assembly and pray with a clean conscience.
• Didache 8.2Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Pray the Lord's Prayer.
• Didache 8.3Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Pray the Lord's Prayer three times a day.
• Didache 9.1Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · Instructions for the Eucharist begin.
• Didache 9.2Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · The thanksgiving over the cup.
• Didache 9.3Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · The thanksgiving over the bread.
• Didache 9.4Anonymous · ca. 50–150 (often ca. 100) · A prayer that the church be gathered into one, like grain into bread.
• 1 Clement 18.10Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Create in me a clean heart.”
• 1 Clement 18.11Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.”
• 1 Clement 18.12Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Restore the joy of your salvation.”
• 1 Clement 18.13Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “I will teach sinners your ways.”
• 1 Clement 18.14Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Deliver me from bloodguilt.”
• 1 Clement 18.15Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “My lips will declare your praise.”
• 1 Clement 18.16Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · God does not desire burnt offerings.
• 1 Clement 18.17Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · God accepts a broken and contrite heart.
• 1 Clement 18.2Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · David's prayer of repentance (Psalm 51) begins.
• 1 Clement 18.3Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Wash me from my sin.”
• 1 Clement 18.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Against you only have I sinned.”
• 1 Clement 18.5Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “I was conceived in sin.”
• 1 Clement 18.6Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · God loves truth and reveals hidden wisdom.
• 1 Clement 18.7Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.”
• 1 Clement 18.8Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Let me hear joy and gladness.”
• 1 Clement 18.9Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · “Blot out my sins.”
• 1 Clement 2.3Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · They prayed for forgiveness even of unintended sins.
• 1 Clement 2.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · They labored in prayer for the salvation of all believers.
• 1 Clement 29.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Approach God in holiness; he has chosen us.
• 1 Clement 34.6Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · The angels cry “Holy, holy, holy.”
• 1 Clement 34.7Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Pray together with one voice.
• 1 Clement 38.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Give thanks to God for everything.
• 1 Clement 48.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Repent quickly and seek God's mercy.
• 1 Clement 50.2Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Pray to be found in love.
• 1 Clement 52.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · God needs nothing but our confession.
• 1 Clement 52.2Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Praise pleases God more than sacrifice.
• 1 Clement 52.3Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Offer praise and call on God in trouble.
• 1 Clement 52.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · A broken spirit is God's sacrifice.
• 1 Clement 53.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Moses offered himself for the people.
• 1 Clement 55.6Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Esther risked her life and saved her people by fasting and prayer.
• 1 Clement 56.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Pray for the offenders to yield to God's will.
• 1 Clement 59.2Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Rome will pray that God keep all his elect safe through Christ.
• 1 Clement 59.3Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · The great prayer praises God, who humbles the proud and lifts the lowly.
• 1 Clement 59.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Intercession for the afflicted, the sick, the hungry, and prisoners.
• 1 Clement 60.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · Praise of God the faithful Creator, and a prayer for forgiveness.
• 1 Clement 60.2Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · A prayer for cleansing and right living.
• 1 Clement 60.3Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · A prayer for God's favor and protection.
• 1 Clement 60.4Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · A prayer for peace for all people.
• 1 Clement 61.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · A prayer for the rulers whose authority comes from God.
• 1 Clement 61.2Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · A prayer that God guide rulers to govern well.
• 1 Clement 61.3Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · The prayer closes with praise through Christ the high priest.
• 1 Clement 64.1Clement of Rome · ca. 95–97 (range ca. 70–100) · A closing blessing through Christ the high priest.
• 2 Clement 15.3Anonymous · ca. 100–150 · God promises: while you are still speaking, I am here.
• 2 Clement 15.4Anonymous · ca. 100–150 · God is readier to give than we are to ask.
• 2 Clement 16.4Anonymous · ca. 100–150 · Almsgiving, fasting, prayer, and love: almsgiving lightens sin.
• 2 Clement 2.2Anonymous · ca. 100–150 · Pray to God sincerely and without growing weary.
• 2 Clement 9.10Anonymous · ca. 100–150 · Praise God from the heart, not only the lips.
• To the Ephesians 10.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Pray for unbelievers and teach them by your conduct.
• To the Ephesians 21.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks prayer for the church in Syria and says farewell.
• To the Magnesians 14.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks prayer for himself and for the church in Syria.
• To the Magnesians 7.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · As Christ did nothing without the Father, the church should do nothing without its bishop and presbyters.
• To the Philadelphians 5.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius relies on the gospel and the apostles, and asks prayer to be made perfect.
• To Polycarp 1.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Polycarp should pray constantly, watch, speak to each person, and bear others' weaknesses.
• To Polycarp 7.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · News that the church at Antioch is at peace has cheered Ignatius as he goes to martyrdom.
• To the Romans 4.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks prayer that the beasts may make him a sacrifice to God.
• To the Romans 8.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks prayer that he may reach his goal.
• To the Romans 9.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks prayer for his church in Syria, now shepherded by God alone.
• To the Smyrnaeans 11.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius, least of the Antiochene Christians, asks prayer to reach God.
• To the Smyrnaeans 4.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Avoid the false teachers entirely, but pray for their repentance.
• To the Trallians 12.2Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Stay united in prayer and support your bishop.
• To the Trallians 12.3Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Ignatius asks for prayer that he may be found worthy of martyrdom.
• To the Trallians 13.1Ignatius of Antioch · ca. 110 (range ca. 105–135) · Greetings; pray for the church in Syria.
• To the Philippians 12.2Polycarp of Smyrna · ca. 110–135 · Polycarp prays that God the Father and Jesus Christ the eternal high priest build the Philippians up and give them a share among the saints.
• To the Philippians 12.3Polycarp of Smyrna · ca. 110–135 · Pray for all believers, for rulers, for persecutors, and for the enemies of the cross.
• To the Philippians 4.3Polycarp of Smyrna · ca. 110–135 · Widows are to pray constantly and avoid slander and greed, knowing that they are God's altar and that God sees every secret thought.
• To the Philippians 7.2Polycarp of Smyrna · ca. 110–135 · Believers should hold to the teaching handed down from the beginning, watching in prayer and fasting as the Lord taught.
• Martyrdom of Polycarp 14.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Bound to the stake like a sacrificial ram, Polycarp began his final prayer to God the Father.
• Martyrdom of Polycarp 14.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp thanked God for the honor of sharing Christ's suffering and prayed to be received as a sacrifice.
• Martyrdom of Polycarp 14.3Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp ended his prayer with praise to God through Christ, the eternal High Priest.
• Martyrdom of Polycarp 5.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp was persuaded to leave the city and spent his time in prayer for all the churches.
• Martyrdom of Polycarp 5.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · In a vision Polycarp saw his pillow on fire and knew he would be burned alive.
• Martyrdom of Polycarp 7.2Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp welcomed his captors with a meal and asked for an hour to pray.
• Martyrdom of Polycarp 7.3Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · Polycarp prayed aloud for two hours, and many of his captors regretted coming for him.
• Martyrdom of Polycarp 8.1Anonymous · ca. 156–160 · After praying for all, Polycarp was taken into the city on a donkey on a “great Sabbath.”