Guides · Praying for others
How to Pray for Someone what to say, with example prayers
Short answer: To pray for someone, ask what they would like prayer for, then bring that need to God simply and specifically, by name. If you are with them, ask if you may pray right then, and keep it short and warm, in words they can hear. Pray for what they asked, for God’s nearness and for their faith. Afterwards, follow up and keep praying. Prayer goes alongside practical help and medical care, never instead of them.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
— James 5:16 (BSB)
‘I’ll pray for you’ may be the most common promise Christians make, and the easiest to forget. Praying for someone is bringing them to God and asking Him to act for their good. Four men once carried a paralyzed man to Jesus and lowered him through a roof, and “When Jesus saw their faith,” He spoke to the man (Mark 2:3-5). When you pray for someone, you carry them to Jesus.
How do I ask someone what to pray for?
Ask, then listen. People often share the surface need first and the deeper one only if you give them room. Don’t rush to fix it or explain it. Questions that help:
- ‘How can I pray for you this week?’
- ‘Is there something specific you’d like me to ask God for?’
- ‘What worries you most about this?’
- ‘Would it be all right if I prayed for you right now?’
Write the request down before you forget it: their name, the need in their own words, and the date. A note on your phone is enough, or add it to your prayer list.
How do I pray out loud for someone? What to say
- 1
Ask first
‘Would you like me to pray for you now?’ Give them an easy way to say not now, and pray where they are comfortable, maybe a quiet corner rather than the middle of the room.
- 2
Ask before you touch
A hand on the shoulder can comfort, but only with permission: ‘Is it okay if I put a hand on your shoulder?’ If they hesitate, don’t.
- 3
Speak to God simply
Begin with ‘Father’ or ‘Lord Jesus’ and use ordinary words, loud enough for them to hear what you are asking. You are not performing for anyone.
- 4
Name the person and the need
Say their name. Pray for what they asked, then for God’s nearness, peace, strength and faith. Don’t slip advice or a sermon into the prayer.
- 5
Keep it short, then stay
A minute or two is plenty, especially for someone tired, sick or grieving. Close in Jesus’ name, then stay a moment.
Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
— Galatians 6:2 (BSB)
Example prayers for common situations
Use these as a starting point. Put in the person’s name, change the details, and pray them with the person or on your own.
For someone who is sick
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You healed the sick who came to You, and You care about David now. Please heal his body. Ease his pain and give him rest tonight. Give his doctors wisdom and skill, and hold his family together while they wait. Whatever the coming days bring, keep David close to You. Amen.
Pray this verse
“I will strengthen you; I will surely help you” (Isaiah 41:10).
For someone who is grieving
Prayer
Father of compassion, Maria has lost her mother and her heart is broken. Be near to her in the long nights and the hard mornings. Surround her with people who will sit with her and listen. Thank You that in Jesus death does not have the last word. Hold her close. Amen.
Pray this verse
“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
For someone who is anxious
Prayer
Lord, You know every thought keeping Josh awake. Quiet his mind. Help him bring each worry to You one at a time and leave it there. Guard his heart with Your peace, and give him a good night’s sleep. Amen.
Pray this verse
“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
For someone who has lost their job
Prayer
Father, Kevin lost his job this week. Please provide what his family needs while he looks for work, and open the right doors. Guard him from shame; remind him his worth is not his job title. Give him wisdom for every application and peace while he waits. Amen.
Pray this verse
“Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11).
For someone who doesn’t yet know Jesus
Prayer
Lord, I love my brother Tom, and I long for him to know You. Open his eyes to see who Jesus is, and draw him to Yourself. Bring Christians across his path who will love him well, and give me patience and the right words when he asks about my faith. I trust You with him. Amen.
Pray this verse
God “wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
For a new baby and parents
Prayer
Father, thank You for baby Lily. You knit her together and You know her by name. As she grows, may she come to know and love Jesus. Give Ben and Anna rest in the short nights, patience with each other, and joy in these first weeks. Amen.
Pray this verse
“May the LORD bless you and keep you; may the LORD cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you” (Numbers 6:24-25).
How do I pray Scripture over someone?
