Prayer points with Scriptures · 23 points
Prayer Points for Easter
These prayer points for Easter walk with you through Holy Week, from Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday (in 2027, Easter falls on March 28), for prayer teams, families and anyone who wants to come to Easter with a prepared heart. They move from the cross and the forgiveness Jesus won there, through the power and hope of His resurrection and the new life it brings, to Easter services and guests, believers who must celebrate in secret, and those who grieve with hope.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (BSB)
Pray the first two sections on Good Friday and the rest over Easter weekend, or pray one section a day through Holy Week. Before an Easter service, a prayer team can pray the section for guests through the empty room, seat by seat. At home, let each person read one verse and pray its point, and finish together with the closing prayer.
The cross
1Pierced for our transgressions
Lord Jesus, You were pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon You. On Good Friday, let us look at the cross long enough to grasp what our sin cost You.
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5 (BSB)2He bore our sins in His body
Lord Jesus, You bore our sins in Your body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. Let Your death break the hold of the sins we keep going back to.
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
1 Peter 2:24 (BSB)3It is finished
Lord Jesus, You said, It is finished, and gave up Your spirit. Thank You that the debt is paid in full and nothing remains for us to earn. Free every anxious believer from trying to settle an account You have already closed.
When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
John 19:30 (BSB) · Pray this verse →4Our wandering laid on Him
LORD, we all like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way. And You laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. On Good Friday we name our own wandering before You, and thank You that He carried it.
We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:6 (BSB)
Forgiveness
5Father, forgive them
Lord Jesus, while they crucified You, You prayed, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Thank You that Your forgiveness reached us too, and give us grace to pray that way for those who wrong us.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
Luke 23:34 (BSB)6The debt nailed to the cross
God, when we were dead in our trespasses, You made us alive with Christ. You forgave all our trespasses and canceled the debt against us, nailing it to the cross. Let everyone weighed down by guilt this Easter hear that it is paid.
When you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our trespasses, having canceled the debt ascribed to us in the decrees that stood against us. He took it away, nailing it to the cross!
Colossians 2:13-14 (BSB)7Remember me
Lord Jesus, the dying criminal asked You to remember him, and You promised him Paradise that very day. Thank You that it is never too late to turn to You. Draw those who think they have waited too long.
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:42-43 (BSB)8Forgiving as we have been forgiven
Father, You forgave us in Christ. Make us kind and tenderhearted, forgiving each other just as You forgave us. Show us one person to forgive and one relationship to repair before Easter Sunday.
Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32 (BSB)
The power and hope of the resurrection
9He is not here; He has risen
Lord Jesus, the angel told the women not to be afraid, because You were not there; You had risen, just as You said. Thank You for the empty tomb. Let that news drive out our fear and fill us with joy.
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.
Matthew 28:5-6 (BSB) · Pray this verse →10Death could not keep its grip
God, You raised Jesus from the dead and released Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip. Let that confidence steady us whenever death seems to have the last word.
But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep Him in its grip.
Acts 2:24 (BSB)11Raised for our justification
Lord Jesus, You were delivered over to death for our trespasses and raised to life for our justification. Thank You that because You live, we stand forgiven and right with God, not by our record but by Yours.
He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.
Romans 4:25 (BSB)12Knowing the power of His resurrection
Lord Jesus, I want to know You and the power of Your resurrection, and even the fellowship of Your sufferings. Let the life that raised You from the dead give me strength to obey, to endure and to hope.
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:10-11 (BSB)
New life
13Dead to sin, alive to God
Father, help us count ourselves dead to sin but alive to You in Christ Jesus. When old temptations knock, remind us who we are now, and give us strength to say no and live for You.
So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 6:11 (BSB)14A new creation
Lord, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away and the new has come. We pray for everyone who will come to faith this Easter, and for each of us to live like the new people we are.
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (BSB)15Minds set on things above
Father, You raised us with Christ, so lift our eyes higher than the bills, the headlines and the to-do list. Teach us to seek what is above, where Jesus sits at Your right hand, and to rest in a life hidden with Him in You.
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3 (BSB)
Easter services and guests
16Christ crucified at the center
Lord, keep our Easter preaching from clever talks and seasonal clichés. Like Paul, let our pastors resolve to know nothing among us except Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and proclaim Him risen.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:2 (BSB)17Hearts burning as the Scriptures open
Lord Jesus, the two on the road to Emmaus felt their hearts burning as You opened the Scriptures to them. As the Bible is read and preached this Easter, open it to our guests in the same way.
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as He spoke with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Luke 24:32 (BSB)18Doubters who become worshipers
Lord Jesus, You met Thomas in his doubt and invited him to touch Your hands and side, and he answered, My Lord and my God. Meet the skeptics and doubters who come to church this Easter, and turn their questions into worship.
Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”
John 20:27-28 (BSB)19Written so that we may believe
God, John wrote his Gospel so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing have life in His name. Use the Easter readings to bring our guests to faith, and give them a reason to come back next Sunday.
But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
John 20:31 (BSB)
The persecuted and the grieving
20Behind locked doors
Lord Jesus, on the first Easter evening Your disciples met behind locked doors, and You came and stood among them saying, Peace be with you. Stand among the believers who must celebrate Easter in secret this year, and give them Your peace.
It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
John 20:19 (BSB)21The One who holds the keys of Death
Lord Jesus, You are the First and the Last, the Living One who was dead and is alive forever, and You hold the keys of Death and of Hades. Comfort the families of martyrs, and give courage to those who face death for Your name.
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, the Living One. I was dead, and behold, now I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of Death and of Hades.
Revelation 1:17-18 (BSB)22The resurrection and the life
Lord Jesus, You told Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. For those spending Easter beside an empty chair, let this promise hold them up: whoever believes in You will live, even though he dies.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 (BSB) · Pray this verse →23Victory over death
Thanks be to You, God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Where, O Death, is your victory? Where is your sting? Let the grieving and the dying in our church face death with hope, not terror.
“Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
1 Corinthians 15:55-57 (BSB)
A closing prayer
Risen Lord Jesus, You bore our sins on the cross, lay in the tomb and rose again, just as the Scriptures said. Thank You for the cross, where our debt was paid, and for the empty grave, where death lost its grip. Fill us with resurrection hope and new life. Meet every guest at our Easter services, stand among Your persecuted people, and hold the grieving close. You are alive, and we are Yours. Amen.
Pray with a voice
Short prayers with a voice to pray along with, each drawn from one passage.
Questions
When is Easter 2027?
Easter Sunday is March 28, 2027. Palm Sunday is March 21 and Good Friday is March 26. Orthodox churches, which still calculate the date by the Julian calendar, celebrate Easter on May 2, 2027. Because it follows the first full moon of spring, Western Easter moves between March 22 and April 25.
Why is the resurrection so important?
Paul lists Christ’s death, burial and resurrection as the message of first importance (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), and he writes, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). Jesus was raised to life for our justification (Romans 4:25), and through Him death has been abolished (2 Timothy 1:10).
What Bible passages are read on Good Friday and Easter?
Good Friday services often read Isaiah 52:13–53:12, Psalm 22 and the crucifixion accounts in Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 and John 18–19. On Easter Sunday churches read the resurrection accounts in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20, along with 1 Corinthians 15.
More prayer points
Every verse on this page is quoted word for word from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which its publishers dedicated to the public domain. Copy, print and share these prayer points freely with your church.