Some of the best prayers for other people are already written. Paul’s letters are full of prayers for the churches he loved; pray them for anyone by putting in a name. Praying Scripture keeps you asking for what matters most, not only for problems to go away.
| To pray for… | Passage | In your own words |
|---|---|---|
| Their faith to grow | Colossians 1:9-10 | Fill Anna with the knowledge of Your will, so she lives in a way that pleases You. |
| Strength inside | Ephesians 3:16-19 | Strengthen Mike through Your Spirit, and show him how wide and deep Christ’s love is. |
| Love and wisdom | Philippians 1:9-11 | Make Grace’s love overflow, with insight to choose what is best. |
| Peace | Philippians 4:6-7 | Guard Josh’s heart and mind with Your peace. |
| Someone who doesn’t know Jesus | 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 | Shine Your light into Tom’s heart, so he sees Your glory in the face of Jesus. |
How do I pray for someone who is sick or needs healing?
Pray boldly and specifically. James tells the sick to call the elders of the church to pray over them (James 5:14-15), and Jesus healed many who came to Him. Ask God to heal. Pray too for the doctors, wise decisions about treatment, relief from pain, the family, and the sick person’s faith and peace. Then trust God with the answer. No one can promise He will heal in the way we ask, and no one should be told they are still sick because they didn’t believe enough. More in prayer points for healing and a prayer for the sick.
Prayer goes with medical care, never instead of it. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number first, then pray. If someone you are praying for talks about ending their life, don’t keep it to yourself: stay with them and call or text 988 in the US, or your local emergency number. You can pray and get help at the same time.
How do I pray for someone who doesn’t know Jesus?
Pray with longing, as Paul did: “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation” (Romans 10:1). Ask God to open their eyes to Jesus, to draw them, to bring Christians into their life, and to give you courage to speak about Him gently. Keep praying for years if you need to; God is patient, “not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). See also prayer for unsaved loved ones and how to share the gospel.
How do I pray for someone who hurt me?
But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
— Luke 6:27-28 (BSB)
Jesus’ command is hard, and He doesn’t pretend otherwise. Start honestly: tell God what happened and how it made you feel. Then ask for the other person’s good: that they would know God and find mercy. Ask Him to help you forgive, which may take many prayers. It doesn’t mean pretending nothing happened, and it never means staying somewhere unsafe.
For someone who hurt me
Prayer
Lord, You know what Jen said about me and how much it hurt. I don’t feel like praying for her, but You told me to, so I will. Please bless her. Where she is wrong, turn her heart. Where I am wrong, show me. Help me let go. Amen.
How do I follow up after praying for someone?
- When you say ‘I’ll pray for you,’ pray on the spot, then write the request down.
- Add the name to one day of your prayer list.
- Send a short message: ‘Prayed for you this morning. How did the appointment go?’
- Ask later what happened, and thank God together when He answers.
- Keep what they told you private unless they say you may share it.
Keep going
- Prayer points for healing, with Scriptures
- A prayer for the sick
- A prayer for someone having surgery
- Prayer for unsaved loved ones
- Prayers for grief and comfort
- How to pray: a guide for beginners
Questions
What do you say when you pray for someone?
Address God, say the person’s name and need in plain words, ask for what they asked and for God’s nearness, then close in Jesus’ name. For example: ‘Father, please be with Anna as she starts treatment. Ease her fear, guide her doctors, and keep her close to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.’
Is it okay to pray for someone without telling them?
Yes. Most praying for others happens in private, and God hears it. You never need permission to pray for someone on your own. Do ask before praying aloud with them, before touching them, and before sharing their need with anyone else.
How do you pray for someone over the phone or by text?
On the phone, ask if you may pray, then pray briefly, just as you would in person. By text, write a short prayer out in full so they can read it again: ‘Lord, please give Sam rest tonight and peace about tomorrow’s scan. Amen.’
What if I pray for healing and the person doesn’t get better?
Keep praying, keep loving, and stay close. Sometimes healing comes quickly, sometimes slowly, sometimes not in this life; for those in Christ, God promises a day with no more death or pain (Revelation 21:4). Don’t offer explanations; offer presence, practical help and prayer.